Beit Hashmonai was established in 1970 by the
Jewish Agency for teachers at the nearby Ayalon School on land that had belonged to the
depopulated Palestinian village of
al-Barriyya. It is named for
Simon Maccabaeus, a member of the
Hasmonean family who captured the ancient city of
Gezer, located nearby. In 1987 it was designated a community centre for the regional council, with the council's offices moved to the village. ==References==