Park Gilo and the Gilo Neighborhood©

By Vardah Littmann

One of Jerusalem's finest parks nestles at the western end of Gilo, the southernmost neighborhood in the city. Park Gilo on the slope of small mountain covered with fragrant pine trees, is loaded with recreational activities scattered all over the area. These include a Rollerblade rink, tennis and basketball courts, a bike track, and hiking paths. A stunning walking track overlooks the Malcha neighborhood and the Gilo forest.

Park Gilo also features separate playgrounds for babies/toddlers and older kids.  These have shoots and ladders that offer climbing challenges, as well as swings. Many tables with oversize chessboards and picnic tables offer places to enjoy family time. From the observation points, you can see Malcha, the Zoo, the Refaim Valley, and the Jerusalem-Bet Shemesh train line. The western outlook affords you a panoramic view of the Jerusalem hills

In the 1970s and ‘80s, the Gilo Park was a rambling collection of wooden jungle gyms, slides, rickety bridges, rope ladders, and tire-tunnels - set up in a forest among the pine trees. As many of you may remember, it was a fantastic destination for family outings.

Then the Municipality deemed the park dangerous and replaced the old playground installations, with modern equipment. The only things that were not changed were the many picnic tables, and of course, the trees. Although relatively unknown, many consider the shady wonderland of Park Gilo the best park in Jerusalem, and perhaps even in all of Israel.

The suburb of Gilo was established in 1971 after the Six Day War on land that had been legally purchased by Jews before World War II during the 1930s. When the area was captured by the Jordanians in 1948, the Jewish landowners did not relinquished ownership of their land. Today Gilo is enormous and has over 45,000 residents. Its 882 meters above sea level make it the highest point in Jerusalem.

 

A deep gorge separates Gilo from Beit Jala. On the east, the Gush Etzion Tunnels Highway runs underneath it, and the settlement of Har Gilo is visible on the adjacent peak. Bethlehem is to the South, while Beit Safafa and Sharafat are located north of Gilo.

Gilo has formed a wedge between Jerusalem and Beit Jala/Bethlehem. From the year 2000, Beit Jala was a Fatah Tanzim base used by gunmen to launch sniper and mortar attacks against Gilo. Concrete barriers were built by the Israeli government and bulletproof windows were installed in the homes and schools on the periphery of Gilo, facing Beit Jala.

After Operation Defensive Shield the attacks on Gilo subsided, with the rate slowing to three incidents of gunfire that year. Nearly a decade after its construction following years of relative quiet, the IDF started dismantling the concrete barrier on August 15, 2010.

The Book of Joshua (Joshua, 15:51) mentions a town called Gilo. In the Book of Samuel (II Sam, 15:12) we are told of Ahithophel "the Gilonite" whose birthplace and home was Gilo and who supported Absalom’s in his rebellion against his father King David. Later on, we learn that  Ahithophel committed suicide (17:23) in his home city.

The name of this modern suburb was chosen because of its proximity to Beit Jala, whose Arab name may be related to the word “Gilo.”

Above the shopping center on Rehov Haganenet, during the construction of Gilo, archaeologists discovered agricultural implements and a fortress from the period of the First Temple period. They also unearthed the remains of a farm and graves from the Second Temple period between Givat Canada and Gilo Park. Roman and Byzantine remains have also been found in the area.

During the 1948 War, the Egyptian army positioned its artillery at Gilo, heavily shelling West Jerusalem. An attempt by Arabs to advance on Jerusalem from Gilo was beaten back in a fierce battle. Although Kibbutz Ramat Rachel, located just north-east of Gilo, changed hands three times, it ultimately remained part of Israel.  Unfortunately Gilo stayed beyond the Green Line on the side held by the Kingdom of Jordan until 1967.

Gilo has 35 synagogues. The hostel for autistic young adults, Beit Or (Home of Light), was opened in Gilo in March 2008. The Ilan home for handicapped adults is situated in Gilo.  In 2009, the Gilo community center, introduced a new hybrid water heating system that saves energy and greatly reduces pollution. 

Due to its location beyond the 1949 Green Line, the United Nations, the European Union, and Japan refer to Gilo as an illegal settlement even though Gilo is an integral part of Jerusalem. Plans to expand Gilo have drawn criticism from the United States and United Kingdom. In 2009, 900 new housing units, approved for construction in Gilo by the Jerusalem Planning Committee, sparked a fresh round of global criticism.

Directions to Park Gilo: From Pat Junction, travel south on Ya`akov Pat Street whose name will change to Dov Yosef Street after the first traffic light. Continue up hill towards the Gilo neighborhood, then take a right at the top of the hill onto Haganenet Street. Haganenet runs straight into the park.

From Hebron Rd.: South towards Bethlehem, then right on Rosemarin Street (last turn before Bethlehem, follow signs to Gush Etzion). Travel straight on Rosemarin which turns into Haganenet Street and leads straight into Park Gilo.

Gilo is on the 31, 32, 71, and 72 bus lines.