Beit Hogla East of Jericho | The Centre of Everything Jericho

Why Beit Hogla?

A Very Special Place

The ruins of Biblical Beit Hogla east of Jericho — The ruins of Biblical Beit Hogla,
near the present-day community of the same name

The biblical town of Beit Hogla is mentioned in the Book of Joshua, as being near the northern tip of the Dead Sea, on the frontier between Judah’s portion Binyamin’s portion: (Joshua 15:6) and (Joshua 18:19). It is mentioned again as one of the towns of Binyamin, together with Jericho and Beit El (Joshua 18:21).

Beit Hogla is also in the heart of the Plains of Jericho, where Israel dwelt after crossing the Jordan in preparation for the conquest of Jericho. Mt Nebo, where Moses spoke his last words, and from where he gazed at the Land of Israel, stands on the east bank of the Jordan, right across from Beit Hogla.

Present day Beit Hogla is an organic farm and community. The organic farm was founded by Erna Covos in 2001, after the Arabs vandalised the Shalom al Israel synagogue in Jericho, where Jews studied every day in the Kollel, under the presidency of Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh.

For 15 years, Erna lived on the farm alone, and managed to plant, with the help of many dedicated volunteers, dates, olives, figs, pomegranates, papaya and many other fruit whose cultivation is extremely challenging in the hot desert climate and the salty, sandy ground. Recently, families have come to settle the place and form a community.

Read more about Ancient Beit Hogla (in Hebrew)

Visitor Centre and Observation Platform

Jericho Visitor Centre at Beit Hogla — Jericho's Visitor Centre at Beit Hogla

In the year 2021 we inaugurated Jericho’s Visitor Centre in Beit Hogla, on the occasion of its 20^th anniversary.
This is because Beit Hogla's location in the heart of the Plains of Jericho, is ideal for hosting groups and for organising tours focusing on the history and traditions of the area.
The Visitor Centre tells the story of Jericho and of its important heritage sites.
An Observation Platform, a hundred or so metres east of the Visitor Centre, provides an unobstructed panoramic view of the Biblical Gilgal (in the plains of Jericho) as well as of the Plains of Moab on the far side of the Jordan River.
The Visitor Centre can host conferences and film shows, and has many interesting exhibits, including a 3-D map of the area.
To coordinate a visit, a tour or an event, contact Erna Covos at telephone /WhatsApp +972(0)52-8699300, or by e-mail at ernajericho@gmail.com.

Find out more about Jericho's Visitor Centre & Observation Platform

Biblical Study Centre

Lecture on the Jerusalem Talmud by Rav Avraham Blass in Beit Hogla east of Jericho — Lecture on the Jerusalem Talmud
by Rav Avraham Blass in Beit Hogla

Seminars focusing on the Land of Israel are organised in Beit Hogla. Rabbis come to give lectures and mini-tours of the surrounding area. These seminars typically take place once a month, towards the beginning of the Hebrew month in the evening hours. Rabbis who regularly give lectures at this seminar are Rav Dr Hagi Ben-Artzi who expertly weaves history, geography, Bible and tradition into his lectures, Rav Avraham Blass who is an expert on the Jerusalem Talmud, Rav Yaakov Shapira whose lectures explore Hassidic stories, Rav Yossi Peli who is a long-term friend of Jericho and a past head of the Shalom al Israel Kollel in the 1990’s, and others who give fascinating one-off lectures.
Every year on Hoshana Raba eve, all-night study takes place in Beit Hogla, and at dawn, Hoshana Raba is celebrated in the Shalom al Israel Synagogue in Jericho. During this festive prayer, the synagogue is circled 7 times (the Hoshanot), in memory of the fall of the city’s walls, which miraculously sank into the ground when Joshua and the People of Israel circled the city 7 times with the blaring of trumpets and rams’ horns (Shofarot) (Joshua 6:2-20).
Beit Hogla also hosts a variety of Bible-related lectures and events.

Watch/listen to Torah lectures in Beit Hogla & in Jericho

Organic Produce

Noor dates in Beit Hogla east of Jericho — Noor dates planted in Beit Hogla

Beit Hogla has extensive organic agriculture: Dates, pomegranates, papaya, figs, aloe-vera and olives, from which is extracted 0.3% acidity extra-virgin olive oil - certainly one of the best olive oils which can be had.
This produce is strictly organic, grown in Beit Hogla, following all the strictures of Kashrut (Jewish law pertaining to agriculture), and sold in Beit Hogla’s Organic Shop at attractive prices.

Discover Beit Hogla's organic produce

Hospitality

Beit Hogla has a building dedicated to housing volunteers or guests, and a desert lookout. Festive events with food, as well as tours of the area can be arranged.
Accommodation is available for families or groups wanting to sleep overnight or spend a Sabbath in Beit Hogla. Book by phoning or sending a WhatsApp message to Erna Covos at +972(0)52-8699300.
The place also has a synagogue, a Mikve, an area for open-air events such as weddings, a petting zoo for the children and plenty of beautiful open space and breathtaking desert scenery.

Find out more

Holistic Medicine

Erna Covos has her holistic medicine clinic in Beit Hogla, which promotes a natural and healthy lifestyle.

Read Erna’s holistic medicine blog

Partnership

Shofar So Great - Shofar Shop and Exhibition in Beit Hogla east of Jericho — Shofar So Great
Shofar Shop & Exhibition in Beit Hogla

In 2016, Robert Weinger immigrated to Israel from the USA, making his home in Beit Hogla, and became a partner in promoting Beit Hogla to the world.
Robert is a Master Shofar Sounder and an expert on Shofars. He is fulfilling his prophetic destiny as a modern-day pioneer in the biblical Gilgal, possessing the land G~d gave the Jewish people as an everlasting covenant, sounding the Shofar prophetically to bring down the walls of Jericho and calling the Children of Israel home! He is the founder of Shofar So Great, an impressive shop and exhibition dedicated to shofars in Beit Hogla.

Visit Shofar So Great

Community

Be a partner

A number of young families have made their home in Beit Hogla, and established a vibrant community, which loves the Torah and the Land of Israel.

Children of Beit Hogla community at the lookout with Sinai Tor — Children of Beit Hogla's community
at the lookout with singer Sinai Tor

See the Facebook page of the Beit Hogla community

A Bit of History

Original article by: Erna Covos, translated from Hebrew by Yonathan Gormezano

Until 1993, Jericho had Yeshiva under the direction of Hanan Porat (ז"ל) with many students. After the Oslo accords, the number of students dwindled, so we founded the “Ateret Eliahu” Kollel in the ancient Shalom al Israel synagogue, under the presidency of Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh. The Rav who taught there daily was Rav Yossi Peli, who came daily with his students from Yitzhar, in the Samarian highlands, as well as two guards in civilian clothing.

In October 2000, the Arabs burned the Shalom al Israel synagogue, after they burnt the Tomb of Josef the month before. Thus, the second intifada started. The Israeli government no longer allowed Jews to visit the city of Jericho. We founded a non-profit organisation named “מורשת ותרבות ביריחו” (known in English as “Jewish Life in Jericho”), with the goal of not abandoning the region.

We held Torah lessons and events at IDF (Israel Defence Forces) checkpoints, during one and a half years. The IDF acquiesced and provided security for us during our events, so allowing us to return to the Shalom al Israel synagogue and Tel Jericho (The remains of the city which Joshua conquered).

We started holding Sabbaths outside the Noam army camp, on the western edge of Jericho, near the ancient Naaran Synagogue. After a determined struggle, including an incident where Arab terrorists surrounded us with their weapons, we founded a farm north-west of Jericho, which eventually became Mevoot Yericho.

After we were expelled from Jericho we wandered around the area, until the then District Commander let us settle in the Elisha camp, on the western side of Highway 90. We stayed there for seven months.

In the end, we were also expelled from the Elisha camp, because the IDF planned to give it away to the Arabs. In compensation, the then District Commander agreed for us to settle in Beit Hogla, on the south-east corner of Jericho, in the heart of the Biblical Gilgal (in the Plains of Jericho), and directly across the Jordan from Mt Nebo (where Moses spoke his last). Beit Hogla is indeed located where the People of Israel signed the covenant with G-d – by being circumcised – after they crossed the Jordan under the leadership of Joshua.

There, with the whole family and the children’s friends, we built houses, and organised a multitude of activities, Torah classes, and prayers. We managed to have water and electricity, and planted trees to make the desert bloom – a real miracle.

Today (in the year 2022), Beit Hogla is a blossoming agricultural farm, has a captivating Visitor Centre and Observation Platform - a starting point for tours of Jericho and its environs, has accomodation for visitors and an events garden, a shop selling its locally-grown organic produce, and has become home to some 30 families.

The return to Jericho - slide show (in Hebrew)

A Song Filmed in Beit Hogla

A beautiful song by David Lavie and Tamar Philosof, who live in Beit Hogla, filmed against the background of the breathtaking panorama of Beit Hogla and the adjoining Plains of Jericho.

Getting Here

Beit Hogla is on Highway 90 (the Jordan Valley Road), 3 km north of the "Beit Ha'Arava Junction". Beit Hogla is next to the "Mahane Nevo" military base. The entrance to Beit Hogla is to the right of the military base's main gate.

By car, navigating with Google Maps: click here, or enter "Nevo Camp" on the app.
By car, navigating with Waze: click here, or enter "Nevo Camp" on the app.
By bus, from the Jerusalem Central Bus Station:
Egged buses 961, 966, 967, or Electra-Afikim buses 941, 943, 946.
Alight at "Mahane Nevo" (Nevo Camp army base), bus stop 61422 or 60782. Beit Hogla is just to the right of the army base's gate.