Lahav Forest - Archaeology & Wildflowers in Southern Israel

Lahav Forest was founded and developed thanks to
contributions from friends of KKL-JNF in Israel and worldwide
including Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, USA and England.

South of the Lower Judean Plain in the direction of Beersheba is a big forest that covers an area of more than 30,000 dunams. KKL JNF started planting this forest in 1952 and expanded it in the 1960s. In the forest you will find the Joe Alon Center for Regional Studies, underground tunnels, desert wildflowers, active recreation areas, archeological ruins with remains from Jewish and Christian villages, and bicycle paths.

The climate is arid with an average annual rainfall of 240mm. The forest stands out against the bleak background that surrounds it, which has mainly low desert shrubs. In the forest glades there are wonderful wildflowers in the springtime, a festival of colors.

In the Lahav nature reserve the vegetation is typical for the intermediate regions between the desert and the Mediterranean terrain. One of the plants that are typical to the region is Jerusalem sage, which is a low bush that blooms in springtime with yellow flowers. Its leaves are covered with a thick layer of fuzz on both sides that make the leaves look almost white. This layer of fuzz is much thicker than the leaf itself, and its purpose is to protect the plant from loss of moisture. In the fall, the sternbergia blooms first. In the forest, in addition to conifers there are also olive groves, pistachio, terebinth and carob trees.

The Joe Alon Center and the Museum for Bedouin Culture

Situated in the heart of the forest, it is a center for scientific and educational research undertaken in conjunction with the museum, which is dedicated to Bedouin culture. The exhibition is fascinating and includes a film, folk tales, a visit to a hospitality tent, a presentation about the Jewish development of the Northern Negev and an exhibition about the work of KKL-JNF, The Awakening Desert. There is also an audio presentation on the roof of the museum explaining the surroundings. The Center is open daily including Saturdays, for a fee, telephone: 08-9913322 and 08-9918597.

Rimon Ruins

Hirbet al Remamin, south of Kibbutz Lahav, is on the eastern slopes of the forest, where there are remains of an ancient Jewish synagogue from the time of the Second Temple (Nehemiah 11:29). The inhabitants of this village comprised the remnant that had not been exiled to Babylon. In the center of the building that remains, there are parts of walls, architectonic features and a floor with five engraved rosettes—a typical Jewish ornament in the days of the Second Temple. There is also a bird ringing station at the site.

Tel Halif and the Halif Ruins

North of Kibbutz Lahav is a mound identified with Rimon, a town recalled as having been part of the territory allotted to the tribe of Shimon (Joshua 19:7). Remains from the Bronze Period were discovered at the site as well as remains from the early Israelite Period – 6th to 9th century BCE. There is an excellent view of the Coastal Plain from the top of the ruins. Some of the remains were damaged in the 1950s, when communication trenches were dug there for military purposes. At the Halif ruins, remains of vessels from the Egyptian period were also found, as well as nearby Jewish burial caves from the 2nd and 3rd centuries, which attest to the Jewish presence on the plain after the Bar Kochba rebellion.

Karel Lookout

From the area of the watchtower there is a dirt road on the western slopes of the forest. On one of the turns in the forest KKL-JNF constructed an observation deck facing the Southern Coastal Plain.

Hashdera Recreation Area

Located at the northern entrance to Lahav Forest, it has picnic tables that are wheelchair accessible.

Additional Recreation Areas

Additional recreation areas include the Mitzpe Recreation Area, the Doron Recreation Area, the Reches Recreation Area and the wheelchair accessible Oranim Recreation Area.