About Nogah Hareuveni, the founder of Neot Kedumim

His parents, Dr. Ephraim and Hannah Hareuveni, were dedicated to the scientific study of Israel's nature in Jewish sources.

Noga's love of nature and the Bible was instilled in him from an early age. His parents took him out of school to join them in the valleys, mountains, fields and deserts of Israel, and he assisted them in piecing together the folklores and traditions linked to the plants of the land of Israel. The Hareuvenis all carried a lifelong conviction that the land of Israel is an inseparable part of the Bible.

The Hareuvenis founded the Biblical-Talmudic Botanical Museum at the Hebrew University in 1926, the first of its kind in the world. However, their real dream of creating a large garden, “The Garden of the Prophets and Sages” was not fulfilled. Many years later, in 1965 Nogah began creating “Neot Kedumim” – The Biblical Nature Reserve in Israel near Modi’in in the ‘Shfela’ region, and greatly expanded his parent’s original design to implement his own ideas and researches.

Nogah’s passion and modesty was recognized by some very influential figures of the state of Israel including Teddy Kollek, Ariel Sharon and Yitzchak Navon, as well as many others who helped to advance Nogah’s vision.

Years of hard labor helped Nogah and the staff of Neot Kedumim to fulfill his dream.  He was assisted by many dedicated people who were inspired by his enthusiasm and faith.  Machmoud Sarour from the village of Naalin was present when the first stone was moved in 1966, and his son and grandson still work in the reserve to this day.

In 1994 Nogah Hareuveni won the Israel Prize, the highest honor awarded by the State of Israel, for his special contribution to society and the State. The photo album of the prize winners shows a full page headshot of each winner.  Nogah, with his typical modesty and humility, is photographed with every single one of his staff surrounding him.

Nogah passed away in 2007. Menachem Avishar’s eulogy highlighted his true essence:

“We are standing here in the heart of a dream….a dream that was realized by Nogah in the form of the Garden of the Prophets and Sages, Neot Kedumim…..Here a connection was created between man and earth…”

Nogah Hareuveni fulfilled his dream and left behind a great legacy.  Neot Kedumim’s existence, and all that it portrays and represents has helped Nogah to deliver his message that only in the land of Israel, can the nature and landscape described in the bible, be truly reinstated to how it was thousands of years ago.