סמל המועצה לשימור אתרי מורשת בישראל
סמל עמותת בני גוש עציון
סמל משרד התרבות והספורט
סמל העיר תל אביב

חורשת עציון
"החצר הגדולה"
"החצר הגדולה" הייתה מרכז חייהם של עשרות ילדים, שפונו עם אימותיהם מכפר עציון במלחמת העצמאות - תש"ח (1948). גוש עציון נפל בקרב, רוב הילדים התייתמו מאבותיהם, אמותיהם התאלמנו. הם שוכנו בבתים העוטרים את "החצר". בשנות ה-50 של המאה ה-20 ניטעה החורשה. ברבות השנים השתקמו תושבי החצר, עקרו מכאן ובנו חיים חדשים.
במלחמת ששת הימים, תשכ"ז (1967), נגאל גוש עציון. בני כפר עציון זכו לשוב ולחדש בו את ביתם.
כאן טופחה מורשת גוש עציון וניטע החלום - "ושבו בנים לגבולם".
ואתה, ההלך, מוזמן להעפיל להר ולחזות בהתגשמותו.

THE COURTYARD
This courtyard served the widows and young orphans of kibbutz Kfar Etzion who came to live in neighboring homes after the fall of the Etzion Bloc on Nay 14 1948

[מפת החצר הגדולה]

The sign is rectangular but its head is designed according to the silhouette of the old building of the Gymnasia Herzliya, which serves as a logo of the Council for the Preservation of Heritage Sites in Israel

The following picture shows the sign in full Click for a larger image

The grove was photographed that day Click for a larger image

Translation of the text on the sign:
Symbol of the Council for the Preservation of Israeli Heritage Sites
Symbol of the Gush Etzion association
Ministry of Culture and Sport symbol
The symbol of the city of Tel Aviv

[Note: Attach is the full Hebrew text translation that is missing from the English text on the sign]
Etzion grove
"The Courtyard"
The "Courtyard" was the center of the lives of dozens of children who were evacuated with their mothers from Kfar Etzion during the War of Independence - 1948. Gush Etzion fell in battle, most children orphaned from their fathers, their mothers became widows. They are housed in houses around the "yard". In the 1950s the grove was planted. Over the years, the residents of the courtyard have recovered, uprooted and built a new life.
During the Six Day War, 1967, Gush Etzion was redeemed. The people of Kfar Etzion were again allowed to renovate their home.
This is where Gush Etzion’s legacy was nurtured and the dream was planted - "and thy children shall return to their own border".
And you, the walking person, are invited to climb the mountain and witness its manifestation.