The expression Gav Ha’Har (Lit: back of the mountain) in its original meaning refers to the mountainous area east of the national watershed line in Israel, down to the Jordan Valley. Today, the term refers mainly to the eastern side of the Samaria mountains region, where on Sunday the first crane was spotted, having been brought there for new construction at the Hitzim yeshiva in Itamar.
Gav Ha’Har has five Jewish settlements: Itamar, Elon Moreh, Har Bracha, Yitzhar and Givot Olam Farm, as well as many outposts, including Scully’s Farm, Mitzpe Yosef, Giv’at Lehava and Mizpe Yizhar.
The Hitzim yeshiva is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and the building under construction will be the largest structure ever built in Itamar. The crane will remain in the settlement for up to six months, and the construction of the new building will be completed in about a year.
Aryeh Goldberger, project manager at Itamar, said in a statement: “We see the school that’s taking shape – the education complex of the community of Itamar, which joins a series of permanent structures belonging to the ‘high yeshiva,’ and, thank God, complementing the educational network of the settlement, icluding study halls and boarding schools.”
Yehoshua Sherman, Executive Director of Hitzim yeshiva, said he felt “great excitement in dealing with education and building our country – two values we are busy with every day.”
Hananel Elkayam, chairman of the Itamar settlement, said: “We welcome the construction and expansion of the settlement of Itamar, and are pleased to see the renewed construction of the Hitzim youth village.”