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Beko'a

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01In brief

Beko'a (בקוע) is a moshav in the Judean Foothills, located on the boundary between the Judean Mountains and the Judean Foothills at the northern end of the Jerusalem Corridor, northwest of Beit Shemesh. Established in 1952 by immigrants from Yemen, the community had approximately 875 residents in 2022 and is under the jurisdiction of the Mateh Yehuda Regional Council. Two sources parenthetically identify the wartime locality of Deir Mu'aysin with Beko'a: Haganah forces captured it during Operation Nachshon, and a military assembly station near it was used during Operation Ben-Nun B.

02Location and Overview

Beko'a sits on the boundary between the Judean Mountains and the Judean Foothills, at the northern end of the Jerusalem Corridor, northwest of Beit Shemesh.[1] The moshav is accessible from Highway 3 and is positioned between Nahshon Junction and the Latrun Interchange.[1]

The community is administered by the Mateh Yehuda Regional Council and lies within the Mateh Yehuda local planning area.[4][5]

03History

During Israel's War of Independence, Haganah forces participating in Operation Nachshon captured the Arab village of Deir Mu'aysin, which the historical account parenthetically identifies as “Beko'a.”[2] Operation Nachshon began on April 6, 1948, employed a force of approximately 1,500 men, and sought to open the besieged road to Jerusalem. By its conclusion on April 15, three large convoys carrying food and arms had reached the city.[2]

Later in May 1948, a military assembly station near Deir Muhaysin was used by a rescue unit during Operation Ben-Nun B, an attempt to attack the Latrun enclave and open the road to besieged Jerusalem. An official Ministry of Defense memorial biography places the station near “Deir Muhaysin (today Beko'a).”[3]

A government valuation report states that the modern moshav was established in 1952 by immigrants from Yemen.[1] An Encyclopaedia Judaica place list instead records 1951 as its founding year.[4]

04Demographics and Community

The Encyclopaedia Judaica place list recorded 492 inhabitants in Beko'a as of December 31, 2004.[4] An Israel Land Authority report, citing Israel Central Bureau of Statistics data, placed the population at approximately 875 residents in 2022.[1]

The built environment reflects Beko'a's development as an agricultural moshav. The Israel Land Authority describes older concrete structures alongside newer buildings in agricultural holdings, auxiliary farms, and a designated expansion area. Community facilities include synagogues, kindergartens, playgrounds, sports courts, a mikveh, and a community club.[1]

Beko'a was included in a state land-marketing program for reserve soldiers and disabled veterans of the Israel Defense Forces. The program assigned the community one lot intended for the self-construction of a detached home.[6] A proposed agro-voltaic facility in the moshav's agricultural lands, north of the residential camp area, was deposited under Israel's Planning and Building Law.[5]

During the Jerusalem Hills wildfire of April 2025, police evacuated Beko'a alongside neighboring communities including Neve Shalom, Ta'oz, Nakhshon, and the Latrun complex as the fire spread through the region.[7]

05Economy and Culture

Beko'a is home to the artisanal Kerem Barak winery, owned by Yossi and Yael Rosenberg.[8] The couple bought a farm in Beko'a after their son Barak died from an illness, planted a vineyard, and named the winery in his memory. As of May 2025, they had been making wine for 22 years, producing approximately 10,000 bottles annually and making orange wines since 2012.[8]

The winery's branding draws on artwork by Barak Rosenberg, who was an artist and painter. Its labels feature Dragon Bunny, a comic character he created depicting a rabbit that transforms into a dragon.[8] A May 2025 profile described the venue as kosher, with its wine supervised by Tzohar, and reported that it offered Friday-morning events and weekday tastings.[8]

06Notable Sites

The original entrance to the Burma Road, a bypass route used during the War of Independence, is located on Route 3 between Beko'a and Kibbutz Nakhshon. The route passes among the ruins of the Arab village of Bayt Jiz.[9]

The National Library of Israel's place index also catalogues an entry titled “Beko'a (Israel), antiquities” (בקוע (ישראל), עתיקות). The index classifies Beko'a as an antiquities subject but provides no details about a specific site, period, or archaeological discovery.[10]

07Historical Identification Note

The identification of Deir Mu'aysin or Deir Muhaysin with Beko'a appears parenthetically in both the historical account of Operation Nachshon and an official Ministry of Defense memorial biography.[2][3] Neither cited page supplies cartographic evidence or a detailed explanation of the identification, so the sources establish the usage but not its underlying documentation.

Separate records describe the modern moshav as having been founded in 1951 or 1952 without discussing the site's pre-1948 history.[4][1]

Sources

  1. 1Israel Land Authority, Gov.il, accessed on September 23, 2026.
  2. 2Encyclopedia.com, War Of Independence, accessed on September 23, 2026.
  3. 3Izkor, יזכור - טוראי ראובן (רובקה) אופנהיים, accessed on September 23, 2026.
  4. 4Encyclopedia.com, Land of Israel: Population, accessed on September 23, 2026.
  5. 5Israel Planning Administration, Gov.il, accessed on September 23, 2026.
  6. 6Mako, המדינה מחלקת קרקעות למילואימניקים: רשימת היישובים המלאה, accessed on September 23, 2026.
  7. 7Ynet, "יש פה מישהו? לסרוק גם תעלות": תיעוד דרמטי מחיפושים במכוניות נטושות באזור השריפה, accessed on September 23, 2026.
  8. 8Ynet, מליקר סרפד ועד יין משובח: האזור שבו כדאי לצאת לשתות, accessed on September 23, 2026.
  9. 9Ynet, שוברים את המצור: משוריינים ונוף בדרך בורמה, accessed on September 23, 2026.
  10. 10National Library of Israel, accessed on September 23, 2026.

IsraelPedia Question & Answers

  • What is Beko'a?

    Beko'a is a moshav in the Judean Foothills, located on the boundary between the Judean Mountains and the Judean Foothills at the northern end of the Jerusalem Corridor, northwest of Beit Shemesh. It was established in 1952 by immigrants from Yemen and had approximately 875 residents in 2022. The community is under the jurisdiction of the Mateh Yehuda Regional Council.

  • What role did the area of Beko'a play during Israel's War of Independence?

    During Israel's War of Independence, Haganah forces captured the Arab village of Deir Mu'aysin, parenthetically identified as Beko'a, as part of Operation Nachshon. That operation began on April 6, 1948, employed approximately 1,500 men, and aimed to open the besieged road to Jerusalem, with three large convoys carrying food and arms reaching the city by its conclusion on April 15. Later, in May 1948, a military assembly station near Deir Muhaysin was used during Operation Ben-Nun B, an attempt to attack the Latrun enclave and open the road to besieged Jerusalem.

  • Where is the original entrance to the Burma Road located?

    The original entrance to the Burma Road, a bypass route used during the War of Independence, is located on Route 3 between Beko'a and Kibbutz Nakhshon. The route passes among the ruins of the Arab village of Bayt Jiz.

  • What community facilities does Beko'a have?

    Beko'a's community facilities include synagogues, kindergartens, playgrounds, sports courts, a mikveh, and a community club. The built environment features older concrete structures alongside newer buildings in agricultural holdings, auxiliary farms, and a designated expansion area, reflecting the moshav's development as an agricultural community.

  • What is the Kerem Barak winery in Beko'a?

    Kerem Barak is an artisanal winery in Beko'a owned by Yossi and Yael Rosenberg. The couple bought a farm in Beko'a after their son Barak died from an illness, planted a vineyard, and named the winery in his memory. As of May 2025, they had been making wine for 22 years, producing approximately 10,000 bottles annually and making orange wines since 2012. The winery is kosher, with its wine supervised by Tzohar, and its labels feature Dragon Bunny, a comic character created by Barak Rosenberg depicting a rabbit that transforms into a dragon.

  • Was Beko'a affected by the Jerusalem Hills wildfire of April 2025?

    During the Jerusalem Hills wildfire of April 2025, police evacuated Beko'a alongside neighboring communities including Neve Shalom, Ta'oz, Nakhshon, and the Latrun complex as the fire spread through the region.