Abu Ghosh: Where History and Hospitality Meet in the Judean Hills

Abu Ghosh is an extraordinary Arab village where three major religions and 3,000 years of history converge in unexpected harmony. On this walking tour, you’ll discover how this unique Muslim community in the Judean Hills has forged its own path, building bridges between cultures in modern Israel while preserving its ancient connections.

The tour starts at the Our Lady of the Ark of the Covenant Church. You’ll walk past the old British mandate Police Station that witnessed the turbulent years of the 1936-9 Arab revolt, and wind through the village’s stone-paved streets where the scent of freshly baked pita and aromatic spices fills the air.

Along the way, you’ll find out how Abu Ghosh’s Chechen origins and strategic position shaped its unusual path to peaceful coexistence. I’ll also tell you about the village’s role in helping Jewish convoys reach besieged Jerusalem during the 1948 War. The tour ends at the junction of Hashalom and Abed ElRachman streets, where you can reward yourself with a meal at one of Abu Ghosh’s legendary hummus restaurants.

During this two-hour walk, you’ll have a chance to:

• Visit a Crusader-era church built over a Roman water reservoir, featuring some of the best-preserved medieval frescoes in the Holy Land
• Discover the site where the biblical Ark of the Covenant rested for 20 years before King David brought it to Jerusalem
• Explore the imposing Chechen Mosque, the second-largest mosque in Israel with its striking golden dome and four minarets
• Learn about Abu Ghosh’s unique Caucasian heritage that sets it apart from other Arab villages
• Hear about how the village earned its title as the ”Hummus Capital of Israel,” once setting a Guinness World Record
• Understand the fascinating story of how Abu Ghosh maintained peaceful relations with Jewish communities during Israel’s War of Independence
• Admire the distinctive Jerusalem stone architecture that gives the village its warm, golden appearance

This walking tour introduces you to a place where food, faith and fascinating history create a model of coexistence unlike anywhere else in the Middle East.