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In the footsteps of the “ Kings “ & “ Judges”
According to the Old Testament Mt. Gilboa (which is really a ridge and not single mountain) is a place of tragedy and triumph. Israelis flock here every year from February to April to see the multitude of wildflowers and the famed purplish Gilboa Iris (Iris Haynei).
 The Gilboa range lies in the North of Israel, separating the Harod and Jezreel valleys and reaching 1600 feet in elavation. Many stories from the Prophets occured at or around Gilboa. After the battle of Ai, Joshua built an altar on Mt. Eival (near Gilboa) and read the Torah to the Israelites (Joshua 8:30-38). Gideon set up a camp on the base of the Gilboa, at Ein Harod, to prepare for the battle against the Midianites (Judges 7:1-25). Saul and his three sons (see Samuel I:31) are slain on Mt Gilboa itself. Subsequently, King David curses Mt. Gilboa by saying that they should have no rainfall, remaining barren (Samuel II 1:21). Most of what is today a scenic road is what used to be known as Patrol Way, prior to 1948. While most of the road is now paved, you may actually want to veer off and take some of the unpaved paths and walk a bit – to get the best views of the valley. If you would like to have a picnic, (the mountain almost beckons it), it might be worth your while going a few minutes out of your way to pick up a picnic basket first . There are many picnic areas along the scenic route. Or enjoy the herbs farm and their uniqe meals.
From the Gilboa we’ll be able to see the valley below. This area of the Jezreel valley is known as the Harod Valley and it is full of fishponds that attract a great number and variety of birds including cormorans, pelicans, storks, seagulls, and ducks. we’ll also be able to see the hill of Moreh where the Philistines assembled to fight Saul, Mt. Tabor (site of the Transfiguration of Jesus), and the mountains of the Jordan Valley. On a clear day you might even see Mt. Hermon to the north.
David, who replaced Saul, lamented his fallen king. In Samuel II 1:21 “Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil.” Over the years – some have taken this curse this literally, as the reason for the seeming baldness of Mt. Gilboa. But in recent years the Jewish National Fund has planted thousands of trees that have greatly changed the situation, although bald spots are still clearly visible .
Depending on the other sites we plan on seeing in the area,we’ll decide whether we want drive from west to east (entering near tel Yizre’el, which offers a spectacular observation point of the valley). Or if we want to drive from east to west, beginning in the Nir David area . Nir David is also close to the ancient Beit Alpha synagogue at Kibbutz Heftziba. Late winter and early spring are the best time to savor the full splendor of the Gilboa and they valley below. Whatever we decide – our first stop will be Mt. Saul. From here the story of Gideon looks real.
When Gideon was about to set out to battle against the Midianites, he was instructed by G-d to cut his army into a small force of 300 men, to prove that a victory was reached only through G-d and not through the army size. Gideon brought his men to the waters of Ein Harod- those who brought the water up to their mouths with their hand joined his army; those who dipped their faces in the water were sent home. Only 300 men passed the test.
Map of Israel after Joshua's conquest, during the time of the Judges: These tribal divisions were not condusive to uniting the Israelites - customs developed differently and each tribe had its own leader or Judge.
Gan Garoo Park Australia-Israel
It is a beautifully landscaped park that features a variety of animals and plants, all of which are native to Australia. The four-acre park provides a taste of Australia's wildlife - right in Israel's Beit Shean Valley.
Gan Garoo has over seven types of kangaroos (a total of 45) and an assortment of cockatoo, flying foxes, laughing kookaburra, cassowary, wallaby, and emu to name a few. Over 38 types of eucalyptus trees and other plants grace the grounds.
The park was established with the help of a successive number of Australian ambassadors. Operated by Kibbutz Nir David , this park is adjacent to Gan Hashlosha (the Sahne) and it is a joy to both children and adults alike.
Kibbutz member Yehuda Gat started the project that is fully recognized by the Australian Wildlife Protection Authority. It took six years to get approval for this unique park. In addition to the assortment of Australian flora and fauna there is a large maze on the premises that provides added enjoyment for visitors.
The Jezreel Valley
The Jezreel Valley is home to some of the most fertile farmland in Israel and it is a place with wonderful vistas. The agricultural heartland of the country; it is an area rich in natural springs.
While there are other valleys in Israel, in Hebrew the Jezreel Valley is often referred to simply as “Ha’emek - The Valley”. This is a great area for hiking, picnicking – enjoying nature and learning about both modern and biblical history.
For me, this land where my father first came to Israel as a child from Germany and made his first steps as an Israeli is as close as it gets to paradise on earth. Coming without his parents he felt every inch of the soil and transfer this love to us. Therefor I’m commited to keep this land fot thr next generations.
The valley got its name from the biblical city of Yizre’el that served as a wintering place during the time of the monarchy. The city flourished under the reign of King Omri and was ultimately destroyed by Tiglath-Pileser III, in 732 BCE.
Until the early 1920s when the first Jewish settlements were established in the area, almost 30 years before the birth of the new nation, The Jezreel Valley had many swamps.
In September 1921 Kibbutz Ein Harod was established near the Spring of Harod, it was the second Jewish settlement in the area. During the 1920s there were six Jewish settlements in the valley.
As early as 1891 the man who would later be known as the “Redeemer of the Valley”, Yehoshua Hankin began negotiating for the purchase of 40,000 acres (160,000 dunam) at a price 16 Franc per dunam. The deal fell through and the sale was delayed until 1909. The first parcel of land purchased was 2,375 acres (9,500 dunam) and it was used to establish Merhavia, the first settlement in the valley, in 1911.
The Turks exiled Hankin and the major land purchase in the valley, 17,500 acres (70,000 dunam) was only concluded in 1920 after his return. Hankin is buried on Mt. Gilboa overlooking the land that he liberated. Moshav Kfar Yehoshua is named after him and serves as a living memorial to his deeds.
While in biblical times the primary cities mentioned in the valley were Megiddo, Yizre’el and Beit Shean in modern times Afula and Beit Shean are the primary towns in the area. Yizre’el is no longer a city, but rather a kibbutz established by demobilized Palmach soldiers in 1948. And the Megiddo of today is a tel that is home to a hoard of archaeological ruins.
Aside from the great battle between Saul and the Philistines (see Mt. Gilboa, Scenic Route) the incident involving the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite (I Kings 21) occurred in the area as well. King Ahab coveted Naboth’s vineyard and asked Naboth to give the vineyard to him (the King also said he would replace it with another vineyard or pay for it). Naboth replied by saying, “The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.” Ahab was not pleased, but it was his wife Jeezebel who was really enraged. She had Naboth stoned to death and then told her husband to go claim what was rightly his. The intersection of the road that leads down from tel Yizre’el (Route # 675) and connects to Route # 71, the Afula Beit Shean road is aptly named Navot Junction (Navot is the Hebrew pronunciation of Naboth).
It was at the Spring of Harod, at the foothills of the Gilboa, that Gideon chose the warriors that would help him defeat the Midianites. And according to the Book of Revelation (the New Testament) Armageddon is located the Jezreel Valley.
Aside from its agricultural significance the Jezreel Valley was an important thoroughfare even in ancient times as it presented an easy route from the ocean in the west to the mountains east of the Jordan River and to Egypt. It was along the route mentioned in the bible as the Way to the Sea (Isaiah 9:1) and part of what was later known by the Romans as the Via Maris, the ancient route from Egypt to Mesopotamia. The importance of the valley in terms of transportation continues to this day, as many trucks from Amman, Jordan travel through it on their way the port of Haifa.
Many of the kibbutzim and moshavim in the area offer Bed & Breakfast type guestrooms. Some of these are luxurious, while others offer basic accommodations. In most cases these accomadations offer much more than the spartan image that one might think of.
 Gideon's Cave - Ma'ayan Harod
Harod Spring Nature Reserve From biblical times to more recent history this one spot has been a place where armies gathered prior to battle, where great battles were fought, and where an army in the making, trained.
The Spring of Harod flows from Gideon's Cave. This is the place where Gideon gathered his men before fighting the Midianites. Judges 7:1 describes the scene, "Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley." It was here that Gideon administered the 'water test' as a way of choosing the warriors for the coming battle (Judges 7:4-7).
Today it is a nature reserve with the second largest pool in Israel, sprawling lawns, a picnic area, and great looming eucalyptus trees. Aside from Gideon's Cave you'll be able to see some remains of an ancient aqueduct and a memorial to soldiers who died fighting on Mt. Gilboa. The home of Yehoshua Hankin, the "Redeemer of the Valley" (see the Jezreel Valley) is preserved as a small museum just above the cave and serves as an observation point of the valley. The tombs of Hankin and his wife Olga are located here as well.
In 1260 Baybars I, a Mamluk general defeated the Mongolian army that had invaded Palestine, in the battle of Ayn Jalud (the Arabic name for the Harod Spring) that was fought here. The battle put an end to Mongolian occupation of the Middle East. Much later, in 1921 Kibbutz Ein Harod was established here. The kibbutz later moved a few miles down the road, opposite the Gilboa, to the Kumi hill.
The Harod Spring also served as one the first training bases for the Palmach under Orde Charles Wingate, a British intelligence officer who was sympathetic to the plight of the Jews in Eretz Israel. The Palmach was a special strike force within the Haganah (which means defense). The Haganah was the organized clandestine effort of the Yishuv, at armed self-defense and ultimately led to the establishment of the IDF, the Israel Defense Force.
Wingate organized special Night Brigades composed of local Jewish settlers, who fought Arab gangs that were terrorizing both the Jewish settlers and the British alike. He operated from his headquarters at Kibbutz Ein Harod.
Gan Ha'shlosha Off Season
This is by no means an unknown place. But, most people come here only in summer when it is usually extremely crowded.
Aside from its beauty, the most redeeming feature of this park is its natural, warm spring water, 82 degrees Fahrenheit (28 degrees Celsius), year round!
If you are traveling off-season and especially if you plan on visiting the Stockade and Tower or Gan Garoo take a few extra minutes to just walk around the grounds, even if you don’t plan on swimming, it is well worth it. Swimmers and non-swimmers alike can really enjoy the majesty of the park year round.
 Beit SehanThis is another very well known site. However, if you make it out to the Jezreel Valley area and have not seen the ruins at Beit Shean (especially recently) don’t miss them. We’ll Continue another 15 minutes or so to the Beit Shean Valley (which is really part of the Jordan Valley). See Beit Sehan tour in home page.
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