Bookstore Glossary Library Links News Publications Timeline Virtual Israel Experience
Anti-Semitism Biography History Holocaust Israel Israel Education Myths & Facts Politics Religion Travel US & Israel Vital Stats Women
donate subscribe Contact About Home

Sha'ar Ḥefer-Beit Yiẓḥak

SHA'AR ḤEFER-BEIT YIẒḤAK (Heb. שַׁעַר חֵפֶר; "Gateway to Ḥefer [plain]"), moshav in central Israel, E. of Netanyah, affiliated with Ha-Mo'eẓah ha-Ḥakla'it. The moshav consists of four separate settlements: Beit Yiẓḥak founded in 1939 by a group of settlers from Germany; Gan Ḥefer, inhabited by second-generation farmers, mostly from Netanyah, belonging to the *Benei Binyamin association founded in 1940; Sha'ar Ḥefer, established by immigrants from Czechoslovakia founded in 1940; and Nirah, established in 1941 by middle-class immigrants from Czechoslovakia. At the beginning, each settlement was independent, but soon after their establishment, it was proposed to unite them. First Gan Ḥefer was united with Sha'ar Ḥefer. Later on, in the 1950s, Sha'ar Ḥefer merged with the adjacent moshav Nirah. In 1970 the combined Sha'ar Ḥefer had 350 inhabitants. In 1972, Sha'ar Ḥefer and Beit Yitzhak were united as a single settlement, Sha'ar Ḥefer-Beit Yiẓḥak. The population of the united settlement was 1,560 inhabitants at the end of 2002, thanks to new housing and the absorption of newcomers. The moshav's economy was based on citrus groves, vegetables, milch cattle, and poultry. Beit Yiẓḥak was known for its natural confiture factory.

WEBSITE:

www.beit-yitzhak.org.il


Sources: Encyclopaedia Judaica. © 2007 The Gale Group. All Rights Reserved.