Beit Hashita: Kibbutz History and Landscape

Beit Hashita can be understood through its early kibbutz history: buildings and communal facilities offer insights into living, security, and provisions. The wider Northern District travel destination adds its own archaeological themes to this local perspective.

Buildings and Daily Life in the Early Kibbutz Period

The First Barracks Hut dates from 1935. It is the last surviving barracks from the kibbutz's early period and is located near the spring. The Two-Storey Position dates from 1938 and is made of reinforced concrete. Because of its location in a wadi, it was built on two levels and served as living quarters. Here, the building design is directly connected to the stated reason for its location.

Building A was built entirely of concrete in 1936 and was the kibbutz's first security building. A guard post stood on its roof. Its function therefore differed from that of the Two-Storey Position, which was used as living quarters: security was the focus of Building A, while the two-storey position was primarily for living.

Communal facilities are also part of the site's documented history. The first cowshed dates from 1936; the group brought the first 35 cows from the area near Ma'ayan Harod. The large communal shower, built in 1937, was the only shower in the kibbutz and was divided into areas for boys and girls. Together, these details show the living and provisioning facilities of the early kibbutz.

The local bakery dates from 1939 and supplied the kibbutz with bread. The “Hayu Zmanim” exhibition aims to preserve a model of the living quarters of the first pioneers. While the bakery is associated with bread supplies at the time, the model focuses on the living quarters of the early pioneers.

Landscape and Orientation in the Wider Area

The Tzva'im Spur scenic road runs through the southern part of the basalt-built Issachar Heights. Separate from this is the described turnoff from a scenic road that descends toward Bet HaShita. A description last updated in 2014 states that the section farther down is closed to cars. Check the current regulations before driving.

Archaeological Themes in the Northern District

In the wider Northern District travel destination, Tel Hazor and Tel Megiddo represent distinct archaeological themes. At Tel Hazor, the visit focuses on the upper city. This includes Solomon's Gate, with six chambers and two towers, dating to the 10th century BCE. The Canaanite palace at Tel Hazor was used by the kings of Hazor in the 14th and 13th centuries BCE.

The water system at Tel Hazor is also a key archaeological feature: it preserves significant remains of an underground water collection system, an advanced engineering achievement adapted to the geography for water storage. The excavated shaft is 45 meters deep; steps three meters wide are cut into the walls of the vertical shaft.

Tel Megiddo is a biblical tell, preserving significant remains of a city with biblical associations. The Early Bronze Age temple complex is exceptional in the number of its temples, the continuity of cult activity, and its documented ritual practices. Tel Megiddo's orthogonal city plan dates from the Iron Age and has few parallels in the Levant.

The examples also differ in age: the buildings and facilities mentioned in Beit Hashita date from 1935 to 1939. The regional archaeological themes range from the Early Bronze Age through the Bronze Age remains mentioned above to the Iron Age city plan. This makes it possible to distinguish the history of the site from the much older archaeological periods as separate areas of interest.

Discover more destinations: Isfiya, Livnim, Ein Gev, Ramat Tzvi, Arbel, Lavi, Dalton, Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut

Go to the wider travel overview: Israel.