During the Hol Hamoed Sukkot holiday, thousands of hikers hit the trails and visited heritage sites in and around Gush Etzion. Thousands participated in tours led by the Kfar Etzion Field School at nature sites and historical centers across the region, including the Biar Aqueduct and the Gush Etzion Heritage Center.
The tours visited a variety of locations: The Jordan River estuary at the Dead Sea, the Haritoun Cave, and the Gush Etzion springs in Wadi Fuqin. Particularly heavy traffic was recorded at the Biar Aqueduct, which conveyed water to Jerusalem during the Second Temple period.
The activities will continue in the coming days. The program includes tours to Solomon's Pools, a Second Temple-era site, as well as the Hasmonean Palaces and the Dok Fortress, which overlooks Jericho.
David Hasson, CEO of the Kfar Etzion Field School, said the movement of thousands of hikers along the trails and heritage sites proves the resilience of the nation and its deep connection to the land. "It is especially moving to see the public returning and visiting Tel Battir once again for the first time since the start of the war," he said. Hasson thanked the IDF forces from the Etzion and the Jordan Valley Brigades for providing the security that makes the tours possible, as well as the public for continuing to come out.