| Beit Shemesh | |||
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| Hebrew transcription(s) | |||
| • Hebrew | בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ | ||
| • ISO 259 | Beit Šemš | ||
| • Also spelled | Bet Shemesh (official) | ||
| Arabic transcription(s) | |||
| • Arabic | بيت شيمش | ||
| Modern city of Beit Shemesh | |||
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Beit Shemesh
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| Coordinates: | |||
| District | Jerusalem | ||
| Founded | 1950 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | City | ||
| • Mayor | Moshe Abutbul | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 34,259 dunams (34.3 km2 / 13.2 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2010) | |||
| • Total | 80,000 | ||
| Name meaning | House of the sun | ||
Beit Shemesh (Hebrew: בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ,; Greek: Βαιθσαμυς; Latin: Bethsames) is a city in Israel's Jerusalem District, with a population of 80,000.[1] The history of Beit Shemesh goes back to pre-biblical times. The modern city of Beit Shemesh was founded in 1950.
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The ancient city of Beit Shemesh ("house of the sun" or "temple of the sun" in Hebrew) was originally named after the Canaanite sun-goddess Shemesh, who was worshipped there in antiquity. The ruins of the ancient biblical city can still be seen in the tell of Beit Shemesh, located near the modern city.[2]
Several important and unique archaeological discoveries have been made in recent digs at the tel. The most ancient iron workshop in the world was discovered here in 2003. The only remnants of a fortified city with an advanced water system, from the time of the early Kingdom of Judah was found here. The bones of animals found in the 12th-11th centuries BCE layer indicate a diet typical of the Israelites who inhabited the hill country in this period. These together with the pottery finds indicate the cultural influences on the inhabitants of this border town. However, it is not possible to determine their specific ethnic identity, which could be Canaanite, Philistine or Israelite.[2]
During the destruction of Judea by the Babylonians, the waterworks of Beit Shemesh were sealed and covered, and were not uncovered until 2004. Thus during the first Jewish return, known as the Second Temple period, there was no revival of the city, as opposed to many other places in the vicinity such as Beit Guvrin, Maresha, and others. Consequently, the small towns of Dayr Raban and Dayr Rafat had used secondary rocks for building, from this very ancient source. Also found nearby is a prehistoric Megalith circle, probably the structure responsible for the name Beit Shemesh.
A monastery and other remains from the Byzantine period have been found.[3] In the late 19th century, the site was used as a temporary harvest time residence by local Arabs.[4][5] A small mosque of Abu Mizar was there.[5]
Beit Shemesh is first mentioned in the Book of Joshua 15 as a city in the territory of the tribe of Judah on the border between their territory and that of the tribe of Dan. Later in Joshua 21 Beit Shemesh is mentioned as having been set aside a city for the priests of the tribe of Levi, the Kohanim. The city is mentioned notably in chapter 6 of the book of Samuel I as being the first city encountered by the ark of the covenant on its way back from Philistia after having been captured by the Philistines in battle. In the book of Kings II, Beit Shemesh is again mentioned as being the site of the battle between Amaziah king of Judea and Jehoash king of Israel.
During the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, the Egyptian army invaded the area and set up a fortified post ("Mishlat") on the hill that would later become Beit Shemesh. The post changed hands several times during fighting. The Harel Brigade occupied part of the post for several months giving rise to the name "the joint post" or the "Mishlat HaMeshutaf" with 60 meters dividing them and the enemy forces. The Mishlat was finally taken by the Harel force in the "HaHar" offensive during the night of 19–20 October 1948.
Beit Shemesh is the point from which Convoy of 35 set out to bring provisions to besieged Gush Etzion. On 15 January 1948 a group of 38 Palmach volunteers left Hartuv near Beit Shemesh. After one member of the group sprained his ankle, the group, now numbering 35, continued on its way. An Arab shepherd they met informed on them, resulting in an attack by Arab forces in which all 35 were killed.
On December 6, 1950, the Hartuv displaced persons camp "Ma'abarat Har-Tuv" was established on the site of the current-day Moshav Naham. The first inhabitants were Jewish Bulgarian immigrants. They were joined by more Jewish immigrants from Bulgaria, Iran, Iraq, Romania, Morocco and Kurdistan. In 1952 the first permanent houses were built in Beit Shemesh. Prior to 1948 the Ramat Beit Shemesh neighborhood area was the site of the Arab village Beit Natif. This village was built on remnants of an ancient Judean town, with various remnants of Jewish settlement from the time, such as a mosaic floor, wineries and other remains, especially from the period of the Hasmonean kings and earlier. This area is currently under dispute about preservation, having been subject of a grassroots campaign.
In its early years, Beit Shemesh came to typify the "Development Town" with a largely North African immigrant population. In 1977, following a writeup in Haaretz newspaper, Beit Shemesh was perceived as the main outpost for Menachem Begin's Likud party. He promised to rehabilitate neighborhoods and when Likud came to power that year, investment in the city increased.
With the large-scale immigration from the Soviet Union in the 1990s, new neighborhoods were built at an accelerated rate in the city as the population grew rapidly. One particular group who settled in Beit Shemesh was made up of Jews who had converted to Judaism in two villages two centuries prior, and kept the religion in secret under the Soviet regime. Also in the 1990s, a large number of Ethiopian Jews started arriving in Beit Shemesh together with affluent new immigrants from English speaking countries. Later, in 2002, a large congregation of Ethiopian Jews of the Falashmura reached Beit Shemesh.
The new neighborhoods Nahala UMenucha and Ramat Beit Shemesh Alef and Ramat Beit Shemesh Bet which were built in the 1990s are mostly Orthodox and Haredi and doubled the size of the city. Directly adjacent to the main part of Beit Shemesh lies Ramat Beit Shemesh, lit. "Beit Shemesh Heights", as it is located on a mountaintop above the original city, approximately 18 kilometres (11 mi) west of Jerusalem. Ramat Beit Shemesh has a large Orthodox population embracing many different streams of religious practice. The neighborhood consists of Ramat Beit Shemesh Alef and Ramat Beit Shemesh Bet (Alef and Bet signifying 1 and 2, respectively). Religious conflicts have erupted between the Haredi and religious Zionist communities, and also amongst the Haredim themselves.[6] In 2002, following tensions between the Haredi and non-religious population, plans were drawn up to build another secular neighborhood, HaShachar, as a separate city. Work began at the entrance to Ramat Beit Shemesh, but because of legal problems and a continued dispute over the population of this new city, the plan was abandoned.
There are large English-speaking communities in Beit Shemesh, such as the Givat Sharet neighborhood. Beit Shemesh has an urban kibbutz, Tamuz, founded in 1987 and affiliated with the Kibbutz Movement.
According to CBS, in 2003 the ethnic makeup of the city was 100.0% Jewish and other non-Arab, with no significant Arab population. See Population groups in Israel. In 2005, there were 32,900 males and 33,000 females. The population growth rate in 2005 was 6.4%. In 1952, olim from Iran, Iraq, Romania, Morocco and Iraqi Kurdistan settled in Beit Shemesh. In the 1990s, the city saw a large influx of new immigrants from the former Soviet Union, Ethiopia and English speaking countries.
Since the 1990s, Beit Shemesh has become increasingly religious, with a large Haredi sector. Many synagogues and yeshivas have been built in the community. Religious communities represented in Beit Shemesh include Ger, Belz, Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok, Satmar and Neturei Karta.
Shimon Bitton is the Chief Rabbi of Beit Shemesh.
In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of English speaking Israelis who have moved to Beit Shemesh. Considerable numbers have come from North America, the United Kingdom, South Africa and Australia. This population tends to be Orthodox, educated and from middle income groups.[7] The main areas of "Anglo" settlement are the Dolev area of Ramat Beit Shemesh, Sheinfeld, Nofei Aviv and Migdal HaMayim.
On March 13, 1997, seven 13 and 14 year-old girls from Beit Shemesh's AMIT Feurst School were killed at the “Island of Peace” site in Naharayim by a Jordanian soldier while they were visiting the joint Israeli and Jordanian tourist resort under Jordanian rule on a class trip.[8] King Hussein of Jordan went to Beit Shemesh a few days after the massacre to extend his condolences and ask forgiveness in the name of his country, a step which was seen as both courageous and touching.[9]
In 2011, the Israel Association of Ethiopian Jews issued a report criticizing the concentration of Ethiopian Jewish students into three private pre-schools run by Mayor Abutbul's wife.[10] The report is being reviewed by the Ministry of Education and Knesset. In 2004 the Association challenged the below-minimum wage being paid to Ethiopian Jews working as city employees.[11]
Conflicts between the Sikrikim[12] [13][14] and other residents of the town have centered around gender separation - for example so called ‘mehadrin buses’ where men sit in the front and women in the back -[15] as well as a dispute centering around the opening of a national-religious girls’ school.
The conflict erupted after the opening of Orot Banot national-religious girls’ school in 2011, and since then Haredi Jews have rallied around the school and thrown rocks and excrement at the schoolgirls,[16] claiming the girls, aged from six to twelve, were not dressed modestly enough.[17] A public outcry was prompted by reports describing the daily abuses suffered by Na'ama Margolese, an 8-year-old daughter of American immigrants.[18] TV news footage showed the second-grader describing how people had spat at her and called her "prostitute" for attending the school.[19] Following the TV revelation, the community hired a PR firm to coordinate the activites. There was criticism that the PR firm run by former left-wing activist, also represents other left-wing organizations, including New Israel Fund financed 'Agenda'.[20]
Reports have indicated that senior Beit Shemesh rabbis have taken part in rallies. Community activist Rabbi Dov Lipman is reported as saying that when he asked one protester why they were focusing on the way small girls dress, he was told "even an eight-year-old draws my eyes". According to newspaper reports moderate Haredim fear that these actions are tarnishing the reputation of the entire community. "They have very little understanding of the tolerance required to live in a modern society with people of mixed views," says Jonathan Rosenblum, a Haredi columnist for the Jerusalem Post, stating that he was opposed to the "vandalism, taunts and threats" employed in Bet Shemesh. He and others are critical of Moshe Abutbul, the Haredi mayor of Bet Shemesh, and other Haredim leaders, for failing to take a stand against the "zealots". [21][17]
The Jewish Daily Forward reports that members of the modern Orthodox Jewish community who stand behind Orot Banot claim that the real issue of the conflict is about real estate. According to them, Haredi Jews wanted the building for themselves and had the support of the city’s Haredi mayor, who had come out against opening the school.[22]
Israeli and American Haredi news sources[23][24][25][26] reported that many top Haredi Rabbis and organizations opposed and spoke out against the violence. Some Rabbis refused to comment on the matter, fearing that it would lead to the impression that people will group them together with all Haredim and accuse Haredi rabbis of not controlling them.[27]
On 27 December 2011, estimates ranging from between hundreds to 3000 Israelis participated in a rally near the Orot Banot school in Beit Shemesh to protest against religious extremism in Israel in general and in Beit Shemesh in particular. Many Haredim also joined in the protests to make it clear that the Haredi public is against the attacks by the Sikrikim and other zealots.[28] One of the main organizers of the protest, Rabbi Dov Lipman considered the turnout a success.[29][30]
Rioting came after earlier Haredi assaults against police officers. The riots followed the removal of a notice in a haredi area calling for gender separation, and a demonstration that had been planned in that regard. Haredim set dumpsters on fire, and threw stones, albeit with no arrests or injuries. Reporters covering the conflict stated that they had also been harassed by haredim.[31][1]
In 2001, there were 56 schools and 14,148 students in the city: 41 elementary schools with 10,716 elementary school students, and 20 high schools with 3,432 high school students. 40.3% of 12th grade students were entitled to a matriculation certificate.
Beit Shemesh has two industrial zones containing mainly small industry, particularly in the Northern industrial zone which is typified by carpentry and metalwork workshops, garages and wholesale and retail outlets. The Western industrial zone contains several larger companies including Beit Shemesh Engines Ltd. (BSEL) which manufactures and repairs jet engines and jet engine components, Barzellan and others. Nearby in the Noham industrial zone are situated various other factories and offices. Since the hi-tech boom of 1996–2001 Beit Shemesh has been host to several hi-tech startups.
According to ICBS for 2005, there were 15,321 salaried workers and 1058 self-employed. The mean monthly wage for a salaried worker was ILS 4,896. Salaried males had a mean monthly wage of ILS 6,392 (a real change of -4.8%) versus ILS 3,533 for females (a real change of 4.7%). The mean income for the self-employed was 5,153. There were 429 people receiving unemployment benefits and 2,838 people receiving an income guarantee.
Beit Shemesh Railway Station provides hourly service on the Israel Railways Kfar Sava–Jerusalem line. The station is located in the north industrial zone of Beit Shemesh. It was reopened on 13 September 2003, having existed for over a century at the same location.[32] The station has three platforms.
Bus transportation within Beit Shemesh and most inter-city routes is operated by Superbus, which began service on 5 January 2009.[33] The Egged Bus Cooperative, which previously operated all bus service in and to Beit Shemesh, still operates a limited number of bus lines from Beit Shemesh to Jerusalem and Bnei Brak.
Beit Shemesh is home to numerous sports clubs all under the main sport associations (Beitar, Hapoel, and Maccabi). The city has soccer teams including juniors, seniors and over-35s teams and boasted a franchise in the Israel Baseball League. The Beit Shemesh Blue Sox represented Beit Shemesh in the league's only season, though they played their games at Gezer Field in Kibbutz Gezer due to a lack of proper facilities in Beit Shemesh. There is also a very active Little League in Beit Shemesh and Ramat Beit Shemesh, with over 300 members. In the field of judo, Elitzur Beit Shemesh has won many prizes. Israel Kung Fu and world Nunchaku champion (2001) Eli Ivgi was born in and lives in Beit Shemesh.
Beit Shemesh is a Sister City of:
In the Partnership 2gether program of the Jewish Agency for Israel, Beit Shemesh and the Mateh Yehuda Regional Council are linked to South Africa and Washington, D.C.[34]
After the Washington Post reported in October 2011 that Montgomery County, Maryland was considering a partnership with Beit Shemesh,[35] a local coalition of peace and human rights groups in Montgomery County, Maryland launched an effort to challenge the effort to make Beit Shemesh a sister-city. The coalition, Human Rights Matter! requested a public comment forum for discussing human rights concerns. According to their website, the county refused both the public comment request and inclusion of human rights as a consideration in the sister-city selection process.[36] The Campaign has received the support of Mossawa, a human rights organization in Israel as well as from Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire.[37] The decision has yet to be announced.
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