Joop Westerweel Forest
Ajuga chamaepytis, Ground pine, Chian Bugle, חד-שפה מצוי
Joop Westerweel Forest
Anemone coronaria, Crown Anemone, Purple, כלנית מצויה,
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Drive via Elyakim- Junction (Fureidis-Yokneam, road 70), take Route 672 southward to Kibbutz Galed/ Even Yizhak.
About a few hundred meters before the entrance to the kibbutz is a parking lot on the right.
The entrance to the Cyclamen hill is across the street; follow the signs.
In 1950 a pine forest was planted and a few years later Cyclamen started to grow, flowering end January- begin February.
On the way back stop at the K.K.L.sign to Joop Westerweel (1899-1944) forest, it was planted in his name in 1954 with the help of the Jewish National Fund in his memory.
Westerweel was a central figure in the underground movement of Jewish pioneers (Halutzim).
He and his friends bound their own fate with that of the Halutzim and founded a non-violent underground group in accordance with Joop’s views. His energy and great inspiration roused his friends to action.
They succeeded in bringing some 150 Halutzim from over the borders of Belgium and across the Pyrenees to Spain, while World War II was still raging, some 70 Halutzim arrived at the shores of Israel.
Around 400 out of 820 pioneers owed their survival to the activities of the Dutch Halutz Underground. Many members of the underground movement, Jews and gentiles sacrificed their lives in the struggle against the Nazis.
Joop Westerweel was captured and put to death at the Vught Concentration Camp in Holland on August 11, 1944. After his death, Westerweel was designated as Righteous among the Nations by Yad Vashem.
The memorial stones in the forest commemorate all those activists, Jews and gentiles, who sacrificed their lives in order to rescue the Halutzim.
In the forest an abundance of Anemones, Cyclamen and Ground Pine (Ajuga chamaepitys).
Cyclamen Hill, Kibbutz Galed/ Even Yizhak
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