Eshtaol Forest

The Eshtaol Forest (Hebrew יער אשתאול, Ja'ar Eshtaol ) is one of the largest forests in Israel, near the capital, Jerusalem. The forest is located north of the city of Beit Shemesh, near the Newe Shalom known as " Peace Village ". Like many other forests in Israel, the forest was planted by the Jewish National Fund

The forest is named after the biblical Eschtoal Location: " Then began the Lord's Spirit, umherzutreiben him in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol " (Judges 13,25 EU). In the same place is the same moshav Eshtaol also.

The afforestation of the area began immediately after the War of Independence, by Yemenite Jews who settled in the vicinity. Preliminary work had been done, the British had created around Jerusalem pine groves. After decades of forestry now it is a species-rich forest area, which is mainly as a nature-oriented recreation area popular.

Together with other woods as the forest of the martyrs is the Eshtaol Forest a green belt around the city of Jerusalem.

• Forest area in Asia
• Forest area in Israel