Olesh

Olesh עֹלֶשׁ‎
Olesh
Coordinates: 32°19′57″N 34°59′7″E / 32.33250°N 34.98528°E / 32.33250; 34.98528
Country	Israel
District	Central
Council	Hefer Valley
Affiliation	Moshavim Movement
Founded	1951
Founded by	Romanian immigrants
Population  (2022)[1]	1,192

Olesh (Hebrew: עֹלֶשׁ, עולש, lit. 'Chicory') is a moshav in central Israel. Located in the Sharon plain, it falls under the jurisdiction of Hefer Valley Regional Council. In 2022 it had a population of 1,192.^[1]

The moshav was founded in 1951 by immigrants from Romania on land south of the Palestinian village of Qaqun, which had been depopulated in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.^[2][3] It was initially named Be'erotayim Bet, but was later renamed Olesh due to the large chicory plants in the area.^[4]

In 1953 it absorbed more immigrants from North Africa and in 1965 it took in new residents from Beit She'an. In the late 1990s it doubled in size as part of an expansion plan.^{[citation needed]}