Hiking trail to connect Dolev with Modiin Illit approved

Yisrael Shapira's explanation on social media of access routes to the Heroes' Promenade spring trail (Photo: Rare Springs website)

Twenty-five years ago, as a small child, a powerful moment was etched into my memory. It was Chol Hamoed Pesach, at the cornerstone-laying ceremony for the Neot Hapesga neighbourhood in Modiin Illit. A row of distinguished rabbanim and askanim sat facing east, led by the rosh yeshiva Rav Shmuel Auerbach zt"l, who wore a shtreimel in honour of the moed.

Suddenly a strong wind blew from the south-east and lifted the enormous sign behind the stage. The wind was so powerful that it blew off the hats of the dignitaries, including Rav Auerbach's shtreimel, as he was delivering his remarks at that very moment.

As he placed his sleeve on his head in place of the shtreimel and kippah that had blown away, Rav Auerbach murmured: "Chazal say that avira d'Eretz Yisrael machkim, the air of Eretz Yisrael makes one wise. Let us hope that this air will make us wise."

That moment burned into me an awareness of Rav Auerbach zt"l's love of the land. And if we go into the small details, that wind came from the direction of the Binyamin hills, from the area where the settlements of Charsha, Neriya and Dolev stand today.

A well-known saying was preserved from Rav Auerbach about Bnei Brak. When asked what was good about Bnei Brak, he replied: "The stops of the 402 bus line to Yerushalayim..."

What is good about Modiin Illit?

The best thing about Modiin Illit is its proximity to the magnificent Binyamin hills, with all their springs, hiking trails, lookout points and archaeological tells. From that area blows a mighty wind, "avira d'Eretz Yisrael machkim", towards Modiin Illit, as Maran zt"l said.

Not many know that there are plans to connect Binyamin with Modiin Illit. The settlement of Sdeh Efraim has received massive plans for expansion of 7,000 housing units for the chareidi public, and it will connect all the way to Modiin Illit and cut through the separation fence.

Israeli flag on signage emphasising that the European Union funded the site's restoration in "what the Israelis call Area C" (Photo: Yisrael Shapira)

The restored Maoz Morel well on the Heroes' Promenade near Sdeh Efraim (Photo: Rare Springs website)

Heroes' Promenade, the spring trail from Dolev through Sdeh Efraim will connect to Modiin Illit

Near Sdeh Efraim, a Heroes' Promenade is planned, part of which is already built, and it is set to connect with Modiin Illit. It runs alongside Nahal Dolev and continues through the eastern neighbourhoods of Modiin Illit, where several tragedies occurred during the flood days. The promenade was established in cooperation with the settlements of Sdeh Efraim and Dolev, and it commemorates fallen soldiers whose relatives live in the settlement.

The connection to Modiin Illit is already taking shape. The commander of the Central Command signed an order in Tammuz 5786 for a seizure order to pave a 6.5-kilometre road that will connect Modiin Illit to Sdeh Efraim.

The wooden deck built beside the restored pool on the Heroes' Promenade near Sdeh Efraim (Photo: Yisrael Shapira)

The restored ecological water pool on the Heroes' Promenade (Photo: Rare Springs website)

The pool on the Heroes' Promenade near Sdeh Efraim (Photo: Rare Springs website)

The restored pool on the Heroes' Promenade near Sdeh Efraim (Photo: Yisrael Shapira)

Yisrael Shapira on the Heroes' Promenade near Sdeh Efraim (Photo: Rare Springs website)

The dedicated settlers of Sdeh Efraim have laboured in recent months to restore an ancient water well, rare in this area, and a water pool adjacent to the well. The well is called "Maoz Well", named after Maoz Morel Hy"d.

The well is round and deep, and its walls are built of hewn ashlar stones, course upon course. From the opening of the well, a metal ladder descends to the clear water, through which the stones of the bottom can be seen. Near the well, an eight-minute walk away, is the pool: a high wall plastered in grey, resembling natural rock, with a wooden deck and railing beside it. Above it, the slopes of the mountain cascade down.

Yisrael Shapira in Sdeh Efraim. Modiin Illit is visible on the near horizon | Photographed from Ma'ayan Hachamisha, currently inactive (Photo: Courtesy of Rare Springs and Streams website)

The site is still under renovation. However, the Jewish people thirst for springs, and during Chol Hamoed hundreds arrived at the site. The well and pool were filled.

Thank you to the European Union

The site is located in Area C. Despite this, even during the days of the "full right-wing" government, it was until recently abandoned and dangerous for Jews. Only in the past two years has the area become safe, the Arabs have abandoned it, and the dedicated people of Sdeh Efraim have restored it for hikers. Binyamin Tourism also helped and assisted in restoring the site.

Sdeh Efraim settlement with Modiin Illit on the near horizon (Photo: Yisrael Shapira)

On the bridge that crosses the channel, which flows only during floods, there still hangs a sign in Arabic for "Wadi Hamad" from the Kfar Na'ama village council. Next to it hangs another sign, according to which this is a "Wadi Hamad Restoration, 'The Land is Ours'" project, funded by the European Union. The sign cynically states that this is an initiative for development projects "in what is called Area C". The intention of the donors, not suspected of loving Israel, is to keep Jews out of Area C territories, which under the Oslo Accords were agreed to be under Israeli civilian and military control.

A visit to the site these days is most gratifying. Israeli flags and Hebrew hikers are in every corner. The Arabic sign remains in place as a memorial to the struggle still at its height over parts of this land.

The video that burned through Arab networks

A memory from a tour I conducted at the site with my dear friend R' Oded Levy, less than a year ago before the restoration, is particularly striking.

Yisrael Shapira and R' Oded Levy in winter 5786 on the way to what is now called the Heroes' Promenade (Photo: Rare Springs and Streams website)

Video that went viral in the Arab world. Yisrael Shapira and R' Oded Levy at the start of winter 5786 on their way to what is now called Maoz Morel well, then empty and abandoned (Photo: Rare Springs and Streams website)

Went viral in the Arab world. Yisrael Shapira in winter 5786 immersing in what is now called Maoz Morel well near Sdeh Efraim (Photo: Rare Springs and Streams website)

"Minutes from Kiryat Sefer". Yisrael Shapira and R' Oded Levy at what is now called Maoz Morel well on the Heroes' Promenade near Sdeh Efraim (Photo: Rare Springs and Streams website)

"Swinging with European Union funding" - the bridge on the Heroes' Promenade near Sdeh Efraim, now decorated with Israeli flags, was abandoned nearly a year ago (Photo: Rare Springs and Streams website)

Documentation from it leaked to the Arab world and was viewed millions of times. Recently the army closed the road to vehicles from the direction of the hostile village of Kfar Na'ama, and Jewish hikers have returned to the site. Until recently, the main route to the promenade was closed to Israeli vehicles.

Arab networks this week covering the visit of the writer Yisrael Shapira to the Heroes' Promenade near Sdeh Efraim

"Settlers taking over a public park in 'Wadi Hamad' in the village of Kfar Na'ama, west of Ramallah, and placing an iron gate and the occupation flag at its entrance" - report from Arab networks on the placement of the vehicle barrier between Kfar Na'ama and the Heroes' Promenade near Sdeh Efraim

May we merit to hike and visit all parts of our land in security and peace.

Yisrael Shapira is a senior historian and lecturer, researcher of Eretz Yisrael and tour guide | Author of the books 'The Rare, Holy and Wet Places', 'Gaza Forever', 'The Holy Places in Lebanon', and 'Secrets of the Maccabees' | For responses, comments, to send materials and ideas, and to book lectures, please contact: sisraerl@gmail.com