The Biblical Garden at Yad HaShmona
The highlight of Yad HaShoma is its Biblical Garden. This moshav west of Abu Gosh was founded in 1971 by a small group of Finnish Christian volunteers who had previously worked on Israeli kibbutzim. They sought permission from Prime Minister Golda Meir to establish their own agricultural settlement in Israel, and eventually received land near Neve Ilan in the Judean Hills.
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​Directions and parking: Enter “Yad Hashmona” into Waze. There is a parking lot and restrooms by the restaurant and visitor center.
Admission: Visitors are free to wander in the garden. Follow the arrows to the biblical garden. There is no admission charge. Groups of more than ten people should prearrange their visit. Their phone number is 02-594 2000. This is their website
Public transport: Enter “Yad Hashmona” into Moovit. The moshav is five minutes from the bus stop.
A shomera used to guard one's crop and store produce
Originally the settlers were mostly Finnish, although over the years Israeli families joined the community, and today most residents are Israelis, although the Finnish connection remains an important part of the village's identity. Yad HaShmona is organized as a moshav shitufi, a cooperative village with collective ownership of much of the land, infrastructure, and agricultural and business activities, although Individuals maintain their own private homes and household incomes.
Yad HaShmona is known as Israel's only Messianic Jewish moshav. Many residents are Jewish believers in Jesus (Yeshua) as the Messiah, but they also maintain a strong identification with the Jewish people and the State of Israel. The community celebrates Jewish festivals and observes the Hebrew calendar and combines these with its Christian faith.
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The name Yad HaShmona means "Memorial of the Eight" and commemorates eight Jewish refugees from Austria who fled to Finland after the Anschluss in 1938 and were deported to Nazi Germany. The Finnish government did not hand over its Jewish population to the Nazis and they survived the Holocaust. Seven of these deportees were murdered at Auschwitz. One survived the Holocaust and later immigrated to Israel. The founders named the village Yad HaShmona as an act of repentance and reconciliation by Finnish Christians.
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The Biblical Garden was developed with assistance from the Israel Antiquities Authority, and attempts to recreate everyday life during biblical times. Visitors see a reconstructed Iron Age farm, biblical plants and trees, terraces, and agricultural installations including olive presses, wine presses, a ritual bath (mikveh), a burial cave, a watchtower, a Galilean-style synagogue, and a Bedouin tent illustrating traditional desert life. Many of the sites are linked by signs to biblical verses. None of these displays are original; everything is constructed.
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Because of its location between Jerusalem and the coastal plain, Yad Hashmona is often included on Christian pilgrimage itineraries, and is of interest particularly to Protestant groups who wish to appreciate what life was like at the time of Jesus.
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The moshav also operates a country hotel, conference facilities, a restaurant, biblical educational programs, and nature trails through the Judean Hills.
A granary
A winepress
Nearby places of interest
Less than a kilometer away is a rather unusual place for Israel — the Elvis American Café. This is a gas station with a café that is full of memorabilia of Elvis Pressley — music, photographs, film clips, and even Elvis Pressley wine. The café is not kosher supervised. Drinks are served in a new Elvis Pressley mug which you can keep for free. Well, not quite free. You pay about an extra 6₪ for the drink. Enter into Waze "Elvis American Cafe."