Modi'in

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This article is about the Israeli City Modi'in. For the military intelligence wing called Agaf HaModi'in, see Aman (IDF).

Modi'in

Hebrew

מודיעין

Founded in

1993

Government

City

District

Center

Population

68,000 (2005)

Jurisdiction

46 000 dunams (46 km²)

Mayor

Moshe Spector

Modi'in (Hebrew: מודיעין) is a city in the Center District of Israel. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) in 2005 the city had a total population of 68,000. In December 2003, Modi'in was united with the nearby municipality of Maccabim-Re'ut (now called Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut).

1 Demographics
2 Past and present
3 Geography
4 Income
5 Education
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Demographics

According to CBS, in 2001 the ethnic makeup of the city is all Jewish. According to CBS, in 2001 there were 15,300 males and 15,700 females. The population of the city was spread out with 43.8% 19 years of age or younger, 12.5% between 20 and 29, 31.9% between 30 and 44, 8.0% from 45 to 59, 1.4% from 60 to 64, and 2.3% 65 years of age or older. The population growth rate in 2001 was 13.5%. By 2006, the population had grown to over 65,000 people.[3]

[edit] Past and present

Modi'in region in the 1870s, showing three theories on the location of ancient Modi'in.

Ancient Modi'in was the place of origin of the Jewish Hasmonean dynasty which ruled Judea in the first and second centuries BCE, and it is where the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucid Greeks started.

The actual location of ancient Modi'in is uncertain. Statements in the Talmud tell us that the location of ancient Modi'in is in the area modern Modi'in is located in. For centuries the preferred location was Suba, far from where the Talmud says, but this is no longer tenable. Possibilities suggested by modern archaeologists include: Umm el-'Umdan near Emmaus, Khirbet el-Midye, and Khirbet el-Burj (Titura).^[1] These locations are all close to the present built-up area of modern Modi'in.

The cornerstone for present-day Modi'in was laid in 1993. It is a modern planned city and the highest standards of urban planning, environmental concerns, and planning for future growth were taken into consideration during its design. Large greenspaces were incorporated into the city's layout and comprise 50% of the area within the city's limits. The long term projection is for the city to be home to about a quarter million residents, thus becoming one of the largest localities in Israel.

A brand new Israel Railways rail line (including a large underground station in Modi'in) is currently under construction which will connect Modi'in directly to Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv and Latrun by July 2007. A high speed rail line will connect Modi'in to Jerusalem about the year 2011.

[edit] Geography

Modi'in is located about 35 km southeast of Tel Aviv and about 30km west of Jerusalem, and is connected to the two via Highway 443. Its physical geography reflects this: Climate, landforms, flora and fauna all reflect this position midway between the two cities.

The city is decentralised. It is divided in a star-shape into smaller neighbourhoods named after the original town planners. Each of these neighbourhoods has a main boulevard and shopping centre.

Modi'in, with Re'ut above it on the hill

[edit] Income

According to CBS, as of 2000, in the city there were 11,662 salaried workers and 813 are self-employed. The mean monthly wage in 2000 for a salaried worker in the city is ILS 8,432, a real change of 13.0% over the course of 2000. Salaried males have a mean monthly wage of ILS 11,480 (a real change of 10.8%) versus ILS 5,534 for females (a real change of 10.9%). The mean income for the self-employed is 7,634. There are 536 people who receive unemployment benefits and 274 people who receive an income guarantee.

[edit] Education

According to CBS, there are 12 schools and 5,325 students in the city. They are spread out as 8 elementary schools with 3,374 students, and 2 high schools with 1,951 students. 63.5% of 12th grade students were entitled to a matriculation certificate in 2001.

[edit] References

^ Shimon Gibson, ASOR Newsletter 49-1 (1999) p16-17.[1]; Shlomit Weksler-Bdolah, ASOR conference 2003 [2]; Joshua Schwartz, Lod (Lydda), Israel : from its origins through the Byzantine period, 5600 B.C.E. - 640 C.E, Oxford University Press, 1991, pp61-63.

[edit] External links

Israeli municipality merger of 2003
New municipalities: Baqa-Jat \| Binyamina-Giv'at Ada \| Carmel City \| Kokhav Ya'ir \| Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut \| Shagor \| Tzoran-Kadima \| Yehud-Monosson
Old municipalities: Baqa al-Gharbiyye \| Bi'ina \| Binyamina \| Daliyat al-Karmel \| Deir al-Asad \| Giv'at Ada \| Isfiya \| Jat \| Kadima \| Maccabim-Re'ut \| Majd al-Krum \| Modi'in \| Neve Monosson \| Tzoran \| Tzur Yigal \| Yehud