Tel Juhader, Volcanic hill in the southern Golan Heights, Israel
Tel Juhader is a basalt hill in the southern Golan Heights, 646 meters above sea level, south of Mount Peres and southeast of Yonatan. A tall lattice tower with red and white sections stands on its grassy crest. At its foot lie the remains of a 14th-century khan.
A 14th-century khan, or caravanserai, stands at the foot of the hill, where finds from the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods were also uncovered. On the first day of the Yom Kippur War the "Boaz" battery of the 405th artillery battalion deployed west of the hill and was destroyed by Syrian armour; wrecked guns still lie in the minefield. On the war's second day three residents of Tuba-Zangariyya were captured here.
The Arabic name Tel Juhader may derive from "al-Jughandar", a title meaning polo-stick bearer held by the Mamluk governor of Safed. The Hebrew name Giv'at Orcha refers to the nearby Orcha Pool at the hill's northern foot.
The summit is accessible through marked trails suitable for hiking and close observation of the volcanic formations. Spring and autumn offer the most pleasant conditions for visiting and exploring the surroundings.
The lattice tower on the crest is painted in alternating red and white sections, with a small railed platform and a thin rod at the top. West of the hill, the "Boaz" battery of the 405th "Namer" artillery battalion was overrun and destroyed by Syrian armour on the first day of the Yom Kippur War; wrecked guns still lie in the minefield.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,720 contributors worldwide.