Kfar Adumim
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Kfar Adumim () is a mixed religious-secular
Israeli settlement Israeli settlements, also called Israeli colonies, are the civilian communities built by Israel throughout the Israeli-occupied territories. They are populated by Israeli citizens, almost exclusively of Israeli Jews, Jewish identity or ethni ...
in the
West Bank The West Bank is located on the western bank of the Jordan River and is the larger of the two Palestinian territories (the other being the Gaza Strip) that make up the State of Palestine. A landlocked territory near the coast of the Mediter ...
. It is located in the
Judean Desert The Judaean Desert or Judean Desert (, ) is a desert in the West Bank and Israel that stretches east of the ridge of the Judaean Mountains and in their rain shadow, so east of Jerusalem, and descends to the Dead Sea. Under the name El-Bariyah, ...
, on the southern bank of
Wadi Qelt Wadi Qelt (; Qelt is also spelled Qilt and Kelt, sometimes with the Arabic article, el- or al-), in Hebrew Nahal Prat (), formerly Naḥal Faran (Pharan brook), is a valley, riverine gulch or stream ( ', " wadi"; , "nahal") in the West Bank, o ...
, about 2 miles northeast of the town
Ma'ale Adumim Ma'ale Adumim (; ) is an urban Israeli settlement organized as a city council in the West Bank, seven kilometers () east of Jerusalem. Ma'ale Adumim achieved city status in 1991. In 2015, its population was . It is located along Highway 1, whi ...
. It is at 367 meters above sea level. It is organized as a
community settlement A community settlement (, ''Yishuv Kehilati'') is a type of town or village in Israel and in the West Bank. In an ordinary town, anyone may buy property, but in a community settlement, the village's residents are organized in a cooperative an ...
and falls under the jurisdiction of
Mateh Binyamin Regional Council Mateh Binyamin Regional Council (, ''Mo'atza Azorit Mateh Binyamin,'' Lit. Council for the Region of the Tribe of Benjamin) is a Regional Councils in Israel, regional council Local government in Israel, governing 47 Israeli settlements and Israe ...
. In it had a population of . The
Israel Central Bureau of Statistics The Israel Central Bureau of Statistics (, ''HaLishka HaMerkazit LiStatistika''; ), abbreviated CBS, is an Israeli government office established in 1949 to carry out research and publish statistical data on all aspects of Israeli life, including ...
counts the populations of nearby settlements Alon and
Nofei Prat Nofei Prat () is an Israeli settlement organized as a community settlement in the West Bank. Located near Ma'ale Adumim, it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Binyamin Regional Council. In 2006 around 90 families were living in the settlement. ...
as part of the population of Kfar Adumim. The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this.


Etymology

The settlement name "Kfar Adumim" is taken from and : It literally means "Village of The Red". It takes its name from the red rock lining the ascent from the
Dead Sea The Dead Sea (; or ; ), also known by #Names, other names, is a landlocked salt lake bordered by Jordan to the east, the Israeli-occupied West Bank to the west and Israel to the southwest. It lies in the endorheic basin of the Jordan Rift Valle ...
.


History

According to ARIJ, Kfar Adumim is located on 820
dunams A dunam (Ottoman Turkish, Arabic: ; ; ; ), also known as a donum or dunum and as the old, Turkish, or Ottoman stremma, was the Ottoman unit of area analogous in role (but not equal) to the Greek stremma or English acre, representing the amount ...
of land which Israel confiscated from the
Palestinian Palestinians () are an Arab ethnonational group native to the Levantine region of Palestine. *: "Palestine was part of the first wave of conquest following Muhammad's death in 632 CE; Jerusalem fell to the Caliph Umar in 638. The indigenous p ...
town of
'Anata Anata () is a Palestinian town in the Jerusalem Governorate of the State of Palestine, in the central West Bank, located four kilometers northeast of Jerusalem's Old City. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, 'Anata had a po ...
.'Anata Town Profile
ARIJ, 2012, p. 19
Kfar Adumim was established in September 1979. Its first settlers were 10 families that had seceded previously from the group which founded
Ma'ale Adumim Ma'ale Adumim (; ) is an urban Israeli settlement organized as a city council in the West Bank, seven kilometers () east of Jerusalem. Ma'ale Adumim achieved city status in 1991. In 2015, its population was . It is located along Highway 1, whi ...
and had been living in
Mishor Adumim Mishor Adumim () is an industrial park located in the industrial zone of the Israeli settlement of Ma'ale Adumim, about 10 minutes' drive from Jerusalem, in the West Bank. The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Ba ...
. The nearby settlements Alon (1 kilometer to the northeast of KA) and Nofei Prat (1 kilometer to the west of KA) were founded in 1990 and 1992, respectively. Statistically, the populations of Nofei Prat and of Alon are counted as part of Kfar Adumim's population, but these settlements are separate municipal entities. The tiny settlement Mitzpe Hagit was founded in 1999 on the opposite bank of
Wadi Qelt Wadi Qelt (; Qelt is also spelled Qilt and Kelt, sometimes with the Arabic article, el- or al-), in Hebrew Nahal Prat (), formerly Naḥal Faran (Pharan brook), is a valley, riverine gulch or stream ( ', " wadi"; , "nahal") in the West Bank, o ...
by a family from Alon, and is considered to be a borough of Kfar Adumim. A road was secretly built by the local settlers in 1995. The road joins Anatot to Kfar Adumim,
Nofei Prat Nofei Prat () is an Israeli settlement organized as a community settlement in the West Bank. Located near Ma'ale Adumim, it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Binyamin Regional Council. In 2006 around 90 families were living in the settlement. ...
, and Alon. According to Pinhas Wallerstein, then head of the
Mateh Binyamin Regional Council Mateh Binyamin Regional Council (, ''Mo'atza Azorit Mateh Binyamin,'' Lit. Council for the Region of the Tribe of Benjamin) is a Regional Councils in Israel, regional council Local government in Israel, governing 47 Israeli settlements and Israe ...
, the road was one of a number of secretly built roads under construction in the area. Wallerstein claimed that as council head, he did not need permission to construct roads, but that he would stop construction if the
Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and ...
told him to.


Geography

Kfar Adumim lies on the southern bank of
Wadi Qelt Wadi Qelt (; Qelt is also spelled Qilt and Kelt, sometimes with the Arabic article, el- or al-), in Hebrew Nahal Prat (), formerly Naḥal Faran (Pharan brook), is a valley, riverine gulch or stream ( ', " wadi"; , "nahal") in the West Bank, o ...
, locally known as Nahal Prat (Prat Brook), about 15 kilometers to the northeast of
Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
. It is located in the border region of the
Judaean Desert The Judaean Desert or Judean Desert (, ) is a desert in the West Bank and Israel that stretches east of the ridge of the Judaean Mountains and in their rain shadow, so east of Jerusalem, and descends to the Dead Sea. Under the name El-Bariyah, ...
, on a low ridge ranging in height between 200 and 450 meters above sea level. One of the 3 large springs of Wadi Qelt, Ein Fu'ar, or Ein Ma'bu'a, in Hebrew, is located near Alon. Nahal Michmash, Wadi Qelt's largest tributary, meets with Wadi Qelt about one kilometer to the north of Kfar Adumim. The road linking Jerusalem with the Dead Sea,
Highway 1 (Israel/Palestine) The following highways are numbered 1. For roads numbered A1, see list of A1 roads. For roads numbered B1, see list of B1 roads. For roads numbered M1, see List of M1 roads. For roads numbered N1, see list of N1 roads. For roads numbered S ...
, passes to the south of Kfar Adumim, along a route similar to that of the ancient road that used to lead from
Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
to
Jericho Jericho ( ; , ) is a city in the West Bank, Palestine, and the capital of the Jericho Governorate. Jericho is located in the Jordan Valley, with the Jordan River to the east and Jerusalem to the west. It had a population of 20,907 in 2017. F ...
.
Khan al-Ahmar Khan al-Ahmar or Khan el-Ahmar, meaning "Red Caravanserai" in Arabic, frequently refers to * Khan al-Ahmar (village), a Palestinian village of Jahalin Bedouin and may also refer to two sites in the Adummim, West Bank The West Bank is loc ...
is located between Kfar Adumim and
Ma'ale Adumim Ma'ale Adumim (; ) is an urban Israeli settlement organized as a city council in the West Bank, seven kilometers () east of Jerusalem. Ma'ale Adumim achieved city status in 1991. In 2015, its population was . It is located along Highway 1, whi ...
. Kfar Adumim has a small industrial zone located along the road leading from
Highway 1 (Israel/Palestine) The following highways are numbered 1. For roads numbered A1, see list of A1 roads. For roads numbered B1, see list of B1 roads. For roads numbered M1, see List of M1 roads. For roads numbered N1, see list of N1 roads. For roads numbered S ...
to the settlement. In it are some small businesses, garages, a metalwork shop, a couple of carpentries, a gas station and some light industry.


Organisation

Kfar Adumim is a
Community settlement (Israel) A community settlement (, ''Yishuv Kehilati'') is a type of town or village in Israel and in the West Bank. In an ordinary town, anyone may buy property, but in a community settlement, the village's residents are organized in a cooperative an ...
. It holds the legal status of a cooperative association for settlement. Most of the local residents are members of the association. The association appoints its members for positions in its institutions via an election process in which all members participate. These institutions include various committees dealing with education, culture, construction etc. The topmost authority of the Kfar Adumim association is its general assembly in which all members participate, and the decisions of which are binding to all members. The purpose of the settlement's founders was to create a mixed community where religious and secular families could coexist. Already in its early years the settlement had absorbed many Jewish repatriates from different countries, most of whom remained there as permanent residents. An absorption center for new repatriates and for regular applicants who wish to be accepted into the association still operates in Kfar Adumim. It owns 25 mobile homes (caravans) scattered around the settlement. Children of permanent residents may also apply for membership in the association. In order to become members of the Kfar Adumim Association, a family needs to go through a lengthy acceptance process, at the end of which the general assembly votes on their acceptance to the association. Many singles and families rent apartments in Kfar Adumim and live there without being members .


Education

As stipulated by the ideology of its founders, the children of Kfar Adumim go to a common school - the Experimental Religious State School of Kfar Adumim. Although this school belongs to the Israeli religious state school system it serves as a mixed school for religious and secular students alike, and is set to accommodate the needs of both. over 700 students attend the schools, from 1st to 12th grade. They come mostly from Kfar Adumim, Alon and Nofei Prat. Most high school students study in the local high school, while some travel to schools in
Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
, or in various
Yeshiva A yeshiva (; ; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy are studied in parallel. The stu ...
s around Israel. The education system of Kfar Adumim also includes a nursery, for children over 2–3 months of age, and several kindergartens. The Ein Prat pre-military ''
mechina A mechina kdam-tzvait (; "pre-military preparatory", plural mechinot) is an autonomous unit of specialized educational institutions valuing non-formal education and pre-military training in Israel. They are funded and supported by the Ministry ...
'' is situated near Kfar Adumim, a couple hundred yards down the road leading from Kfar Adumim to Alon.


Economy

The average per-capita income of the residents of Kfar Adumim is above the national average. Most residents of Kfar Adumim work in
Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
while some work in the settlement itself. The occupations available locally are: * Education: work at the local school and kindergarten. * Local Administration and municipal services, including the local pool, post office and the local library. * Small businesses like the local grocery store, health food store etc. * Jobs available at the local industrial zone * Agriculture: the settlement has an olive grove, a plot of
Opuntia ficus-indica ''Opuntia ficus-indica'', the Indian fig opuntia, fig opuntia, or prickly pear, is a species of cactus that has long been a domesticated crop plant grown in agricultural economies throughout Arid climate, arid and Semi-arid climate, semiarid part ...
(its fruit is also known as Barbary Figs), a plant nursery and a horse farm.


Notable residents

*
Sallai Meridor Sallai Meridor (; born 1955) is an Israeli politician. He was the Israeli Ambassador to the United States between 2005–2009, appointed by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Career Meridor was an aide to Moshe Arens when he was the Foreign Minister ...
*
Aryeh Eldad Aryeh Eldad (; born 1 May 1950) is an Israeli physician, politician and former medical officer. Eldad is a professor of medicine, and was head of the plastic surgery and burns unit at the Hadassah Medical Center. He was a member of the Knesset ...
(as of 2005)


Gallery

Image:Kfar Adumim 01.jpg, Kfar Adumim viewed from
Nofei Prat Nofei Prat () is an Israeli settlement organized as a community settlement in the West Bank. Located near Ma'ale Adumim, it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Binyamin Regional Council. In 2006 around 90 families were living in the settlement. ...
. File:Wadiqelt.JPG, View of
Wadi Qelt Wadi Qelt (; Qelt is also spelled Qilt and Kelt, sometimes with the Arabic article, el- or al-), in Hebrew Nahal Prat (), formerly Naḥal Faran (Pharan brook), is a valley, riverine gulch or stream ( ', " wadi"; , "nahal") in the West Bank, o ...
from Kfar Adumim


References

{{Mateh Binyamin Regional Council Israeli settlements in the West Bank Populated places established in 1979 Mateh Binyamin Regional Council 1979 establishments in the Israeli Military Governorate Community settlements Judaean Desert