title: Beit Shikma
text: # Beit Shikma
  
  Beit Shikma (Hebrew: בֵּית שִׁקְמָה, lit. House of Sycamore) is a moshav in southern Israel. Located near Ashkelon, it falls under the jurisdiction of Hof Ashkelon Regional Council. In 2021 it had a population of 878.
  
  ## History
  
  The moshav was founded in 1950 by Jewish immigrants and refugees from Libya and Morocco. Built on the lands of the depopulated Palestinian Arab village of al-Jiyya, it was named after the large sycamore fig trees in the area.
  
  