Nes Harim

Nes Harim
Founded	1950
Founded by	Kurdish and Moroccan immigrants
Council	Mateh Yehuda
Region	Judean foothills
Affiliation	Moshavim Movement
Coordinates	31°44′41.28″N 35°3′29.88″E / 31.7448°N 35.0583°E / 31.7448; 35.0583Coordinates: 31°44′41.28″N 35°3′29.88″E / 31.7448°N 35.0583°E / 31.7448; 35.0583
Nes Harim

Nes Harim (Hebrew: נֵס הָרִים‎‎, lit. Mountain Miracle) is a moshav in Israel, eight kilometers from Jerusalem. ^[1]Located in the Judean foothills near Beit Shemesh, it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Yehuda Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 588.

The moshav was established in 1950 by immigrants from Kurdistan and Morocco,^[2] on the land of the Palestinian village Bayt 'Itab, which was depopulated in the 1948 War.^[3]

It is situated 2,275 feet (700 meters) above sea level. The early farmers planted orchards and vineyards, taking advantage of the fertile soil and unique climate.^[4]

The ruins of a Byzantine monastery were discovered on a hill on the southwest side of the moshav.^[5]

The Katlav winery is located in Nes Harim.^[6]

Archaeology

During excavations in November 2008, archaeologists found the narthex of a church decorated with multicolored mosaics,and parts of a wine press. After the discovery, the mosaic was badly damaged by unidentified vandals.^[7]

The mosaic includes an inscription in ancient Greek deciphered by Leah Di Signi of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem: "O Lord God of Saint Theodorus, protect Antonius and Theodosia the illustres [a title used to distinguish high nobility in the Byzantine period] - Theophylactus and John the priest [or priests]. [Remember o Lord] Mary and John who have offe[red - ] in the 6th indiction. Lord, have pity of Stephen."^[8]

Horbat 'Itab, a 130-dunam national park on the outskirts of Nes Harim, contains the ruins of a Crusader fortress that overlooked the road from Emek HaEla to Jerusalem and the village of Bayt 'Itab. The site was surveyed in 1989 by Denys Pringle, a researcher of the Crusader period, who documented the remains of the fortress, vaults, a wall and towers, tunnels, a columbarium and an olive press. ^[9]

References

1. ^ Farmers find monastery beneath Israeli soil CNN.com, 3/11/2009
2. ^ Nes Harim history
3. ^ All That Remains: The Palestinian Villages Occupied and Depopulated by Israel in 1948, Walid Khalidi, 1992, Washington D.C., Institute for Palestine Studies, ISBN=0887282245, p. 275
4. ^ Nes Harim history
5. ^ Farmers find monastery beneath Israeli soil CNN.com, 3/11/2009
6. ^ Nes Harim history
7. ^ Nes Harim church and wine press
8. ^ Nes Harim church and wine press
9. ^ Conservation-engineering stabilization