| Beit Jann | |
|---|---|
| Hebrew transcription(s) | |
| • Hebrew | בֵּיתּ גַ'ן |
| • ISO 259 | Beit Ǧann |
| • Also spelled | Beit Jan (unofficial) |
| Arabic transcription(s) | |
| • Arabic | بيت جن |
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Beit Jann
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| Coordinates: | |
| District | North |
| Government | |
| • Type | Local council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4,650 dunams (4.7 km2 / 1.8 sq mi) |
| Population (2007) | |
| • Total | 10,300 |
Beit Jann (Hebrew: בֵּיתּ גַ'ן; Arabic: بيت جن) is a Druze village on Mt. Meron, in northern Israel. At 940 meters above sea level, Beit Jann is one of the highest inhabited locations in the country. In 2007, the population was 10,300. The mayor of Beit Jann is Youssef Qabalan.[1]
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Until the 13th or 14th century, Druze families in the area lived in scattered colonies in the hills near sources of water. According to local legend, two hunters looking for hyraxes stumbled upon a cave where they found an ancient cistern filled with water. Concluding that this was a good place for permanent settlement, several families settled on the site of what would become Beit Jann.[2]
By the late nineteenth century, Beit Jenn was described as a good village built of stone, with 300 Muslims and 100 Druze, with extensive gardens and vineyards.[3]
At the time of the 1931 census, Beit Jann had 229 occupied houses and a population of 1100 Druze and 1 Muslim.[4]
In July 2006, during the Second Lebanon War, Beit Jann was hit by Katyusha rockets fired by Hezbollah. Illegal logging in the vicinity Beit Jann has led to conflicts with park officials and rangers.[5]
Beit Jann has a cool climate, even in summer, and offers panoramic views that stretch as far as the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean on a clear day. Several families in the village run bed and breakfast facilities.[6] The village is located inside the Mount Meron nature reserve.
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