Maoz Haim

Maoz Haim (Hebrew: מָעוֹז חַיִּים, lit. Haim's Fortress) is a kibbutz in Israel. Located adjacent to the Jordan River in the Beit She'an valley and falls under the jurisdiction of Valley of Springs Regional Council. In 2019 it had a population of 469.[1] Aside from agriculture, the kibbutz also has a plastics factory, "Poliraz". Maoz Haim was built on what was the traditional village land of Al-Ghazzawiyya.[2]

Maoz Haim
מָעוֹז חַיִּים
Maoz Haim
Maoz Haim
Coordinates: 32°29′35″N 35°33′2″E
Country Israel
DistrictNorthern
CouncilValley of Springs
AffiliationKibbutz Movement
Founded1937
Founded byGerman and Polish Jewish refugees
Population
 (2019)[1]
469
Websitewww.maoz.org.il

History

The kibbutz was established in 1937 by immigrants from Poland and Germany and was named after Haim Shturman, a member of the Hagana, who was killed there in 1938.

Maoz Haim was established on what was traditionally land belonging to the Palestinian village of Al-Ghazzawiyya.[2]

Landmarks

Zakum nature reserve

South of the kibbutz is a small (11 dunam) nature reserve of Balanites aegyptiaca trees, called the Hurshat Zakum (Maoz Haim) reserve, declared in 1968.[3] Zakum is the Hebrew name of the tree. This is probably the northernmost occurrence of these trees in the world.[4]

Maoz Haim Synagogue

A 3rd century synagogue was discovered on February 1974 during construction work near Maoz Haim. It is an unusual archaeological find in that it attests to a record of synagogue development from a time of otherwise sparse historiography, in times of anti-Judaic legislation.[5] It is situated in a large settlement where it served as a center of worship for Jews until destruction by fire sometime in the early 7th century.[6]

Notable people

References

  1. "Population in the Localities 2019" (XLS). Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  2. Khalidi, W. (1992). All That Remains:The Palestinian Villages Occupied and Depopulated by Israel in 1948. Washington D.C.: Institute for Palestine Studies. p. 49. ISBN 0-88728-224-5.
  3. "List of National Parks and Nature Reserves" (PDF) (in Hebrew). Israel Nature and Parks Authority. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 October 2009. Retrieved 7 October 2010.
  4. "Zakum (Maoz Haim) Nature Reserve" (in Hebrew). iNature.info. Retrieved 7 October 2010.
  5. Levine, Lee. The Ancient Synagogue: The First Thousand Years, 211
  6. Levine, Lee, ed. Ancient Synagogues Revealed, 89
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