Romema (Hebrew: רוממה) is a neighborhood in the city of Haifa, Israel. Romema (also known as "The Romemot" and Ramat Ben-Gurion) is located east of Ahuza, on the northern slope of Mount Carmel. Today the neighborhood has two sections - New Romema and Old Romema - with a joint population of 8,340.[1]
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The name Romema (lit. "lifted high") is based on a verse from the Bible, Psalms 118:16, "The Lord's right hand is lifted high."
Heichal HaSport, the Haifa Municipal Sports Complex, is located in Romema.[1]The arena holds some 3,400 spectators and is among the largest in Israel.[2]
On March 31, 2002, an 18-year old Arab suicide bomber, Shadi Tobassi, from Jenin blew himself up at the Matza restaurant located on the highway east of Romema, killing 14 people. Hamas and Islamic Jihad took responsibility for the attack. [3]
The remains of a fortress were excavated in Romema. Pottery finds indicate it was constructed at the end of the 2nd century BCE or the beginning of the 1st century BCE and may have been Hasmonean. The site was rebuilt in Roman and Byzantine times, and became the site of a Crusader fort. [4]