Hashmonaim
Encyclopedia
Hashmonaim is an Israeli settlement
in the Binyamin Region, in the northern section of the West Bank
. The settlement located off Route 443, and on Route 446, which connects between Modi'in and Ariel
. Less than a kilometer East of Hashmonaim, is the major Haredi settelment, Modi'in Illit
(kiryat sefer), the largest jewish settlement in the West Bank
. Hashmonaim is located five kilometers east of Modi'in, midway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv
. Hashmonaim is adjacent (less then a kilometer)` to a few Palestinian
villages: ni'lin
from the north, al-Midya
from the west and Deir Qaddis
from the east. Israeli settlements: Modi'in Illit
and Matityahu from the east, Nili
and Na'ale
from the north.
The settlement is built on a hilltop, at an elevation of around 1000 feet. The settlement views over the most populous area in Israel
- the metropolitan area of Gush Dan
, including Tel aviv
.
The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law
, but the Israeli government disputes this.
and the Sephardi chief rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu
. The first families moved in on August 1987. The first settlers lived on the hill with no electricity or telephone
wires: electricity was connected only by june 1988, and telephone
wires were connected a year later. The only way to get to the settlement for the first few years was through the palestinian
village Kharbatha Bani Harith
. In 1988 the Israeli government recognized Hashmonaim as a yishuv, and it joined to the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council.
The name Hashmonaim refers to the ancient Hasmonean
city of Modi'in, were the Hasmonean revolt broke out. Its location seems to be where the palestinian
village of al-Midya
stands today, a few hundred feet west of the settlement, although there are other opinions, which see the area of the modern city Modi'in as a possible location for the ancient Hasmonean
city.
In 2008, there were 530 families living in Hashmonaim. Around 50% of the residents are native English speakers
. Yemenite and Sefardi Jewish groups are also present. Most are members of the religious Zionist community. Until 1996, the haredi settlement "ganei modi'in", was part of Hashmonaim, then was recognizes as a neighborhood of Modi'in Illit
. Since then, the name Hashmonaim reffers only to Ramat modi'in, Hashmonaim's only neighborhood today.
of the community is Itamar Orbach, who rotates between Hashmonaim's seven synagogues. The community is warm, close-knit, and is a regular destination for north-American olim, looking to live in Judea and Samaria (similar to Neve Aliza
, Efrat
, and the Gush Etzion
settlements).
Hashmonaim has five kindergartens, a religious elementary school, and a high-school yeshiva
, which attracts boys from all over the Binyamin Region. The community also has a clubhouse for young people, a separate Bnei Akiva
branch, two basketball courts, a baseball field, playgrounds, a library and a fitness center.
Israeli settlement
An Israeli settlement is a Jewish civilian community built on land that was captured by Israel from Jordan, Egypt, and Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War and is considered occupied territory by the international community. Such settlements currently exist in the West Bank...
in the Binyamin Region, in the northern section of the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
. The settlement located off Route 443, and on Route 446, which connects between Modi'in and Ariel
Ariel
Ariel may refer to:-Film:*Ariel Award, a Mexican Academy of Film award*Ariel , a 1988 Finnish film by Aki Kaurismäki-People:*Ariel , any of several real or fictional people of that name...
. Less than a kilometer East of Hashmonaim, is the major Haredi settelment, Modi'in Illit
Modi'in Illit
Modi'in Illit is a Haredi Israeli settlement and a city in the West Bank, situated midway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Modi'in Illit was granted city status by the Israeli government in 2008. It is located six kilometres northeast of Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut and is often referred to as Kiryat...
(kiryat sefer), the largest jewish settlement in the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
. Hashmonaim is located five kilometers east of Modi'in, midway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
. Hashmonaim is adjacent (less then a kilometer)` to a few Palestinian
Palestinian
Palestinian may refer to:* Something of, from, or related to Palestine, the Palestinian territories or the State of Palestine*A member of the Palestinian people, also rendered as Palestinian Arabs**Demographics of Palestine...
villages: ni'lin
Ni'lin
Ni'lin is a Palestinian town in the Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate in the central West Bank, located west of Ramallah. Ni'lin is about east of the 1949 Armistice Line bordered by Deir Qaddis, the Israeli settlements of Nili and Na'ale to the northeast, the village of al-Midya and Modi'in...
from the north, al-Midya
Al-Midya
al-Midya is a Palestinian village in the Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate in the northern West Bank, located 20 kilometers west of Ramallah. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the village had a population of over 1,301 inhabitants in 2007.Al-Midya's total land area was...
from the west and Deir Qaddis
Deir Qaddis
Deir Qaddis is a Palestinian town in the Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate in the central West Bank, located sixteen kilometers west of Ramallah. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the town had a population of approximately 1,942 inhabitants in 2007. The town consists of...
from the east. Israeli settlements: Modi'in Illit
Modi'in Illit
Modi'in Illit is a Haredi Israeli settlement and a city in the West Bank, situated midway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Modi'in Illit was granted city status by the Israeli government in 2008. It is located six kilometres northeast of Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut and is often referred to as Kiryat...
and Matityahu from the east, Nili
Nili
Nili of Israel will not lie") was a Jewish espionage network which assisted the United Kingdom in its fight against the Ottoman Empire in Palestine during World War I.-Establishment:...
and Na'ale
Na'ale
Na'ale is a communal Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Located near Modi'in, it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Binyamin Regional Council...
from the north.
The settlement is built on a hilltop, at an elevation of around 1000 feet. The settlement views over the most populous area in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
- the metropolitan area of Gush Dan
Gush Dan
The Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area , or Gush Dan , is a metropolitan area including areas from both the Tel Aviv and the Central Districts of Israel. The area is closely linked to the city of Tel Aviv through social, economic, and cultural ties. It is located along the Israeli Mediterranean coastline...
, including Tel aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
.
The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law
International law and Israeli settlements
The international community considers the establishment of Israeli settlements in the Israeli-occupied territories illegal under international law, but Israel maintains that they are consistent with international law because it does not agree that the Fourth Geneva Convention applies to the...
, but the Israeli government disputes this.
History
Construction of the first homes began in December 1983. A dedication ceremony on June 12, 1984, was attended by Prime Minister Yitzhak ShamirYitzhak Shamir
' is a former Israeli politician, the seventh Prime Minister of Israel, in 1983–84 and 1986–92.-Biography:Icchak Jeziernicky was born in Ruzhany , Russian Empire . He studied at a Hebrew High School in Białystok, Poland. As a youth he joined Betar, the Revisionist Zionist youth movement...
and the Sephardi chief rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu
Mordechai Eliyahu
Mordechai Tzemach Eliyahu ) was a prominent rabbi, posek and spiritual leader. He served as the Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel from 1983 to 1993.-Biography:...
. The first families moved in on August 1987. The first settlers lived on the hill with no electricity or telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
wires: electricity was connected only by june 1988, and telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
wires were connected a year later. The only way to get to the settlement for the first few years was through the palestinian
Palestinian
Palestinian may refer to:* Something of, from, or related to Palestine, the Palestinian territories or the State of Palestine*A member of the Palestinian people, also rendered as Palestinian Arabs**Demographics of Palestine...
village Kharbatha Bani Harith
Kharbatha Bani Harith
Kharbatha Bani Harith is a Palestinian town in the central West Bank, located 15 kilometers west of Ramallah in the Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate. The name of the town is probably a corruption of Khirbat Bani Harith . According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the town had a...
. In 1988 the Israeli government recognized Hashmonaim as a yishuv, and it joined to the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council.
The name Hashmonaim refers to the ancient Hasmonean
Hasmonean
The Hasmonean dynasty , was the ruling dynasty of Judea and surrounding regions during classical antiquity. Between c. 140 and c. 116 BCE, the dynasty ruled semi-autonomously from the Seleucids in the region of Judea...
city of Modi'in, were the Hasmonean revolt broke out. Its location seems to be where the palestinian
Palestinian
Palestinian may refer to:* Something of, from, or related to Palestine, the Palestinian territories or the State of Palestine*A member of the Palestinian people, also rendered as Palestinian Arabs**Demographics of Palestine...
village of al-Midya
Al-Midya
al-Midya is a Palestinian village in the Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate in the northern West Bank, located 20 kilometers west of Ramallah. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the village had a population of over 1,301 inhabitants in 2007.Al-Midya's total land area was...
stands today, a few hundred feet west of the settlement, although there are other opinions, which see the area of the modern city Modi'in as a possible location for the ancient Hasmonean
Hasmonean
The Hasmonean dynasty , was the ruling dynasty of Judea and surrounding regions during classical antiquity. Between c. 140 and c. 116 BCE, the dynasty ruled semi-autonomously from the Seleucids in the region of Judea...
city.
In 2008, there were 530 families living in Hashmonaim. Around 50% of the residents are native English speakers
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. Yemenite and Sefardi Jewish groups are also present. Most are members of the religious Zionist community. Until 1996, the haredi settlement "ganei modi'in", was part of Hashmonaim, then was recognizes as a neighborhood of Modi'in Illit
Modi'in Illit
Modi'in Illit is a Haredi Israeli settlement and a city in the West Bank, situated midway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Modi'in Illit was granted city status by the Israeli government in 2008. It is located six kilometres northeast of Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut and is often referred to as Kiryat...
. Since then, the name Hashmonaim reffers only to Ramat modi'in, Hashmonaim's only neighborhood today.
Communal services
The rabbiRabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
of the community is Itamar Orbach, who rotates between Hashmonaim's seven synagogues. The community is warm, close-knit, and is a regular destination for north-American olim, looking to live in Judea and Samaria (similar to Neve Aliza
Karnei Shomron
Karnei Shomron is an Israeli settlement and local council established in 1977 in the northwestern West Bank, east of Kfar Sava. It is north-east of Tel Aviv and north of Jerusalem. In 2006, the population of Karnei Shomron was 6,300...
, Efrat
Efrat
Efrat , or officially Efrata , is an Israeli settlement established in 1983 and a local council in the Judean Mountains of the West Bank. The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this...
, and the Gush Etzion
Gush Etzion
Gush Etzion is a cluster of Israeli settlements located in the Judaean Mountains directly south of Jerusalem and Bethlehem in the West Bank, Palestinian territories. The core group includes four agricultural villages that were founded in 1940-1947 on property purchased in the 1920s and 1930s, and ...
settlements).
Hashmonaim has five kindergartens, a religious elementary school, and a high-school yeshiva
Yeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
, which attracts boys from all over the Binyamin Region. The community also has a clubhouse for young people, a separate Bnei Akiva
Bnei Akiva
Bnei Akiva is the largest religious Zionist youth movement in the world, with over 125,000 members in 37 countries. It was established in Mandate Palestine in 1929.-History:...
branch, two basketball courts, a baseball field, playgrounds, a library and a fitness center.