Sdeh Bar Farm (Hebrew: חוות שדה בר) is a youth rehabilitation settlement in the south of the West Bank. Located at the foot of the Herodium and near the settlement of Nokdim, youths work in agriculture and study with the aim of getting their high school certificate.
The Youth Farm is also financed by US and European Christian evangelical organizations as Christian Friends of Israeli Communities (CFOIC) and the Dutch foundation Christians for Israel International.
According to an article in the Jerusalem Post in April 2010 the Youth Farm was closed by the Israeli Welfare and Social Services Ministry, after an appointed commission investigated allegations of sexual abuse, alcohol and drugs. Ministry spokesman Ronie Malkai explained:
"Over the years we’ve received complaints, both orally and in writing, from professionals and former educators at the farm who were alarmed by irregular events they saw as endangering the minors living there. Furthermore, during the years of the farm’s existence a number of articles were published raising suspicions of improper administration and even criminal activities. After two months of work during which the commission interviewed 30 people involved with Sde Bar including wards, graduates, staff and employees of the Welfare Ministry, it was determined that Sde Bar in its present format is not suitable for use as a residence for youth placed there by the state."A report by Human Rights Watch in December 2010 mentioned Sde Bar at great length as an example of discrimination against local Palestinian inhabitants.