About Neot Kedumim Park

Welcome to Neot Kedumim – the only Biblical Landscape Reserve in the world, where you can see and experience the Land of the Bible.

Where is our Biblical Park?

We are located halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and only ten minutes from Ben Gurion International airport. We are on the ancient route, that our forefathers and Jesus would have walked, from Jaffa and the North to Jerusalem. Pilgrims travelling up to the temple would have walked through our landscape, stopping at our ancient water cisterns and buying produce from wine and olive presses on the way.

What is a Biblical Landscape Reserve?

We are a reserve that teaches the Bible in context by bringing it to life.  We took the Bible in one hand and spade in the other and created natural and agricultural landscapes bearing names that indicate their textual source – the Forest of Milk and Honey, Dale of the Song of Songs, Isaiah’s Vineyard and the Fields of the Seven Species. Through hundreds of Biblical plants we connect the ancient plants, flowers and trees with the metaphors and parables of the Bible and the prophets.

What is Neot Kedumim?

Neot Kedumim is 625 acres of ecologically restored land that was originally the land flowing with milk and honey and then lay barren for thousands of years.  Neot Kedumim is a non-profit organization in Israel. In 1994, we won the Israel Prize, the highest honor awarded by the State of Israel, for its special contribution to the society and the state.

How did we create a Biblical Garden?

Thousands of tons of soil were trucked in and spread on the eroded hillsides, reservoirs were dug to catch runoff rainwater and ancient terraces were restored. Habitats were created for such varied species as cedars from the snow-covered mountains of Lebanon and date palms from Sinai desert oases. Following years of research we planted hundreds of varieties of biblical and talmudic plants. We reconstructed and restored ancient olive and wine presses, threshing floors, cisterns, and ritual baths bringing to life the literal roots of the Bible in the soil of the land of Israel.

What can you do at a Biblical Nature reserve?

You can experience the Bible with all your senses. Walk through our trails of Biblical plants depicting the land of Milk and Honey and the Seven Species. Learn about the significance and symbolism in the Bible of the date palm, the almond tree, the hyssop herb and many more. Visit ancient agricultural installations like the cistern, the oil and wine presses and the threshing floor.  Do hands on activities such as drawing water from the cistern, preparing hyssop seasoning (Za’atar), crushing olives, or grinding wheat. Extra activities include sheep herding, tree planting, Torah Scribe Demonstration and Biblical cooking

What disciplines do we integrate into our Biblical Landscape?

Neot Kedumim draws on a variety of disciplines — Bible scholarship, botany, zoology, geography, history and archaeology — to bring the Bible and its commentaries to life.

What do we offer at Neot Kedumim Biblical Nature Reserve?

Neot Kedumim offers endless opportunities to connect visitors to their heritage, through hands-on innovative programming for guests of all ages and backgrounds. Jewish Tours and Christian/Interfaith Tours are available – either with one of our guides or on your own with a map in hand.  Additionally, you may choose from a wide range of leadership programs and sheep-herding workshops, biblical cooking workshops, educational programs ranging from one hour to one week, summer camp programs, tree-planting ceremonies, a train-ride tour of the park, and FIT tours. In addition, the park makes an elegant and unique setting for Bar/Bat mitzvah tours and services