Begin Park

Photograph: Adi Tene, KKL-JNF
Photograph: Adi Tene, KKL-JNF
Begin Park covers approximately 8,000 dunams in the heart of the Jerusalem Mountains. KKL-JNF is developing the park according to an ecological perspective and is designating it as a forested open area, a link in the green space of the Judean Mountains (the conserved core) – parks, forests and nature reserves that include American Independence Park, Aminadav Forest, Sataf Forest, Martyrs Forest (Ya'ar HaKedoshim) and the Nahal Sorek Reserve. This large open space is the green lung of the heart of Israel.

  • How to get there

    The park has two main entrance gates: Bar Giora gate: The gate is next to the firefighting station, about one kilometer east of the entrance to Bar Giora (Route 386 near the 15 km marker). Mevo Beitar gate: The gate is about 700 meters east of the entrance to Mevo Beitar (Route 375 next to the 8 km marker).

  • Entrance fee

    Entrance to the park is free of charge.

  • Geographic location-

    Jerusalem Mountains

  • Area-

    center

  • Special Sites in the Forest-

    Bar Giora gate, Ein Yoel, Ein Koki, Aliza and Menahem Begin scenic lookout, information center.

  • Other sites in the area-

    American Independence Park, Nahal Katlav, Har HaTayasim (Pilots' Mountain), Yad Kennedy, Aminadav Ridge, Mount Eitan, Sataf.

  • Recreation areas-

    Bar Giora recreation area, Ein Kobi recreation area, Kaplan recreation area, Aliza and Menahem Begin scenic lookout, Toussia Cohen recreation area.

  • Type of parking-

    Accessible parks,Picnic parks

  • Interest-

    Archeology

Car road in the park

Nahal Refaim, one of the tributaries of Nahal Sorek, marks the northern border of the park. The old railroad passes along the river channel on the historical route that led from Jaffa to Jerusalem. In the south, the park borders on Route 375 (the area of Tzur Hadassah and Mevo Beitar) and in the west Route 386, which leads from Bar Giora to Nahal Refaim.The Green Line more or less marks the park's eastern border.

Begin Park is characterized by mountains that ascend to a height of more than 700 meters above sea level. Deep channels divide the mountains and give the scenery a dramatic touch. The park's area includes planted forests and natural woodlands, old agricultural terraces, archaeological sites, recreation areas and scenic lookouts, orchards and small mountain springs, the water from which was collected in the past in pools from which it flowed to the cultivated plots.

The park commemorates Menahem Begin, Israel's sixth prime minister, and his wife Aliza.

KKL-JNF built and signposted an 11-km-long road for vehicles, which crosses the entire length of Begin Park. The road to Ein Kobi from the Mevo Beitar gate is traversable for a private car and therefore so is access to the Bar Giora camping site. The other roads in the park are multi-purpose and are suitable for private cars (difficult to traverse in winter) and of course for cyclists and pedestrians. In this leaflet we describe the park's sites along the car route form Bar Giora gate to Ein Kobi.

Bar Giora gate and the campsite

A few steps from the entrance to the scenic road is the Milton Yaakovi recreation site – intended for daytime stays and approved for camping at night (for groups with advance coordination).
The recreation area has picnic tables, drinking water, playground equipment for children and camping areas. The recreation area is accessible for people with special needs.

The place was known in the War of Independence as the Fork Junction, named after the meeting of the road that ascends from the Elah Valley to Bethlehem with the dirt road on which the Palmah Harel forces ascended from the Judean Foothills (today the road to Bar Giora). The area was conquered in the Mountain Operation, which began on October 19, 1948, and ended three days later. The IDF forces moved from village to village and captured them from the remains of the Egyptian forces that commanded the area until then. The village of Husan was also captured during the operation, but the IDF retreated from it and the village remained within the area of the kingdom of Jordan.

The forest road, marked with a black trail sign and KKL-JNF signs, departs eastward from the recreation area.The road crosses the heart of a planted forest mixed with natural woodland.
After one kilometer, next to a high tension pylon, the road turns left, and a short section of it corresponds to the Israel Trail. After about 250 meters, the "black" route leaves the Israel Trail, turns left sharply and descends to the edges of a vineyard growing in a small valley. The route departs from the vineyard and passes a route marked in red (on the left) and meets the other end of the "red" route about half a kilometer later, after a sharp turn. From here you can go north on the "red" route (by foot or car) and reach the starting point of a path marked in green that leads to the top of Mount Giora.

Horvat Kfar Tzom

A place named Kfar Tzom is known as a town destroyed during the rebellion of Jewish military commander Bar-Kokhva during the Roman period, and it is assumed that the ancient remains in the site from the same period belong to this town. The site includes two mikveh structures that testify to Jewish presence. Other remains include structures, wells and a large poll. The site is close to Beitar, the location of Bar-Kokhva's headquarters, and about a kilometer from the Roman road that connected Jerusalem and Beit Govrin. Toward the end of the Ottoman period,  a small Arab village in the site hosted the tomb of Sheik Abu Mutzafir.
 
The site is still not ready for public visitors. KKL-JNF intends to open it and reveal the ancient remains to the public.
 
Har Giora Nature Reserve
A circular trail leads the travelers to the top of the mountain. The trail goes up through the heart of a beautiful grove with forest trees. As it gets closer to the top, climbing is a little harder. At the top of the mountain (723 meters above the ground) is the tomb of Sheik Marzouk – a small, domed stone structure with only a single room. To enjoy the view in full, step down north from the tomb structure and watch the great channel of the Refa'im and the Sorek streams as they come together at the foot of the mountain. Above the Refa'im stream are the Salmon and Sorek ridges, and to the west, above the Sorek stream channel, the Pitulim Mountain, at its feet the isolated hill of Horvat Tura with the remains of a fortress from the Hasmonean period.

The "Green" trail descends southwards, passes near a stone wine press and returns to the "Red" path. Here, travelers can turn left a walk a pleasant half-kilometer eastwards to where they left their vehicles (where the "Red" and "Black" paths cross).

Bar Giora gate and the campsite

A few steps from the entrance to the scenic road is the Milton Yaakovi recreation site – intended for daytime stays and approved for camping at night (for groups with advance coordination).
The recreation area has picnic tables, drinking water, playground equipment for children and camping areas. The recreation area is accessible for people with special needs.

The place was known in the War of Independence as the Fork Junction, named after the meeting of the road that ascends from the Elah Valley to Bethlehem with the dirt road on which the Palmah Harel forces ascended from the Judean Foothills (today the road to Bar Giora). The area was conquered in the Mountain Operation, which began on October 19, 1948, and ended three days later. The IDF forces moved from village to village and captured them from the remains of the Egyptian forces that commanded the area until then. The village of Husan was also captured during the operation, but the IDF retreated from it and the village remained within the area of the kingdom of Jordan.

The forest road, marked with a black trail sign and KKL-JNF signs, departs eastward from the recreation area.The road crosses the heart of a planted forest mixed with natural woodland.
After one kilometer, next to a high tension pylon, the road turns left, and a short section of it corresponds to the Israel Trail. After about 250 meters, the "black" route leaves the Israel Trail, turns left sharply and descends to the edges of a vineyard growing in a small valley. The route departs from the vineyard and passes a route marked in red (on the left) and meets the other end of the "red" route about half a kilometer later, after a sharp turn. From here you can go north on the "red" route (by foot or car) and reach the starting point of a path marked in green that leads to the top of Mount Giora.

The Reconciler: Sheik Marzouk

Sheik Marzouk was the loyal aide of the Sultan Bader, a dervish who founded a school at the village Dir a-Shih, a short distance from the Giora Mountain. Legends tell that one day the Sultan Bader saw the king leading his great army across the valley of the Sorek stream. The Sultan came down and offered to host the king and his army. The King did not believe that the humble dervish can host his entire army, so he decided to test him by asking water for his horses. The Sultan gave a jug to his aide Marzouk and told him to stand at the top of the Giora Mountain and shout "Oh, Sultan Bader!" Marzouk did as he was told, and then the Sultan appeared and ordered him to throw the jug down. The jug crashed on the ground, and wherever its remains landed, water flowed and the horsemen could let their horses drink. The Sultan then took a bag of barley to feed all the horses, and finally fed the warriors with some rice.
 
Sheik Marzouk became a holy man and was buried at the top of the Giora Mountain. Some say that the Sheik could do the hardest thing – reconcile between fighting couples.
 
Ein Misla
About 200 meters after the Israel Trail becomes a part of the path, where the "black" path turns left (northwards), there is a grapevine. As with most of the grapevines in the area, it grows in a soil that is comfortable for agricultural development, of the Motza marlstone ground layer. This yellowish, soft rock is relatively protected from water seeping. For this reason, where these rocks are exposed to air, streams tend to appear in rainy years.
 
One such streams is Ein Misla, which can be found east from the grapevine in a field where surviving trees from traditional orchards and orchards planted by the residents of Mevo Beitar in the 1950s and 1960s can be seen. A few small streams come together here and create a nice-looking pool. The old pool, previously used by the residents of the village, was reconstructed by the youth of the nearby communities. Another pool, which also collected water in the past, was vandalized and destroyed.
 
The stream is one of the nicest places in Park Begin. It is under threat of expansion plans of Mevo Beitar
 
Ein Yoel
In front of the grapevine, about 100 meters down the road where it crosses the Yoel Stream, a small staircase marks the starting point of a walking trail marked in blue. The surviving stone structure was built in the days of the British mandate, a school for the children of the area, mostly from the village of Ras Abu Amar. At the beginning of the trail, on the right, the opening of a tomb can be seen. Near the ravine on the left grows one of the most beautiful orchards in the Jerusalem mountains, with pear, quince, fig and almond trees. The orchard was planted in the 1950s by the residents of Mevo Beitar. The residents used an impressive system of terraces from earlier periods; today, the orchards is no longer worked on, but the remaining trees enhance the travelers' enjoyment of the site.
 
About half a kilometer later, travelers reach Ein Yoel – a small stream originating in a hedgerow of Rubus sanguineus. A round concrete pool marks the location of the stream. Its waters were used by the residents of Ras Abu Amar, which was built on a hill north of the ravine. The name "Ein Yoel" commemorates Yoel Ben-Yehuda Potpovich of Mevo Beitar, who was murdered in 1959 when he went with his friends to pump water from the stream. Today, the stream flows for several months each year.
 
After visiting Ein Yoel, travelers can return on the "blue" path to their vehicles.
 
Ein Kobi
Right after the turn to Ein Yoel, there is a path marked in green. The green way (which turns left) is easy to pass through. It goes through a KKL-JNF forest, and after 3 kilometers, joins again with the path marked in black. Further away, the path pass by a scenic lookout and a recreation area where the landscape of the Aminadav Ridge can be seen.
 
400 meters from the lookout is Ein Kobi – a park in its own right. Here you can see one of the most beautiful streams in Jerusalem. The water flow through a 12-meter tunnel to a large underground pool covered by a stone structure. From the pool, the water keep flowing through a 17-meter tunnel to an external pool. From the reserve, water were passed in tunnels to irrigated lands.
 
KKL-JNF, in collaboration with the Israel Antiquities Authority, reconstructed the water system and opened it public visitors, and also planted orchard tree in the site and added a recreation area and a small overnight camping site east of the park. The underground pool can be reached through careful descending a steel staircase. Those who wish for a more adventurous access can use a secured iron ladder through an opening the leads down to the stream, located 20 meters south of the pool. A short and wet crawl down leads to the underground pool, and to a steel platform leading to the stairs and the exit. Flashlights, walking shoes and the right spirit are required.The stream's volumetric flow rate is constantly dropping due to the fewer rains that Israel has experienced in past few years, as well as the end of the traditional works at the old terraces, works that in past increased the flow of the water to the ground and the stream. Near the pools is a structure dating to the Roman or Byzantine periods, which over the years became a mosque.

Nearby are also the remains of a church from the crusades. Archeological digs reveal a character dressed in red and holding a handle, an animal's foot and a lower part of a man wearing short red clothes. These may be the remains of a scene showing Maria walking to Bethlehem or the holy family on its way to Egypt.East of the stream, among the trees, is the Horvat Kobi site with the remains of ancient structures, tombs and agricultural facilities. Among them are also the remains of the Arab village Al Kabo, which was abandoned during Israel's war of independence. Some recognize the place the as the biblical Kabon, a name also mentioned during the voyage of Assyrian King Sennacherib to Judea. During the Mishna period, the place was known as Kobi.

The Menachem and Aliza Begin Scenic Lookout
 
Visitors to Ein Kobi have two travel options. They can go north on a dirt road marked in green down the Refa'im Stream and turn left at the Kobi Bridge to the Aminadav forest and the Kennedy Memorial. The road is about 10 kilometers long and is meant for 4X4 vehicles.
The other option is to continue on the paved road south and exit to road 375 after 1.5 kilometers, near Mevo Beitar. Those who take this path will pass another recreation area and will reach the Menachem and Aliza Begin scenic lookout. The lookout is noted for its iron roof painted in blue. An oak tree provides shading for the lookout, and stones feature quotes from Begin's speeches. Near the lookout are picnic tables. The lookout and the recreation area are accessible to people with disabilities.

Bar Giora gate and the campsite

A few steps from the entrance to the scenic road is the Milton Yaakovi recreation site – intended for daytime stays and approved for camping at night (for groups with advance coordination).
The recreation area has picnic tables, drinking water, playground equipment for children and camping areas. The recreation area is accessible for people with special needs.

The place was known in the War of Independence as the Fork Junction, named after the meeting of the road that ascends from the Elah Valley to Bethlehem with the dirt road on which the Palmah Harel forces ascended from the Judean Foothills (today the road to Bar Giora). The area was conquered in the Mountain Operation, which began on October 19, 1948, and ended three days later. The IDF forces moved from village to village and captured them from the remains of the Egyptian forces that commanded the area until then. The village of Husan was also captured during the operation, but the IDF retreated from it and the village remained within the area of the kingdom of Jordan.

The forest road, marked with a black trail sign and KKL-JNF signs, departs eastward from the recreation area.The road crosses the heart of a planted forest mixed with natural woodland.
After one kilometer, next to a high tension pylon, the road turns left, and a short section of it corresponds to the Israel Trail. After about 250 meters, the "black" route leaves the Israel Trail, turns left sharply and descends to the edges of a vineyard growing in a small valley. The route departs from the vineyard and passes a route marked in red (on the left) and meets the other end of the "red" route about half a kilometer later, after a sharp turn. From here you can go north on the "red" route (by foot or car) and reach the starting point of a path marked in green that leads to the top of Mount Giora.

Menachem Begin

Menachem Begin was born August 16, 1913. He grew up and spent his adolescent years in Poland, and from a young age he demonstrated his leadership abilities in the Beitar movement. At the beginning of World War II, after escaping from Poland, he was imprisoned by the Soviets. He was released to serve in Polish Armed Forces in the West -  a force loyal to the exiled Polish Government in London, under the command of General Vladislav  Andres. In 1943, on its way to Italy, the army has arrive in in Israel. Begin left the army to lead The Irgun.

Following Israel's declaration of independence, Begin became the leader of the Herut party, and was elected as prime minister in 1977. Two years later, he signed the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt. Begin saw great importance in the Israeli justice system and the Israeli law, and considered both a cornerstone of the country's democracy. After the 1982 Lebanon War, he resigned from his position and stayed at his home until the day of his death in 1992.

Bar Giora gate and the campsite

A few steps from the entrance to the scenic road is the Milton Yaakovi recreation site – intended for daytime stays and approved for camping at night (for groups with advance coordination).
The recreation area has picnic tables, drinking water, playground equipment for children and camping areas. The recreation area is accessible for people with special needs.

The place was known in the War of Independence as the Fork Junction, named after the meeting of the road that ascends from the Elah Valley to Bethlehem with the dirt road on which the Palmah Harel forces ascended from the Judean Foothills (today the road to Bar Giora). The area was conquered in the Mountain Operation, which began on October 19, 1948, and ended three days later. The IDF forces moved from village to village and captured them from the remains of the Egyptian forces that commanded the area until then. The village of Husan was also captured during the operation, but the IDF retreated from it and the village remained within the area of the kingdom of Jordan.

The forest road, marked with a black trail sign and KKL-JNF signs, departs eastward from the recreation area.The road crosses the heart of a planted forest mixed with natural woodland.
After one kilometer, next to a high tension pylon, the road turns left, and a short section of it corresponds to the Israel Trail. After about 250 meters, the "black" route leaves the Israel Trail, turns left sharply and descends to the edges of a vineyard growing in a small valley. The route departs from the vineyard and passes a route marked in red (on the left) and meets the other end of the "red" route about half a kilometer later, after a sharp turn. From here you can go north on the "red" route (by foot or car) and reach the starting point of a path marked in green that leads to the top of Mount Giora.

KKL-JNF for the community

A park as a bridge between communities
KKL-JNF sees the parks, forests and open areas under its responsibility as spaces for conserving nature and scenery, but at the same time it also assigns them a social role. In many places KKL-JNF promotes a connection between the community and the open area near it.

In Begin Park, KKL-JNF plans to build a path that will connect the community to the park and also connect the communities to one another. The path that will be built will connect the communities of Tzur Hadassah, Bar Giora and Nes Harim and is intended for pedestrians and cyclists. The path will be accessible for people with disabilities and will join the accessible path and facilities that already exist next to the Bar BaHar information center (next to the Nes Harim recreation area). A café operates in the information center and there are information signs about the area, leaflets with information about trails and sites in the area, an accessible scenic trail, restrooms and drinking water.