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Gan Golan - A Place of Beauty
A trip to the British Park: Tel Azekah, Luzit and Mitzpeh Massua

Gan Golan – a place of beauty

Take road 38 from the Tel Aviv Highway and travel toward Bet Shemesh. After the railway line, turn left at the traffic lights by the garish shopping area. If you look carefully as you turn you may spot a modest stone-carved sign with an arrow that says simply in Hebrew “Gan haPasalim (Sculpture Garden) in the name of Golan Peli”. Another sign tells you when to turn right. Up the hill a new traffic circle, yet another sign to follow, and you find yourself on a winding street. This older part of Bet Shemesh shows signs of wear and tear and yet at the same time a process of gentrification is slowly but surely taking place. Sign after sign leads you to a small unassuming street, where, in a break in the houses on your right is Gan Golan.

Steps lead you up into the Sculpture Garden. They are rough, made of railway sleepers and the tread of a tank. A tank like the one that Golan Peli served in, until that awful day in 1992, when during the first Intifada, aged 22, with all his life ahead of him, he fell in battle near Hebron.

How do parents cope with such a loss, such grief? In some cases, by losing themselves in their work.

Efik Peli is a sculptor. He began to work the strong rough limestone that typifies this region of Israel, hewing it out with powerful strokes. The raw essence of the stone that required his fullest concentration, in some way deadened the pain. And what emerged was a reflection of the history of this land which his son had given his life for. Efik Peli was never what would be described as an observant Jew, so he found no comfort in the rituals of his faith. But he did find a connection with the figures of the Bible. These “heroes”, with all their human failings and frailty, shared a common bond; their devotion to their country and their people. The continuity of the Land of Israel was always made possible by their efforts, by their sacrifices. Golan’s premature tragic death could only have meaning if seen in this context. Golan was part of this continuity.

And so the sculptures grew and the wasteland that housed them, next to the Peli’s home, became a place of beauty. His wife Ada contributed her unique iron-work sculptures and assisted in the placing and planning of this oasis. The stunning backdrop of the Judean hills adds to the special atmosphere.

Many of the statues are larger than life, representing scenes, sayings, characters from the Bible - and towering above all Jacob’s Ladder reaches to the heavens. At the bottom, one word: Golan. A silent heart-wrenching memorial – the rungs are the tracks of a tank. If you have brought along a Bible, you might want to look up Genesis 28, 16-17 at this point. And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said: 'Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.' And he was afraid, and said: 'How full of awe is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.'

Crude as the stone sculptures may seem at first glance, a closer look belies this. The suffering on the face of David as he mourns his friend Jonathan is transparent.

The weight of the world seems to rest on the shoulders of Rachel as she weeps for her children. Jeremiah 31,14 Thus saith the LORD: A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children; she refuseth to be comforted for her children, because they are not.

Gan Golan is a very special place. Note the blend of wood and stone – Efik’s sculptures, with the iron-work of Ada’s. Two talented artists who complement each other have together produced something unique in Israel. A fitting memorial to a fallen hero.

But don’t think that everything here is sad. Far from it! The central area offers ingenious representations of farming implements and techniques of ancient times. The gates that Samson carried from Gaza are here for all to see!

And hope for the future is offered … the promise of the Land flowing with milk and honey is reflected in the enormous suspended bunch of grapes, Pharaoh’s chariot is mired in the mud, the Ark of the Covenant returns home, the wolf lays down with the lamb.

If you peek down into the Pelis’ garden which borders Gan Golan on the northern side you can see a myriad of delightful whimsical sculptures. Look for the materials that Ada has recyled into humorous characters, such as the the porcupine bristling with giant nails!

If you can, go with a guide who will arrange for you to meet Efik Peli and hear his explanations. But whatever you do, try to visit the garden in the quiet time before the sun sets or in the early morning when the birds’ first serenade is heard.

A trip to the British Park: Tel Azekah, Luzit and Mitzpeh Massua
(Jerusalem Post September 2003)

We all need to get away from the "Matsav" for a few hours. And what better than to stroll in the shade of a forest, with some historical interest thrown in for free? Call up your friends and arrange to meet them! Take road no. 3 west off the main Jerusalem Tel Aviv Highway (road no 1). It takes just a few minutes to arrive at Nachshon Junction, where you turn left on to road 44. Call in at the newly refurbished petrol station, shop and coffee bar.

The smell of percolating coffee and fresh-baked muffins from the new café may prove irresistible - and so a 5 minute bathroom stop could turn into a 35 minute breakfast stop.

Now continue along road 44, enjoying the beautiful Shephela scenery as you pass. Shephela refers to the foothills that separate the coastal region from the Judean Mountains. "Dan’s grave" on the right has become a point of pilgrimage in recent years. The tribe of Dan, whose most famous member was Samson (Shimshon), was allocated this area but later migrated north to the area of Tel Dan. Turn right at Shimshon Junction on to road 38. Pass Bet Shemesh and Tsora. After Moshav Zechariya take a right turn on to the 383. Within minutes you will spot one of those horrendous giant green and blue birds that signify a Keren Kayemet (JNF) site. (Fortunately the sites themselves are more aesthetically pleasing!) Turn left into the entrance to the British Park.

In front of the entrance is an honorial and memorial area for British Jews. The gate-way is adorned with representations of birds and animals that may be found in the park, together with a map. Our tour today will take in only a small part of the delights on offer. Drive up the paved road toward Tel Azekah. Just before it changes into an ascending dirt track, park opposite the sign pointing to Tel Azekah. You can take the car up this road if you just want to visit the Tel, but for those who want a woodland walk, this is near enough.

There are several marked trails through the forest; you can choose the length and duration. Whichever you take you can be sure of shade, bird-song, and breathtaking views. Of course spring, with its myriad of wild flowers ... cyclamens, orchids*, wild tulips ... is the best time, but even early summer there are several gems to be spotted, such as "Dam Hamaccabee", Red Straw Flowers, the only helichrysum found in Israel, and the beautiful flowers of the caper bush, which continues to bloom profusely throughout the summer. (Handy for lovers of capers - capers are the pickled flower-buds!)

Look out for the sign on the right just before a fork in the road. Note the nesting boxes. Many of the woodland birds we take for granted are in danger and this is part of an ongoing project to try and increase their numbers. Take the left fork for a circular trail which winds through the woodland. (In autumn, you may enjoy a carob fresh from the tree. The wild almonds are not recommended; they are bitter and full of cyanide!) Keep bearing right. The trail leads around to the Tel.

A brief history of the site is displayed at the start of the path that leads up to the Tel. The path itself is bordered by truncated stone pillars, each bearing a portion of the Biblical text that describes the momentous meeting between David and Goliath (in Hebrew only, so bring your Bibles). As you climb the steps to the summit, the layers of civilisation are concealed beneath your feet; Egyptians, Canaanites, Philistines, Israelites, even the returnees from Babylonian exile had their moments here. To say nothing of Bar Kochba’s freedom fighters.

The first stop on top is the circular look-out point, with a sundial as its central point. This offers a wonderful 360º view as the Adullam region spreads out at your feet - and the signs will explain what it is you are seeing.

Looking across toward Lachish, you are transported back over 2,500 years. Azekah is mentioned several times in the Bible and from our vantage point it is clear why a beacon would be sited here. When Nebuchadnezzar imposed Babylonian domination on Judah in 588-587 B.C.E, the southern outpost city of Azekah was one of the last Judean cities to be taken (Jeremiah 34:6-7). The Jews communicated between Lachish and Jerusalem by way of Azekah.

Imagine! An inscribed pottery shard discovered in the 20th century at Lachish (Letter #4) told how "We watch for the smoke signals of Lachish ... because we do not see Azekah". In other words "Azekah has fallen. Give up all hope of rescue" and sure enough, after this, Lachish fell. The author of this dismal note was none other than the aptly named Ya’ush - Despair!

Moving over to the relief map of the area thoughtfully provided by the KKL, this helps you to understand the conflict between the Philistines, who had the low ground, and the Israelites who had the high. By judiciously pouring water on the top, the strategic importance of the river valleys also becomes clear.

The Ha’Ela Valley stretches out at your feet; eastward giving access to Jerusalem and Hebron, westward offering passage to the sea. Stone benches , with more verses from the Bible inscribed on them , afford a wonderful place to sit, with shade from the two trees; one of course a terebinth (ela), the other an almond. Here below, the battle of David and Goliath was enacted. In 1948 the ill-fated Lamed Hey were ambushed in this valley as they tried to come to the aid of the besieged defenders of Gush Etzion.

Descending from the tel, we turn to the left to complete our circular walk back to the cars. By this point you may be glad to spot the environmentally-friendly natural toilet facilities. (No, I don’t mean the bushes! There is a proper building which houses the usual amenities - but without water for flushing. I’m not sure how it works but it does!)

Now we are going to head south, following the rougher forest track along a scenic route which the passengers will certainly appreciate. The drivers may be more concerned with whether a hub-cap or two might be left as souvenirs of the visit. If you have brought a picnic there are many spots along the way where you may stop, eat and enjoy the view. If you are lucky you may spot a shepherd boy minding his flock just as David did in this area three thousand years ago.

The track takes us through to road 353 (when you spot the sheep - this time made of stone -you know you are nearly there) where you turn right and drive for about ten minutes. The sign to the Luzit caves is on your left. This network of hidden caves offers a welcome respite from the sun, and their beauty impresses and awes. The clear marks of a chisel show the caves to be man-made. Over the millenniums the caves have had a variety of purposes, from the initial hewing out of building blocks to dwellings, cisterns, storage spaces, quarries, and tombs. One cave offers a particularly fine example of a columbarium. A pigeon or two is always around to add to the ambience! These caves are similar to those at Bet Guvrin and they have the added bonus of being free! You can also crawl through into a network of underground caves but this must under no circumstances be attempted without coordinating first with the Parks authorities.

If you didn’t bring a picnic, consider eating at Mitzpeh Massua, a restaurant in the heart of the Park. Drive back along the 353 (watch our for the camels) and at the end turn right on to the 38, and then take the turn right where Mitzpeh Massua is clearly signposted. This will take you about 15 minutes.

Mitzpeh Massua offers a magnificent view right over to the coast. The extremely congenial host Yaki, is happy to chat and point out things of interest, although his English is limited. As for the food everything is home-made. Note that it is strictly kosher and of course not open on Shabbat.

When you return along road 38 you may follow it all the way to where it meets the Tel Aviv Jerusalem highway unless you can’t resist just one more of those muffins!

*The bee orchid requires five to eight years to reach maturity, at which point it flowers once and then dies. Not surprising then that the bee orchid became increasingly rare as people picked them! It’s now a protected species in Israel.The bee orchid looks like a queen bee. Because of this resemblance, male bees (drones) visit the flowers again and again, trying to mate with it(!) thus picking up and distributing the orchid’s pollen. Amazingly the flower even imitates the smell of the female bee hormone. There are nine different bee orchids in Israel; several grow in the British Park.