In and around Jerusalem

Walk along a beautiful forest path with spectacular views, visit 2 or 3 of the Etzion springs, and explore the ruins of Khirbet Jumjum, a fortified Jewish town from the Second Temple and Talmudic periods, on this popular hike. 

 

Time: The basic hike, Hike A, takes about 2½ to 3 hours, including time for enjoying the pools and exploring the ruins of Khirbet Jumjum. It is also possible to extend this hike for another hour or so to visit Ein Lavan (Hike B). 

Distances:  Hike A: 5 Km, Hike B 7.5 Km 

Type of hike: Circular

Difficulty: There is a fairly steep and slippery section on the first part of the hike, although this can be bypassed if desired. This is otherwise an easy hike. From Khirbet Jumjum there is a gradula ascent. For Hike B, this can be strenuous due to its length.  

Starting point: Parking area at the intersection just before the "Gavna" catering facility. There is a signposted map here and a picnic table. 

Directions: Put "Gavna, Bat Ayin" into Waze and click on "Gavna Events". 

Public transport: Put "Kfar Etzion" into Moovit. There are regular buses to Kfar Etzion from outside the Jerusalem Central Bus station. From the entrance of Kfar Etzion, it is about a 15-minute walk to the starting point.

At the roundabout outside Kfar Etzion, take the second exit towards Bat Ayin signposted to “Gush Etzion Springs” and “Regional Cemetery”. Take the first turn on the right, marked “Gush Etzion Springs”. Continue along this road until you come to the intersection just before the Gavna catering facility. 

Security: This hike is in Area C, as is the rest of Gush Etzion. It is in a Jewish enclave and there are no Arab villages in the immediate vicinity. It is a popular hike with usually plenty of people around and is usually regarded as being safe. 

 

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OVERVIEW

THE LONE OAK IN GUSH ETZION

If the centuries-old oak tree outside Alon Shvut could talk - it would have a lot to tell.

The area known today as Gush Etzion was inhabited by Jews during the Second Temple period and beyond, but until the last century there had been no Jewish presence there for over 1,500 years. This began to change in the early twentieth century when two separate attempts were made to resettle the area on land purchased from nearby Arab villages. However, these fledgling communities were abandoned following the Arab riots of 1929 and 1937.   

A third attempt to settle the area was made in 1943 by a group of young pioneers that included a number of Holocaust survivors. The hills were rocky and barren, the water supply was tenuous, the winter weather was bitterly cold, and the settlement was isolated. Despite these difficulties, the settlers of Kfar Etzion and 3 other nearby kibbutzim made steady progress. By 1947, there were about 450 Jews living in Gush Etzion.  

However, following the approval of the United Nations Partition Plan on November 29 1947, the settlers of the Etzion block had some tough decisions to make. The U.N. decision was widely celebrated by the Jewish people because of its historic approval of an independent Jewish state in the land of Israel, but according to the provisions of this plan, Gush Etzion was slated to become part of an Arab state. Hostilities broke out a few hours in the country after the vote, and Arab militias began attacking Jewish vehicles on the roads. Travel between Gush Etzion and Jerusalem was now extremely dangerous, and supplying the residents and their defenders with provisions and reinforcements became extremely difficult.  

The settlers could have decided to abandon their homes and move to Jerusalem. However, the decision was made to evacuate only the children and mothers, while the others would remain to face what would likely be a difficult siege. In so doing, they provided crucial relief to the southern Jewish neighborhoods of Jerusalem from Arab forces from the Hebron area.  

After a 2-day battle on the eve of Israel’s declaration of independence, Gush Etzion fell to the Jordanian Legion, who were aided by British and Arab irregulars. The defenders of Kfar Etzion surrendered their arms, were told to assemble for a photograph, and were then shot. The defenders of the other settlements were taken to Jordan as prisoners of war. In total, 151 people died defending Gush Etzion, which was then taken over by the Jordanians. 

For each of the next nineteen years, the survivors of Gush Etzion would gather together at a site on the mountains outside of Jerusalem from where they could look across the border and just make out the silhouette of the "Lone Oak Tree," a centuries-old oak growing on a hilltop between them and their abandoned homes. This landmark became a symbol of the hope that one day they would return.

Less than two decades later, after Israel’s surprising victory in the 1967 Six Day War, this is exactly what happened. The Jordanians had been warned not to initiate hostilities when war broke out. Nevertheless, the Jordanians attacked and opened another front against Israel. As a result of their decision, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had no option but to advance against the Old City, East Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank. 

Israel had no plans to take over Judea and Samaria, but the Jordanian forces retreated and this allowed the IDF to capture these areas with almost no combat. Following the capture of these historic and strategic areas, there was considerable ambivalence within the Israeli government and the Israeli people about what to do with these areas. However, a consensus quickly emerged that Gush Etzion would never be relinquished.

With the permission of the government, Kibbutz Kfar Etzion was reestablished several months after the Six Day War. Many members were children of fathers killed in the War of Independence. Shortly after this, a second town was founded adjacent to the Lone Tree and given the symbolic name Alon Shvut, meaning “Tree of Return”. 

Today, Gush Etzion is a flourishing suburban area consisting of 19 small Jewish communities and the large towns of Efrat and Beitar Illit with a combined population of over 80,000 residents, and a thriving agricultural sector based mainly on fruit trees and vineyards.  

 

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The Route:

• From the parking area, take the blue-marked jeep trail signposted to חורבת גומג׳ום עין סג׳מה. Soon, on your left, you will see a sign that says “למעין” (to the spring) indicating the path to Ein S’ajma (עין סג׳מה) . This footpath is slightly difficult because of its steep incline and slipperiness due to frequent use, but it is not dangerous. However, if you wish to bypass this short cut, continue along the jeep trail, turn left at the next intersection, and after about 15 minutes this will bring you to the same point as the short cut.  

• When the footpath reaches a jeep trail, turn right, and within a few meters, by the end of the railing, are steps leading down to the spring and pool. 

This spring is known in Arabic as Ein S'ajma (Arabic for a “deer”), and is also called “Ein Yitzhak” in memory of Yitzhak Weinstock, a 19-year old from nearby Alon Shvut who was killed by terrorists in 1993 in a roadside attack near Ramallah. The pool is small and 1.8 meters deep. There is a single picnic table here. [A bit further down the hill is a second pool fed from the same spring named “Dubak’s Pool” after Yitzhak’s father, who passed away from an illness in 2007 - but this is not part of this hike].

• From the pool, continue straight ahead onto a footpath marked with a red bicycle symbol painted on a rock. This is a very beautiful footpath that passes through a pine forest, overlooks the valley below, and provides great views of the surrounding hills and valleys and Beitar Illit in the distance. This bicycle trail runs parallel to a blue-marked jeep trail slightly above it. The trail emerges in front of the ruins of Khirbet Jumjum (חורבת גומג׳ום) . 

• To view the ruins, take the path straight ahead up the hill.

This was a fortified Jewish town in the Second Temple period, and was also inhabited during the Byzantine and Mamluke periods. It is worthwhile going to the top of the hill to view the ruins. Excavations in 2005 and 2008 uncovered ossuaries, burial caves, and winepresses. Look also for the ritual baths (mikva'ot), water cisterns, and the remains of an olive press. The view from the top of the hill is spectacular.    

From Khirbet Jumjum you have two options:

Hike A (shorter): 

• Go through the open area in the fence and turn left onto a path which initially parallels the jeep trail on the other side of the fence. Follow this trail along the outside of the vineyard until it meets the blue-marked paved road. Turn left up the hill. 

• Towards the top of the hill, the blue-marked trail comes to an intersection. Take the right fork onto the blue-marked jeep trail (and not the paved road), and this will lead you to Ein Huvela .   

In contrast to the other pools in this area, the main pool of Ein Huvela is enclosed and functions as a mikvah for the male residents of Bat Ayin and other nearby areas. The water is cold and provides a spiritual and physical jolt. The spring can be reached from the pool by crawling through the narrow tunnel near the mikvah to a water-filled cavernous cave. Across the road from the mikva is a hummus joint which is open in the afternoon and evening. It does not serve dairy – so forget the latte.

Hike B (longer):  

• By the base of the hill of Khirbet Jumjum is a bicycle trail on the left (as you face towards the hill) indicated by a red bicycle trail sign. This trail will take you to the next valley along. Close to the bottom of this valley, it joins with a green-marked jeep trail. Turn left and this will lead you to Ein Livna . 

Ein Livna has only a small pool, but at 2.5 meters it is quite deep. Take this into consideration before you jump in. There are picnic tables close to the pool. 

• From Ein Livna continue ascending up the valley. The settlement of Beit Ayin is on your right. This was founded in 1989 and now has a population of over 1,000 people. At the top of the hill you will see a footpath that climbs up to Ein Huvela. 

From Ein Huvela to your car:

• From Ein Huvela, continue up the blue-marked trail to the left of the pool. At the next intersection turn left. When you come to a paved road turn right. Your car is a short distance ahead on the left.

 

Nearby places of interest: (Click here for a comprehensive listing from the official Gush Etzion Tourism:

Gush Etzion Heritage Center is in Kibbutz Kfar Etzion and is a memorial to the people who gave their lives to protect the communities of the Etzion Bloc during Israel’s War of Independence. A very moving sound and light show can be seen in either Hebrew or English. This site was recently declared a National Heritage Project by the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It is open Sunday to Thursday in the summer from 9.00 AM -5.00 PM  and in the winter from 9.00 AM - 4.00 PM. Admission fee is 25 NIS. It is advisable to call beforehand for a showing. Tel: 02 993 5160 or 02 993 8308.  

Gush Etzion Winery at the Gush Etzion Junction. Visitors can visit the wine production area and then taste the wines in the Visitors Center. Open Sundays 10.00 AM-5.00 PM and Fridays 9.00 AM-2.00 PM. Tel: 02 930 9220.

Deer Land Park: This has a nature reserve, petting zoo, climbing wall, 360-degree swings, bungee trampoline, paintball, archery, marksmanship, horseriding, 4x4 jeep rides, and a  400 meter-long zipline that crosses the valley at a height of 120 meters. It is open in the summer from 9.30 AM-5.00 PM, and 9.30 AM-1.00 PM on Fridays, and in the winter from 9.30 AM-4.30 PM and 9.30 AM-12.30 PM on Fridays. The price is between 10-25 NIS for each activity and 100 NIS for the zipline.

The Lone Oak Tree is located by the town Allon Shvut, which means "oak of return". Relax and listen to the recording.

The Workship Gush Etzion is at Rosh Tzurim. Design and make Judaica objects using specialized woodworking tools during a 2½ hour session that is suitable for everyone age 6 and over. 054 678 5813.  

Ein S'ajma is the first spring you will come to. It is not very deep and is good for a refreshing dip.

 

Spectacular views from the forest path between Ein S'ajma and Khirbat Jumjum. 

 

Khirbat Jumjum has ruins from Second Temple times and also Byzantine and Mamluke remains. It's worth a walk to the top, if only for the view. 

 

Ein Huvela functions as the mikveh for Bat Ayin. It's an experience - socially (it also functions as a sort of Bat Ayin men's club), physically (the water is cold) and spiritually. Also, try out the hummus joint across the road.