Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut ( he, מוֹדִיעִין-מַכַּבִּים-רֵעוּת) is an Israeli city located in central Israel, about southeast of

Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...

and west of

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

, and is connected to those two cities via Highway 443. In the population was . The population density in that year was 1,794 people per square kilometer. The modern city was named after the ancient Jewish town of Modi'in, which existed in the same area. Modi'in was the place of origin of the

Maccabees The Maccabees (), also spelled Machabees ( he, מַכַּבִּים, or , ; la, Machabaei or ; grc, Μακκαβαῖοι, ), were a group of Jewish rebel warriors who took control of Judea, which at the time was part of the Seleucid Empire ...

, the Jewish rebels who freed Judea from the rule of the

Selucid Empire The Seleucid Empire (; grc, Βασιλεία τῶν Σελευκιδῶν, ''Basileía tōn Seleukidōn'') was a Greek state in West Asia that existed during the Hellenistic period from 312 BC to 63 BC. The Seleucid Empire was founded by the ...

and established the

Hasmonean dynasty The Hasmonean dynasty (; he, ''Ḥašmōnaʾīm'') was a ruling dynasty of Judea and surrounding regions during classical antiquity, from BCE to 37 BCE. Between and BCE the dynasty ruled Judea semi-autonomously in the Seleucid Empire, an ...

, events commemorated by the holiday of

Hanukkah or English translation: 'Establishing' or 'Dedication' (of the Temple in Jerusalem) , nickname = , observedby = Jews , begins = 25 Kislev , ends = 2 Tevet or 3 Tevet , celebrations = Lighting candles each nigh ...

. The modern city was built in the 20th century. A small part of the city (the Maccabim neighborhood) is not recognized by the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been ...

as being in Israel, as it lies in what the 1949 Armistice Agreement with Jordan left as a no man's land, and was occupied in 1967 by Israel after it was captured from Jordan together with the

West Bank The West Bank ( ar, الضفة الغربية, translit=aḍ-Ḍiffah al-Ġarbiyyah; he, הגדה המערבית, translit=HaGadah HaMaʽaravit, also referred to by some Israelis as ) is a landlocked territory near the coast of the Mediter ...

proper.

Etymology

The name "Modi'in" () derives from the village "Modi'im" of the high priest Mattathias and his five sons, which was located in the same area as the modern city. The name "Maccabim" is Hebrew for the

and is a common nickname given to Mattathias and his five sons.

History

Antiquity

In Ancient Israel, a town named Modi'in ( grc-gre, Μωδεειμ, ''Mōdeeim'') existed in the general area the modern city is located in. It was the place of origin of the

, a group of Jewish rebel warriors who started and led the Jewish revolt against the Seleucid rule over Judea and the Hellenisation of its Jewish population. The revolt succeeded in driving out the Selucids, and the rededication of the Second Temple at the end of the revolt is commemorated by the Jewish holiday of

. After expelling the Selucids, the Maccabees formed the

, which ruled Judea in the 2nd and 1st centuries BCE. Ancient Jewish artifacts believed to date to the First Temple and Hasmonean periods have been found in the area. Umm el-Umdan in an archaeological hilltop site near the southern Moriah (Buchman) neighbourhood of Maccabim Reut, towards Latrun Junction. The six main settlement strata excavated date to the Persian,

Hellenistic In Classical antiquity, the Hellenistic period covers the time in Mediterranean history after Classical Greece, between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the emergence of the Roman Empire, as signified by the Battle of Actium i ...

, Roman,

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantin ...

, and Early Muslim periods. However, the main findings are from a rural settlement from the Hasmonean through to the Early Roman periods. It contains the remains of a synagogue dated to the end of the 2nd-beginning of the 1st century BCE (Hasmonean period), in use till 132 CE (

Bar Kokhba revolt The Bar Kokhba revolt ( he, , links=yes, ''Mereḏ Bar Kōḵḇāʾ‎''), or the 'Jewish Expedition' as the Romans named it ( la, Expeditio Judaica), was a rebellion by the Jews of the Judea (Roman province), Roman province of Judea, led b ...

). It has a 1st-century CE mikveh standing next to it.Alexander Onn
The ancient synagogue in Modi'in
Israel Antiquities Authority. Retrieved 15 April 2020. מודיעין - מבצר החשמונאים-JNF043309

Modern Modi'in is located near the site of the ancient Modi'in described in the

Talmud The Talmud (; he, , Talmūḏ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law ('' halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cen ...

, though the specific location is uncertain. Possibilities are Suba, Umm el-'Umdan near Route 20 to Canada Park and Latrun, al-Midya, and ''Khirbet el-Burj'' (Titura/Horbat Tittora). Horbat Tittora, located on a hill at Modi'in, shows signs of habitation from the

Chalcolithic The Copper Age, also called the Chalcolithic (; from grc-gre, χαλκός ''khalkós'', " copper" and ''líthos'', " stone") or (A)eneolithic (from Latin ''aeneus'' "of copper"), is an archaeological period characterized by regul ...

to the Ottoman period, with continuous habitation from the

Iron Age The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age (Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly appl ...

II through to the

period and some traces from the Early Muslim,

Mamluk Mamluk ( ar, مملوك, mamlūk (singular), , ''mamālīk'' (plural), translated as "one who is owned", meaning "slave", also transliterated as ''Mameluke'', ''mamluq'', ''mamluke'', ''mameluk'', ''mameluke'', ''mamaluke'', or ''marmeluke'') i ...

and Ottoman periods.Elena Kogan-Zehavi, Gabriela Bijovsky and Yossi Nagar
Tombs and Installations from the Iron Age II to the Byzantine Period from South Ḥorbat Tittora
'Atiqot 72 (2012),

Israel Antiquities Authority The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA, he, רשות העתיקות ; ar, داﺌرة الآثار, before 1990, the Israel Department of Antiquities) is an independent Israeli governmental authority responsible for enforcing the 1978 Law of ...

, pp. 89-91, accessed 19 December 2018 Under

Justinian Justinian I (; la, Iustinianus, ; grc-gre, Ἰουστινιανός ; 48214 November 565), also known as Justinian the Great, was the Byzantine emperor from 527 to 565. His reign is marked by the ambitious but only partly realized '' renova ...

, the Byzantine town in the area was known as Moditha (, ''Mōditha''). The ruins of a Crusader castle have been excavated at Titura/Tittora. The findings from the castle's courtyard, which has also been used as a kitchen, include various kitchenware as well as bronze and silver jewelry lost by the medieval female kitchen staff.Zach Pontz
Kids found this 900-year-old jewelry in a Crusader castle
at From the Grapewine, 27 June 2017, accessed 19 Dec. 2018Amanda Borschel-Dan
School pupils help find 900-year-old Crusader jewelry trove
Times of Israel, 20 June 2017, accessed 19 Dec. 2018

Modern era

Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut - Depopulated Palestinian Villages

The modern city was founded in the late 20th century. The city of Modi'in was built in the 1990s, and it was later merged with the nearby towns of Maccabim and Re'ut, which had been founded in the 1980s, to create the unified municipality of Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut. Modern Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut's municipal boundary encompasses a number of depopulated Palestinian villages: Ajanjul,

Barfiliya Barfiliya ( ar, برفيلية) was a Palestinian village located east of Ramla that was depopulated during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Located on a tell, excavations conducted there by Israeli archaeologists beginning in 1995 found artifacts ...

, Bayt Shanna, Bir Ma'in, Al-Burj, Innaba, Khirbat al-Buwayra,

Kharruba Kharruba was a Palestinian people, Palestinian Arab village in the Ramle Subdistrict, Mandatory Palestine, Ramle Subdistrict of Mandatory Palestine, near Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut, Modi'in. It was located 8 km east of Ramla. It was depopulated o ...

, and

Al-Kunayyisa Al-Kunayyisa was a small Palestinian Arab village in the Ramle Subdistrict. It was depopulated during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War on July 10, 1948, under the first stage of Operation Dani. It was located 12 km southeast of Ramla. History I ...

. In 1985, the construction of the town of Maccabim, which was led by the International Maccabi organization began, and the project of founding nearby Re'ut, led by an association of Israeli army officers, started in 1987. The towns were united into Maccabim-Re'ut in 1990. According to ARIJ, Israel confiscated land from two Palestinian villages for the construction of Maccabim, presently part of Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut: 1,499 dunams from

Beit Sira Beit Sira ( ar, بيت سيرا) is a Palestinian village in the central West Bank, located 22 kilometers west of Ramallah and is a part of the Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate. The village is situated along the Green Line. During the 1948 Arab-I ...

and 471 dunams from Saffa. The cornerstone of Modi'in was laid in 1993. It was built as a modern

planned city A planned community, planned city, planned town, or planned settlement is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed on previously undeveloped land. This contrasts with settlements that evolve ...

with high standards of urban planning. Environmental issues and future growth were taken into consideration from the early design stages. Large greenspaces were incorporated into the city's layout and comprise 50% of the area within the city limits. The city was opened for residency in 1996. In 2003, the Israeli Interior Ministry unified Modi'in and Maccabim-Reut into a single city.

Demography

Modi'in has become a magnet for

residents displeased with the capital's growing Haredi character. Thousands of residents of Rosh HaAyin,

Lod Lod ( he, לוד, or fully vocalized ; ar, اللد, al-Lidd or ), also known as Lydda ( grc, Λύδδα), is a city southeast of Tel Aviv and northwest of Jerusalem in the Central District of Israel. It is situated between the lower Shephe ...

, and Ramla have also relocated to Modi'in. In 2008, it was decided to cap the growth of Modi'in to allow for the development of Lod and Ramla. The city was planned by the well-known architect

Moshe Safdie Moshe Safdie ( he, משה ספדיה; born July 14, 1938) is an architect, urban planner, educator, theorist, and author, with Israeli, Canadian, and American citizenship. He is known for incorporating principles of socially responsible des ...

.According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, the city is rated at level 8 out of 10 on the scale of socio-economic development, with a high proportion of high school graduation, 76.5% (2006–07), and an average monthly income of 9,659 NIS, compared to a national average of 7,466 (2006). Modi'in has attracted a large community of olim (Jewish immigrants) from English-speaking countries.

Controversy

In 2012, the European Union reclassified the small part of Modi'in originally founded as the community of Maccabim as a

West Bank settlement Israeli settlements, or Israeli colonies, are civilian communities inhabited by Israeli citizens, overwhelmingly of Jewish ethnicity, built on lands occupied by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War. The international community considers Israeli se ...

since it had been established in the Latrun salient no man's land according to the

1949 Armistice Agreement The 1949 Armistice Agreements were signed between Israel and Egypt,Ora Coren,�
'European Union: Parts of Modi'in Do Not Belong to Israel'

Haaretz ''Haaretz'' ( , originally ''Ḥadshot Haaretz'' – , ) is an Israeli newspaper. It was founded in 1918, making it the longest running newspaper currently in print in Israel, and is now published in both Hebrew and English in the Berliner ...

, 14 August 2012 The decision was made to implement a 2010 ruling of the

Court of Justice of the European Union The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) (french: Cour de justice de l'Union européenne or "''CJUE''"; Latin: Curia) is the judicial branch of the European Union (EU). Seated in the Kirchberg quarter of Luxembourg City, Luxembou ...

. The move sparked off a diplomatic controversy.

City plan

The original city of Modi'in is laid out around a central hub, with the main arterial spokes organized as

dual carriageway A dual carriageway ( BE) or divided highway ( AE) is a class of highway with carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation (BrE) or median (AmE). Roads with two or more carriageways which are ...

s. Each side of the artery is a one-way street, and in between is a wide green space, with linear parks, playgrounds, schools, and some small commercial centers. Short lateral stubs fed by continuous-flow intersection turn lanes allow drivers to traverse the green spaces and effect a U-turn onto the artery's opposite direction lanes. These stubs also serve as the entranceways for the schools and mini-malls, preventing parking traffic from blocking the high-speed, left lanes of the arteries. The right shoulders of most arteries do, however, allow parking, except in the pullouts for bus stops, next to fire hydrants, etc. The city center is a large traffic circle punctuated by

traffic light Traffic lights, traffic signals, or stoplights – known also as robots in South Africa are signalling devices positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings, and other locations in order to control flows of traffic. Traffic light ...

s. On the north side of the circle is the central train station, to the northeast is the Azrieli

shopping mall A shopping mall (or simply mall) is a North American term for a large indoor shopping center, usually anchored by department stores. The term "mall" originally meant a pedestrian promenade with shops along it (that is, the term was used to refe ...

(pictured), and to the west and south is the Anaba park (also pictured), which contains a small artificial lake used for recreational

boating Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels (such as rowing and paddle boats), focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, suc ...

. The traffic circle straddles a major northeast–southwest artery, HaHashmona'im Blvd., that connects to the southwest with route 431 (which has its eastern terminus in south Modi'in and extends west to Rishon LeZion), and to the northeast with route 443 (at Shilat Junction) providing connectivity to

(southeast) and

(northwest). Approximately west-northwest of the city center is an industrial zone, and to the west (on route 431) is the Yishpro commercial center. The latter is also accessible via an additional Modi'in train station, Paatei Modi'in ( he, פאתי מודיעין, "Modi'in outskirts"). The industrial zone is also linked to route 443 via its own interchange, between Shilat Junction and the Maccabim Junction at the eastern side of the Ben Shemen JNF forest. This keeps most of the commercial traffic out of the city proper, so that the two arteries between the city and its industrial zone (Emek HaEla and HaShdera Hamerkazit) carry primarily commuters rather than trucks. The long-term projection of the Ministry of Housing is for the city to be home to 240,000 residents. However, plans approved thus far are for 120,000 residents.

Neighborhoods

השבטים ''HaShvatim'' - The Tribes (North Buchman/Buchman) and מוריה ''Moriah'' (South Buchman) are the most southern neighborhoods in the city. Most of the buildings in this neighborhood are ground-level private homes and condos. The streets of Shvatim are named after the

tribes of Israel The Twelve Tribes of Israel ( he, שִׁבְטֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל, translit=Šīḇṭēy Yīsrāʾēl, lit=Tribes of Israel) are, according to Hebrew scriptures, the descendants of the biblical patriarch Jacob, also known as Israel, thro ...

, and the streets of Moriah are named after ancient historical Jewish figures. Moriah, the name of the southern neighborhood, is also a feminine name representing these women. הפרחים ''HaPrachim'' - The Flowers (Miromi) is a small neighborhood in the city center. Located in HaPrachim is a commercial center, two primary schools and a secondary school. The neighborhood's streets are named after trees, flowers, and plants. At the northern part of the neighborhood there is a small compound where the streets are named after phrases from the Song of Songs. הנחלים ''HaNachlim'' - The Rivers (Safdie) and משואה ''Masuah'' - Beacon (Givat C) are located towards the west of the city, and were planned by architect

. Located in these neighborhoods are five commercial centers, a secondary school and three primary schools. The central street names are named after valleys in Israel, and the side streets are named after Israeli rivers and streets. The name "Masuah" was selected in order to represent the neighborhood's high altitude. Within the area consisting of the streets named after rivers and streams is the "Malibu" area, which, as with other areas, is colloquially named after the contractor who designed the neighborhood. הכרמים ''HaKramim'' - The Vineyards (Tsipor) is the northernmost neighborhood in Modi'in. The streets are named after the Hebrew months. The name "Kramim" is in honor of the vineyards that were located where the neighborhood now stands before the city was founded. אבני חן ''Avnei Chen'' - Precious Stones (Kaizer) is located towards the west of the city, and parts of it are still under construction. The main road is named "Avnei Choshen" and leads to the only retail under residential mixed use buildings in Modi'in. Other streets, in keeping with the neighborhood's name, are named for precious stones. The parks are connected through the center of the neighborhood and allow pedestrians to cross. A bike lane in the Emek Zvuloon street leads to the center of town. הנביאים ''HaNevi'im'' - The Prophets (Northern Shimshoni) and המגינים ''HaMeginim'' - The Defenders (Southern Shimshoni) are located towards the northwest of the city. Streets in HaNevi'im are named for the Prophets of Israel, while HaMeginim's streets are named after

general A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". O ...

s and important battles in Israeli history. Located in the neighborhoods are three commercial centers, three primary schools, and one secondary school. הציפורים ''HaTsiporim'' - The Birds (South Kaizer) is still being planned. Its streets will be named after different species of birds, and will be a relatively small neighborhood consisting of only seven streets.

Culture and sports

PikiWiki Israel 8234 clture auditorium in modiin

In 2007, Modi'in was selected as one of the inaugural cities for the Israel Baseball League. The baseball team was named the

Modi'in Miracle The Modi'in Miracle ( he, מודיעין מיראקל) was an Israeli baseball team from Modi'in in the Israel Baseball League. The Miracle finished the inaugural 2007 season 22-19 (.537) in third place, and after upsetting the # 2 Tel Aviv Lightn ...

, but did not play games in Modi'in as there is no baseball stadium there. In 2008, the Pioneers of the Israeli Football League (American Football) relocated to Modi'in. The Pioneers played all their home games in Modi'in. In their first year, the Modi'in "Dancing Camel" Pioneers won the IFL Championship. After an unsuccessful 2009–10 season, their second in Modi'in, the Pioneers relocated once again to Tel Aviv, where most of the team's players lived.

Transportation

Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut is accessible by Road 431, Highway 3 and Road 443. An Israel Railways line began operation on April 1, 2008 to a large underground station in Modi'in. Service began in September 2007 to Paatei Modi'in on the western outskirts of the city. This railway connects Modi'in to

by way of Ben Gurion Airport. The line to Modi'in is a spur off the high-speed railway to Jerusalem, currently due for completion in 2016. Once this line is completed, Modi'in will be within 30 minutes' ride of Jerusalem. Intercity and local bus services are provided by Kavim.

Notable people

* Mattanya Cohen (born 1965), Former Ambassador to El Salvador * Yohanan Danino (born 1959), chief of the Israel PoIice * Julia Glushko (born 1990), tennis player * David Lau (born 1966), Chief Rabbi of Israel and son of former Chief Rabbi of Israel Israel Meir Lau * Yariv Levin (born 1969),

Minister of Tourism The Minister of Tourism is the head of the governmental department that specializes in tourism, recreation and/or culture. The position exists in many different countries under several names: * Ministry of Tourism and Environment (Albania) * Mini ...

* Shahar Pe'er (born 1987), tennis player * Mark Regev (born 1960), current

Ambassador of Israel to the United Kingdom The Ambassador from Israel to the United Kingdom is Israel's foremost Diplomat, diplomatic representative in the United Kingdom. The Ambassador is based in the Embassy of Israel, London. Ambassadors *1949–1950: Mordechai Ali'ash *1950–1959: ...

and former spokesman for the prime minister * Ben Sahar (born 1989), association football player *

Moshe Ya'alon Moshe "Bogie" Ya'alon ( he, משה יעלון; born Moshe Smilansky on 24 June 1950) is an Israeli politician and former Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, who also served as Israel's Defense Minister under Benjamin Netanyahu from 20 ...

(born 1950), former IDF Chief of Staff, Vice Prime Minister, and Minister of Defense

International relations

Twin towns—Sister cities

Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut is

twinned Twinning (making a twin of) may refer to: * In biology and agriculture, producing two offspring (i.e., twins) at a time, or having a tendency to do so; * Twin towns and sister cities, towns and cities involved in town twinning * Twinning inst ...

with: *

Hagen Hagen () is the 41st-largest city in Germany. The municipality is located in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is located on the south eastern edge of the Ruhr area, 15 km south of Dortmund, where the rivers Lenne and Volme (met by t ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG),, is a country in Central Europe. It is the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany lies between the Baltic and North Sea to the north and the Alps to the sou ...

since 1997 *

Banja Luka Banja Luka ( sr-Cyrl, Бања Лука, ) or Banjaluka ( sr-Cyrl, Бањалука, ) is the second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the largest city of Republika Srpska. Banja Luka is also the ''de facto'' capital of this entity. I ...

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and ...

since 2010 * Haikou, Hainan Province, China, since 2013 (Israel Sister Cities Project initiated and coordinated by Unique 1 Asia with the two municipalities.

References

External links

Municipality of Modi'in - official web site

ModiinApp - The Smartphone App and website for Modiin & The Surrounding Areas

Modiinfo.com - source for Modiin-related information

Places to visit in Modi'in

Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut, Israel (quadcopter video)
{{Authority control Cities in Israel Moshe Safdie buildings Cities in Central District (Israel) Ancient Jewish settlements of Judaea