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Rekhasim

Coordinates: 32°44′55.78″N 35°6′2.89″E / 32.7488278°N 35.1008028°E / 32.7488278; 35.1008028
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rekhasim
רְכָסִים‎
Local council (from 1959)
Hebrew transcription(s)
 • ISO 259Rkasim
 • Also spelledRechasim (unofficial)
Rekhasim is located in Haifa region of Israel
Rekhasim
Rekhasim
Coordinates: 32°44′55.78″N 35°6′2.89″E / 32.7488278°N 35.1008028°E / 32.7488278; 35.1008028
Country Israel
District Haifa
Founded1951
Government
 • Head of MunicipalityItzhak Raih
Area
 • Total2,859 dunams (2.859 km2 or 1.104 sq mi)
Population
 (2022)[1]
 • Total14,198
 • Density5,000/km2 (13,000/sq mi)
Name meaningMountain ridges

Rekhasim (Hebrew: רְכָסִים, lit. Mountain ridges)[2] is a Haredi town and local council in the Haifa District of Israel. It is located between Kiryat Tiv'on, Kiryat Ata, and Nesher, next to roads 70, 75, and 762.

With a jurisdiction of 2,859 dunams (~2.9 km2), it had a population of 14,198 in 2022. It is ranked low (2 out of 10) on the Israeli socio-economic scale.[3]

Etymology

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The town was named after a verse in the Book of Isaiah (Isaiah 40:4), because it is located on four mountain ranges.

Geography

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Rekhasim lies on four hills near Mount Carmel, labelled with Hebrew letters (Hill Alef, Bet, Gimel and Dalet). It borders two villages in the Zvulun Regional Council: the Jewish Kfar Hasidim and Arab Ibtin.

Its lowest elevation is only 19.8 m (65 ft) above sea level, while the highest is at 193.6 m (635 ft). The average temperature in January is 11 °C (52 °F), and 27 °C (81 °F) in August. The average annual precipitation is 650 mm (26 in).[3]

History

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Rekhasim was founded in 1951 by released soldiers and residents of nearby ma'abarot.[4] It initially absorbed large numbers of immigrants from India, Morocco, Romania, Russia, and Yemen.[2]

In 1955 the Knesses Chizkiyahu yeshiva relocated here from Zikhron Ya'akov. The yeshiva purchased a 10-dunam (0.010 km2; 0.0039 sq mi) lot on the outskirts of the village and five buildings containing a beth midrash, dining hall, dormitories and offices, moving into its new home at the end of April 1955.[5] A small Haredi community developed around the yeshiva, but the majority of residents remained non-Haredi into the 1990s.[2] In 1995 the secular school closed, many non-religious residents left, and the village developed a Haredi majority, with both Ashkenazi and Sephardi neighborhoods. It is now considered a desirable and growing community for young Haredi families.[2]

Educational offerings include tens of kindergartens, six Talmud Torahs, three girls' schools, three yeshiva ketanas, three yeshiva gedolas, and numerous kolels.[2] In addition to the Knesses Chizkiyahu yeshiva system, there is the Sephardi Yeshivat Rechasim, with 400 students.[2]

Rekhasim has more than 80 synagogues and numerous chesed and gemach organizations.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "Regional Statistics". Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Marks, Yehudah. "The Torah Empire of the North", Hamodia Israel News, 19 March 2015, pp. 21-23.
  3. ^ a b "Local Authorities in Israel 2005, Publication #1295 - Municipality Profiles - Rekhasim" (PDF) (in Hebrew). Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 16 February 2008.
  4. ^ HaReuveni, Immanuel (1999). Lexicon of the Land of Israel (in Hebrew). Miskal - Yedioth Ahronoth Books and Chemed Books. p. 868. ISBN 965-448-413-7.
  5. ^ Meringer, Motty (29 April 2009). "Yeshivas Knesses Chizkiyahu". Etrog News. Retrieved 1 November 2009.[permanent dead link]
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