Our History in the Golan

Golan not only is it Israel’s most strategic piece of Land and crucial for its long term security but it is literally a treasure still not yet discovered by the world.

It is the story of Jews turning waste Land into a flourishing productive environment. It is located only 60 miles east of beautiful Haifa.

We first learn about our ancient history in the Golan, in the Torah.

“Then Moses set aside three cities on this side of the Jordan toward the rising of the sun….Golan in Bashan for the Manassites.” D’varim 4:41, 43

Yes, in ancient times the Golan located in the former Land of Bashan was inhabited by Jewish settlers from the tribe of Manasseh and is mentioned 3 more times in the Tanach.

In closer times we can also find a Jewish presence here.


“At the end of the Hasmonean period, King Alexander Yanai conquered the Golan and settled it with Jews. Jewish settlement in the central Golan existed continuously since then for a period of 700 hundred years. The district capital was Gamla, which fought with supreme heroism in the Great Revolt, losing Ten thousand of its fighting sons in battle in defense of the Golan.”

King Alexander Yanai was a grand nephew of Judah Maccabi.

The long Jewish history in the Golan has given us the remnants of 25 synagogues from Talmudic times which have been discovered. In the late 1800’s Zionists began to move in. In 1891 Baron Rothschild purchased 18,000 acres in the eastern Golan. This was not the first Jewish Land purchased here in the 1800’s. Below is a photo from golan.org.il of the remains of an ancient synagogue.

Modern Day Golan

Israel captured the Golan in June 1967 in a defensive war in which Syria had intended to use this Land as a spring-board for an attack. On December 14, 1981, 7 days before Chanukah, the Knesset voted to extend Israeli rule over the Golan. They annexed this Land. “Baruch HaShem” The Land finally returned to the Jews.

Freshness and Life

Jewish settlers began to settle on the Land as the morning dew settles on the grass, bringing a renewed freshness and life.

Today, a Land that appeared to be almost useless and used to attack Jews has now been turned into a rich Jewish region of agriculture and tourism where 2,000,000 people visit every year.


“The Land of Water and Wine.” Today one third of Israel’s drinking water comes from this place. Of coarse the flourishing wine industry has just been mentioned. The map displays the precious water systems which flow from the Golan.

Why do so many tourists come here every year? Well, the mountain views are wonderful and of coarse there is Mount Hermon in the far north of the Golan. Lovers of nature flock here in the spring and summer and people ski here in the winter on Mount Hermon. It is capped with snow several months a year.


It surely has been written by King David:

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity….It is like the dew of Hermon descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there HaShem commanded the blessing, life forevermore.” Tehillim 133:1, 3

Below are some enjoying Mount Herman!