Hi,
We took Rosh HaShana afternoon to visit ans deep a “new” spring called Ein Mesayaat 7020. I call it new as it had been renovated in 2022 by the Mesayaat company veterans, Beit Nekufa volunteers and Israel Antiquities Authority.
Weeping in springs is an habit for Jerusalem people in hot summer Shabbat days, as there is no sea in Jerusalem (as you saw yourself). It is pretty funny, as you have to drive to those springs. And you just as well drive to the beach in Tel-Aviv.
There was a sport of finding new springs so you can sit alone in it and enjoying it along with the excitement of the revealing it. That is until some smart-ass decided to publish all the known spring in a book…
The spring is named after the 13 fallen soldiers of Mesayat company of Givati brigade in the Battle of Jenin in Operation Defensive Shield on 2002. The Nahshon Battalion (7020) of the 5th Brigade which include reserve duty was ambushed what led to a heavy fight and high number of casualties.
Mesayaat is a company in IDF infantry and Armored brigades. The name “Mesayaat” means supporting as it support the attacking infantry/ tanks companies in fire. As so it mainly include the heavy weapons: mortars, ATGM, high velocity Grenade launcher and Reconnaissance.
Take Care
Gad
An easy access to the spring
A memorial to 13 fallen soldiers of Mesayaat 7020
Another sign telling about the spring been renovated for the fallen soldiers.
Slippery deck, falling rocks and archeological site signs with the Mesayaat symbol
The spring pool, about 9x10m and 1m deep
Looking from above on the spring and Jerusalem – Tel-Aviv highway
An archeological site, a water system that might have been used by the Roman Legio X Fretensis on his way to capture Jerusalem.
The entrance and the and the exit of the spring tunnel, it 25m long and you can enter on one side and exit on the other. For that the spring was called the turning spring, before the renovation
Looking through the bars that closing the wider entrance. This side of the tunnel feeds the pool
The narrow entrance
A wider look on the memorial
A sign asking to keep the place clean and to leave the place at dusk
Looking on the spring from the other side
Some infrastructure works are done here and I am not sure what they do here…
An inner creek with an herd of goats on the way to eat
New vines were planted on the slopes couple of years ago
Looking on the spring from road 1 (about where the herd of goats is) on February 2012 (Source: Google maps)