Shoham Community Forest

Photograph: KKL-JNF Photo Archive
To the south of Modi'in Industrial Zone, between the busy Route 6 and Route 444, is a small paradise: Shoham Park community forest – a peaceful getaway. Spectacular flowering of anemones and cyclamens covers the beautiful terraced hills in winter. A refreshing forest grows here and provides shade for recreation areas, fruit trees, views of terraces and archaeological sites; 2,000 dunams of nature, a five-minute drive from the center of Shoham.

  • How to get there

    Drive on the Rosh HaAyin–Ben Shemen Interchange road (Route 444). Opposite Shoham turn east on the road leading to the Hevel Modi'in Industrial Zone. Drive about one kilometer and turn south (right) according to the signage that directs to Shoham Forest Park. The southern entrance marked on the map is intended for cyclists and pedestrians only.

  • Entrance fee

    Entrance to the park is free of charge.

  • Geographic location-

    Menashe-Sharon region

  • Area-

    center

  • Special Sites in the Park-

    Hurvat Tinshemet, Givat HaSaflulim

  • Type of parking-

    Accessible parks,Picnic parks

  • Interest-

    Bicycle track,Archeology

Community forest

Forests of this kind are intended mainly for the communities that live near them. This is the thread that connects the community to values of nature and the heritage of the close environment and it is an important tool for community environmental commitment.

KKL-JNF activity in the community forest is based on these principles:

  • Conserving and nurturing the forest and the values of nature in it, near the community and for its residents.
  • Free access for the residents to all corners of the forest and use of its facilities for free.
  • Creating mutual commitment between KKL-JNF, the community and the local authority in managing the forest.

The community commitment of Shoham's residents is manifested in the activity of the "community forest team," which is common to KKL-JNF, the council and the residents.

Since 2003 the team has advanced all matters connected to the forest and the community including shared planning, events and guiding by volunteers from the community and nurturing the forest and its appearance.

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.

About the forest

The hills adjacent to Shoham in the east mark the western border of Samaria.
Here, to the south of Modi'in Industrial Zone, between the busy Route 6 and Route 444, is a small paradise: Shoham Park community forest – a peaceful getaway. Spectacular flowering of anemones and cyclamens covers the beautiful terraced hills in winter. A refreshing forest grows here and provides shade for recreation areas, fruit trees, views of terraces and archaeological sites; 2,000 dunams of nature, a five-minute drive from the center of Shoham.

Photograph: Moshe Sheller
KKL-JNF, Shoham local council and Shoham's residents work together to nurture the unique forest as a center for rambling and recreation in nature for the residents of Shoham and the area.
Volunteers, residents of Shoham, who are Community Forest Trustees, guide visitors to the park in the flowering season on subjects of botany, archeology and the environment, and during the year they record what happens in the forest.
 
Every year community events take place in the forest, on the initiative of Shoham local council and Hamesh, the municipal company for culture, including a green festivity on Tu BiShvat, a mountain bike happening, "Sovev Shoham," school trips and cleaning campaigns.

KKL-JNF has planted forest trees, fruit trees and woodland trees, in the park, signposted the roads and sites, and prepared picnic sites. Everyone can find their place here – hiking enthusiasts or cyclists, holidaymakers who prefer to spend time in a shady recreation area, and lovers of birds and flowers who seek beauty spots to relax in.

This is Shoham Forest Park – a green corner near home, a community forest in every sense of the word. As far as forestry is concerned, Shoham Forest Park can be divided into three parts:

The northern part, approximately 650 dunams, is an open area that today serves for pasture.
In January and February carpets of anemones flower in this area. In the future KKL-JNF will plant a forest in this area too.
 
The central part, approximately 660 dunams, is planted mainly with conifers such as Turkish pine, Canary pine, Arizona pine and also eucalyptus and olive trees. Planting the forest began in 1987.
KKL-JNF has built two recreation areas in the forest for recreation in nature.

The southern area, approximately 540 dunams, is a forest park consisting of Mediterranean woodland trees and fruit trees. Here you can find olive groves, almond trees, pomegranate, fig, carob and Judas trees, Mount Tabor oak, Atlantic terebinth and Christ's thorn jujube trees. The planting, which began in 1988, builds on the remains of orchards and wild trees, mainly plums, which grew there before the forest was created. In this area pedestrian and cycle traffic are permitted, but not any kind of engine-powered vehicle.
 
The planting was carried out so that the open view from the hilltops would remain and the archaeological sites would not be damaged.

Disabled-accessible sites

The following facilities in Hurvat Tinshemet are disabled-accessible:

  • The archaeological site
  • A path
  • A bench
  • Explanatory signage