Located between Beit Shemesh and Jerusalem, it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Yehuda Regional Council.

[1] The village was initially founded by the Herut movement on 18 October 1950 by immigrants from Yemen, and was first named Allar-Bet, later to be called Ramat Shimon.

[2] It was established on land belonging to the Palestinian village of Allar, which became depopulated during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.

[3] The village was also called Eitanim, until residents eventually settled on the name Bar-Giora, after Simon Bar Giora.

[citation needed] The village is home to the Sea Horse and Bar Giora wineries.