This site also covers the communities a few minutes from Mevaseret along Route 1. Use the Community filter in the directory to see each one.
Abu Ghosh
An Arab-Israeli local council of 8,848 people (2024), 10 km west of Jerusalem and 610 to 720 m above sea level. It is known for its Middle Eastern restaurants and hummus (it was called the "hummus capital of Israel" in 2007 and set a Guinness record for the largest dish of hummus in 2010), for its Crusader church of about 1140 inside the Benedictine abbey, and for the Abu Ghosh Music Festival, held twice a year in and around the churches. It is identified with biblical Kiriath-jearim, where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. Choose Abu Ghosh in the directory's Community filter.
Kiryat Ye'arim (Telz-Stone)
A Haredi community next to Abu Ghosh. The Ministry of Education lists several talmud torahs, yeshivot ketanot and day-care centres here, and the religious council runs a women's mikveh.
Har Adar
A community town on the hill north of Mevaseret, with its own school, library, amphitheatre and the Harel Brigade memorial.
Motza and Beit Zayit
The villages in the valley just east and south-east of Mevaseret, towards Jerusalem: Motza, Motza Illit and the moshav of Beit Zayit by its reservoir.
Kibbutzim and moshavim
To the west are Kiryat Anavim and Ma'ale HaHamisha (both with hotels), Kibbutz Tzuba (with a hotel), Neve Ilan, Shoresh, Sho'eva, Yad HaShmona (with its Biblical Garden), Beit Neqofa, Ein Rafa and Ein Nakuba.