Ngev;+Yerucham

= Pre-Trip Research... =

Location of your site:
The ** Negev ** (Hebrew: נֶּגֶבt ‎‎) is a desert and semi  desert region of southern Israel.

== Geographical Features (Include a Picture or Map): ==

The Negev covers more than half of Israel, over some 13,000 km² (4,700 sq mi) or at least 55% of the country's land area. It forms an inverted triangle shape whose western side is contiguous with the desert of the Sinai peninsula,and whose eastern border is the arabah valley.The Negev is a rocky desert. It is a melange of brown, rocky, dusty mountains interrupted by dry riverbeds that bloom briefly after rain, and deep craters.It can be split into five different ecological regions: northern, western, and central Negev, the high plateau and the Arabah Valley. The northern Negev, or Mediterannean zone, receives 300 mm of rain annually and has fairly fertile soils. The western Negev receives 250 mm of rain per year, with light and partially sandy soils. Sand dunes can reach heights of up to 30 metres here.

The Meaning of the Name of your Site:
Yeruham (יְרוּחָם,, Yeroham) is a town (local council) in the Southern District of Israel, in the Negev desert. It covers 38,584 dunams (~38.6 km²) and had a population of 9,400 in 2006. It is named after the Biblical Jeroham. The mayor of Yeruham is Amram Mitzna. The name means cherished or loved by G-d.

Historical Background/Significance:
Yeruham is the site of Tel Rahma, dating back to the 10th century BCE. On the outskirts of Yeruham is an ancient well, Be'er Rahma (באר רחמה). Some archeologists have identified it as the well where the biblical [|Hagar] drew water for her son [|Ishmael]. The first influx of [|olim] (immigrants) came from [|Romania], many of them [|Holocaust] survivors, followed by olim from North Africa, [|Persia] , [|India] and elsewhere, who make up the majority of the town's population today (appr. 40%, 5%, 20%, 10% respectively).[// [|citation needed] //] By 1961, the town's population was 1,574. The name was changed to Yeruham in 1962. [|[3]] Yeruham was originally founded on the [|Petroleum Road] in the Negev (today roads [|224] and [|225] ) and its initial growth was stymied by the construction of [|Highway 25] and the [|Beersheba] – [|Mitzpe Ramon] section of [|Highway 40], which created a new route to [|Eilat] and made the Petroleum Road obsolete. [|[4]]

== Do other Cultures or Religions have connections to your site?: ==

In recent years young couples and families from other localities have moved to Yeruham, and some have purchased lots and built their homes in the town’s new neighborhoods.

Connect a Talmudic/Biblical saying to your site:
The Negev (or Negeb) takes its name from the [|Hebrew] // neghev //, meaning // dry //. It's located south of [|Jerusalem] and Judea, from which Negev has also taken on the meaning // south //. Both names are quite appropriate - the Negev is the southernmost area of Israel, and it is most definitely one of the most arid [|Bible Places]. The Negev stretches southward from the mountains and lowlands of Judah where the rolling hills terminate abruptly along the desert. The [|Dead Sea] is located to the east, the [|Mediterranean Sea] is to the west, the [|Sinai] is to the southwest. The Negev was the scene of many events of [|Bible History] - > > > > > > >
 * An early caravan route from Israel to [|Egypt] went through the Negev (Genesis 12:9, 13:1-3, 46:1-6).
 * It was the territory of the Amalekites during the time of [|Abraham] (Genesis 14:7)
 * Hagar and Ishmael were exiled out into the Negev by [|Sarah] (Genesis 21:14)
 * Both [|Isaac] and [|Jacob] lived for some time in the Negev (Genesis 24:62, 37:1)
 * The Israelites wandered in the Negev during the [|Wilderness Journey] after the Exodus (Numbers 14:44-45)
 * At the [|Division Of The Land], the Negev was allotted to the tribes of Simeon (Joshua 19:1-9) and Judah (Joshua 15:20-31)
 * [|David] included the Negev in his kingdom, and when Solomon succeeded his father, he established fortresses in the area.
 * After Judah [|Fell To The Babylonians] under [|King Nebuchadnezzar] in 586 B.C., Edom took over the Negev.

== Share any Midrash, Fables, or other “stories” about the site: ==

Yeruham is the site of Tel Rahma, dating back to the 10th century BCE. On the outskirts of Yeruham is an ancient well, Be'er Rahma (באר רחמה). Some archeologists have identified it as the well where the biblical [|Hagar] drew water for her son [|Ishmael].

= Now You're ready to create a multimedia presentation in Hebrew for class here in America. =
 * [Link your Presentation here if applicable]

= You're also responsible for a brief "Tour Guide" presentation in __ENGLISH__ to be given at your site in Israel. =
 * [Type your English "Tour Guide" script here]

= After the Trip... =

Picture From your Site.
[Add a photo from your trip to the site here]

Reflections:
[Write a brief reflection on your visit to your site. Was your experience what you expected? Did you learn something new? What was it like experiencing this place in person...]