Nataf
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- This article is about a village in Israel. For the spice see Stacte.
Nataf is a communal settlement in the Judean Mountains 12 miles west of downtown Jerusalem. The village is a part of the Matte Yehuda Regional Council. The village is situated on a ridge bounded by Nahal Kefira to the north and Nahal Hamisha to the south; the elevation is around 500m above MSL. Approximately 100 families live in the village, with 71 permanent residents and 30 homes rented. The settlement lies at the end of a narrow 3 mile road that originates in Abu Ghosh, this is the only paved road to the village. The village is nestled in a pocket with borders with the West Bank surrounding it on three sides.
Nataf was founded in 1981 on private land purchased from residents of the nearby Arab village of Abu Ghosh, though the original purchase was challenged unsuccessfully in the courts.
The village was established in proximity to the Nataf Spring, a popular hiking destination. The spring is watered all year round and has a number of small freshwater pools. The water in the pools can be as deep as 7 meters and very cold. A number of hikers have been rescued from the site suffering from hypothermia, and the spring is considered dangerous.
The name Nataf is of biblical origins and referred to the incense Stacte.
Approximately one-third of the residents are Modern Orthodox. The village has a unique unaffiliated synagogue with three sections for prayer a men's section, a women's section and a mixed section.
Among the notable residents are former Knesset speaker Avrum Burg.
