Ein Yoel

Directions
Using Waze, type Mevo Beitar. Park the car at the gas station near the entrance to the settlement, and walk outside and along the fence that surrounds it until you reach a gate that leads to an asphalt road (please coordinate with the security of the settlement prior to your arrival). The asphalt road leads west, after walking for some time, you should reach a junction, choose the road that leads north, and across the valley. After about 200 meters, along the blue trail mark, you'll pass the fountain of Ein Misla, when you'll reach an old ruins, continue left with the blue trail mark and down Yoel's Stream.

In the past, this road was used as an access rout to an ancient Arabic village named Ras Abu Ammar. On the right side of the trail you will be able to notice a burial cave carved in the rock. Yoel stream channel is full of raspberry bushes. Walking by the channel will lead to a pool, which is in fact an accumulation pool for the water of the fountain. Near the pool, a carved memorial will be visible on the rock. This memorial is dedicated to Yoel Ben-Yehuda Potpovich, a member of Mevo Beitar that was killed here in 1950. The fountain and the stream are named after him.

Background
Ein Yoel is located at the bottom of Har Refa'im, a plastic tube streams the water to a pool in a shape of a cylinder. The pool is made out of concrete and covered by a concrete roof. In the pool the water temperature is chilly.

Near the pool there is a tree that leans on the tower, climbing on it will take you to the roof of the tower, where you can get through an entrance, and descend an iron ladder into the pool. After dipping in the water you'll be able to sit on the roof, sunbathe and enjoy the magnificent view.

Near the fountain, there are ruins of an old village named Ras Abu Ammar. It was an old hostile Arabic village that was deserted and ruined after the Independence War in 1948. There are still burial caves carved in the rock.

The channel of the stream is green and blooms all year long. This is caused by the groundwater which is high and close to the surface. The fountain of Ein Yoel was used for its water by the Mevo Beitar settlements until a modern water infrastructure was built in the area.

The Bar Giora Settlement

Bar Giora was named after Shimon Bar Giora, who was one of the Jewish heroes that fought in the big rebellion against the Romans in 66AD.

Bar Giora is a ‘Poalim’ Moshav in the Judaean Mountains. It belongs to "Beitar Emancipated Farms" organization, in the regional municipality of Mate Yehuda. It was founded in 1950 as a working encampment by immigrants from Morocco, who named it ""Eitanim"". It is settled on the lands of the Arabic village "Itab" that existed until the Independence War. It became a Moshav only later in 1954.

Approximately 2 km south, there is a train station that used to be called ""Dayr Al Shaykh"" after the Arab village that used to be there, with the establishment of the state of Israel it was changed to Bar Giora station.

Prior to the arrival of the Moroccan immigrants, it was a recreation site from the British mandate period, it was called Alar Camp, after the name of a nearby Arabic village that existed until the Independence war. The village was situated on the outskirts of present day Settlement Mata, a neighbor settlement to Bar Giora.

The last stage of the fighting of the independence war was characterized by offensive initiatives in all fronts, so they will be able to expand Israeli territory before the war was over. In the "Mountain Operation" (Mivtza HaHar), the IDF conquered the Ella Valley that was supposed to be part of the Arabic state, and expanded the narrow Jerusalem Corridor it had in its possession.

The battle began in the "Common Strong Point" (today Beit Shemesh), west of the Arabic village Dir Aban (today Mahseya). Harel Brigade conquered the Arabic villages in the area, the 5th regiment, that included squad B and C, and the 10th brigade, moved on and conquered the big village Beit Natif, that was responsible for the killing of a Jewish division a few month earlier. Later, squad C came and conquered Dayr Al Shaykh, Bayt 'Itab and Jarash. The 4th brigade conquered Dayr El Hawa, where today is the settlement of Bar Giora.