Neot Kedumim 4.54

Neot Kedumim, the Biblical Landscape Reserve in Israel (נאות קדומים is a Biblical garden and nature preserve located near Modi'in, midway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, Israel.EtymologyNeot Kedumim means "pleasant pastures of old."OverviewNeot Kedumim is an attempt to re-create the physical setting of the Bible. The park covers an area of about. The idea of planting such a garden dates back to 1925. In 1964, land was allocated for the project with the help of Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion.Neot Kedumim comprises a series of natural and agricultural landscapes, among them the Forest of Milk and Honey, the Dale of the Song of Songs, Isaiah's Vineyard and the Fields of the Seven Species. Signs are posted throughout the garden quoting relevant Jewish texts in Hebrew and English.Neot Kedumim offers pre-booked organized tours but is also accessible to individuals who can roam the site on their own with maps provided by the park.HistoryWhen Ephraim and Hannah Hareuveni immigrated to Palestine in the 1920s, they dreamed of developing a biblical landscape reserve that "embodied the panorama and power of the landscapes that both shaped the values of the Bible and provided a rich vocabulary for expressing them". Their son, Noga, a physicist, dedicated his life to implementing his parents' dream. To build the park, thousands of tons of soil were trucked in, reservoirs were built to catch runoff rain water, ancient terraces, wine presses and ritual baths were restored, and hundreds of varieties of plants were cultivated.