Mateh Yehuda Regional Council
Mateh Yehuda Regional Council (Hebrew: מועצה אזורית מטה יהודה, Mo'atza Azorit Mateh Yehuda) is a regional council in the Jerusalem District of Israel. In 2008 it was home to 36,200 people.
The name of the regional council stems from the fact that its territory was part of the land allotted to the Tribe of Judah, according to the Bible.
Places and communities
The regional council administers moshavim, kibbutzim, Arab villages and other rural settlements in the Jerusalem corridor, north and south of Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway, from Jerusalem to Latrun and up to area of Beit Shemesh (Ha'ela Valley) in the South.
The settlements vary greatly in their character. There are religious, secular and mixed Jewish communities, two Arab communities, and the only mixed Arab-Jewish village in Israel - Neve Shalom. Many of the Jewish communities in the Mateh Yehuda district were established by immigrants from India, Yemen, Iraq, Iran and countries in Eastern Europe.
List of villages
- Jewish villages (Kibbutzim)
- Harel · Kiryat Anavim · Ma'ale HaHamisha · Nahshon · Netiv HaLamed-Heh · Ramat Rachel · Tzora · Tzova
- Jewish villages (Moshavim)
- Aderet · Agur · Aminadav · Aviezer · Bar Giora · Beit Zayit · Beit Meir · Beit Nekofa · Bekoa · Eshtaol · Even Sapir · Gefen · Givat Ye'arim · Givat Yeshayahu · Kfar Uria · Kisalon · Luzit · Mevo Beitar · Mata · Mahsia · Mesilat Zion · Naham · Nehusha · Nes Harim · Neve Ilan · Neve Michael · Ora · Ramat Raziel · Sdot Micha · Sho'eva · Shoresh · Ta'oz · Tal Shahar · Tarum · Tirosh · Tzafririm · Tzelafon · Yad HaShmona · Yish'i · Zanoah · Zekharia
- Communal settlements
- Nataf · Srigim · Tzur Hadassah
- Jewish villages
- Arab villages
- Arab-Jewish village
- Other settlements
Tourism
The tourist activities in the area include mountain hiking and biking and historical sight seeing. Other attractions include natural phenomenon as Avshalom stalactites cave and natural water springs. Mate Yehuda is also home to goat cheese farms, over 30 wineries, 11 breweries and dozens of artists.
Partnerships
The regional council has sister city-like partnerships with these municipalities:
-
Vantaa, Finland -
Würzburg district, Bavaria, Germany - Nümbrecht, Northrine Westfalia, Germany
-
Dorohoi, Romania
The regional council and Beit Shemesh are linked to South Africa and Washington, D.C., in the Partnership 2gether program of the Jewish Agency for Israel.[1]
References
- ↑ "Jewish Agency for Israel: Beit Shemesh - Mateh Yehuda - Washington - South Africa". Retrieved 2011-12-18.
External links
- Official website (Hebrew)
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Coordinates: 31°45′N 34°53′E / 31.750°N 34.883°E