11 The Community Garden at the Natural History Museum

This community garden, which is one of the first and most highly-regarded ones in Israel, is celebrating its 20^thanniversary this year. The garden also serves as a cultural and recreational center for the city’s residents, as well as an urban sustainability center and a municipal hub for the dozens of community gardens in Jerusalem. The garden is a unique community initiative that was founded and continues to be run by residents who volunteer there, while managing to preserve a rare nature and history site in the heart of the city.

The garden features a reconstructed orchard comprised of fruit trees and grapevines, herbs, vegetable beds, and ornamental pools dating back many years. There are also demonstration facilities where visitors can see how to grow edible house plants, a composting center, and solar energy facilities. In addition, there are art and sustainability galleries and exhibitions that put a spotlight on Jerusalem trees and drawings associated with the community garden. The garden also has playground equipment for children made of recycled materials, an old shed and structure that were refurbished by the garden’s volunteers, a community-based ‘lending’ center from which residents can borrow tools, and more.

During the guided tours, the garden’s volunteers will recount how it was started and how it became a multidisciplinary project that promotes the community and sustainability. It continues to be a model and inspiration to people both in Israel and overseas – despite threats and difficulties which have been present throughout all the years of its existence.