Local+Geography

Lee, Kiki and Avital Local Geography We live in Gush Etzion, which is located in the heart of Israel amid the hilly terrain of Yehuda, and just twenty minutes south ofJerusalem. We are also very close to the Mediterranean Sea, where we love to chill at the beach. Gush Etzion is a very mountainous area, which is one of the factors for the dramatic change between summer and winter weather. During the summer it is hot and dry outside, as opposed to the winter, when it's rainy, cold, groggy and foggy.

One of the most popular sights Gush Etzion is known for is the "Alon HaBoded", the "Lone Oak Tree". This tree has been around for almost 900 years. In 1948, the day after the Israeli Declaration of Independence, the Arabs captured Gush Etzion and for nineteen years no Jew set foot in the hills of Gush Etzion. The families, who were forced to leave their homes during the war, moved toJerusalem and were able to see the Lone Oak Tree from afar, standing alone on the hills they once owned. This is where its name came from. The tree symbolized their aspiration to one day return to their homes in Gush Etzion. Their dreams came true in 1967, during the Six Day War, when our Israeli soldiers captured Gush Etzion and enabled them to return home Our school was established near the Lone Oak Tree, and each and every time we pass by it we are reminded of its amazing history and the courageous soldiers who sacrificed their lives for Gush Etzion.