Why Beit Hogla?
A very special place
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.
Beit Hogla is Jericho's Visitor Centre
- 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 place where Joshua and the Israelites crossed the Jordan River (Joshua 3:12-17) and why that location was chosen as the entry point to the Land of Israel;
- The mass circumcision (Joshua 5:2-8) and the first Passover in the Land (Joshua 5:10) – these two events having taken place here in the Plains of Jericho (also known as the Bilical Gilgal) just after Israel crossed the Jordan.
- Here the People prepared the conquest of Jericho, which took place on the 28th of the month of Nissan, one week after the conclusion of the Passover festivities.
- It is possible to organise a great variety of tours – focused on history, Bible, nature, as desired.
- Beit Hogla is the meeting point and the base for tours of the immediate region – The Biblical Gilgal including the Circumcision Hill (Joshua 5:2-8), the Jordan Crossing (Joshua 3:12-17), the remains of Biblical Beit Hogla (Joshua 15:6, 18:19, 18-21), and the surrounding hills and river beds.
- Beit Hogla is also the meeting point for prayers at Jericho's synagogues: Shalom al Israel and Naaran, as well as for tours to Jericho’s important sites: Tel Jericho and the Elisha Spring, the Hasmonean Winter Palaces, the Priestly Burial Caves, the the Kipros fortress and more.
Find out more about Jericho's places of interest 
Biblical study centre
- 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 and 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.
- Beit Hogla has extensive organic agriculture, in particular 0.3% acidity extra-virgin olive oil, certainly one of the best olive oils which can be had. This produce is sold in Beit Hogla’s Organic Shop at attractive prices.
Discover Beit Hogla's organic produce
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 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.
Community
- 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.
at the lookout with singer Sinai Tor