Givat Mordechai, ( he, גבעת מרדכי,

trans Trans- is a Latin prefix meaning "across", "beyond", or "on the other side of". Used alone, trans may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Trans (festival), a former festival in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom * ''Trans'' (film ...

: ''Mordechai's Hill'') is a Jewish neighborhood in southwest-central

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

, midway between the neighborhoods of Nayot and Malcha. The neighborhood was named after an American philanthropist, Maxwell (Mordechai) Abbell of Chicago.

History

Givat Mordechai was established in 1955 by members of

Hapoel Hamizrachi Hapoel HaMizrachi ( he, הַפּוֹעֵל הַמִּזְרָחִי, lit. '' Mizrachi Workers'') was a political party and settlement movement in Israel. It was one of the predecessors of the National Religious Party and the Jewish Home. History ...

, the forerunner of the

National Religious Party The National Religious Party ( he, מִפְלָגָה דָּתִית לְאֻומִּית, ''Miflaga Datit Leumit'', commonly known in Israel by its Hebrew acronym Mafdal, ) was a political party in Israel representing the religious Zionist moveme ...

, known in Hebrew as ''Mafdal''. Most of the streets are named after leaders of Hapoel Hamizrachi. Shahal Street, for example, is a Hebrew

acronym An acronym is a word or name formed from the initial components of a longer name or phrase. Acronyms are usually formed from the initial letters of words, as in ''NATO'' (''North Atlantic Treaty Organization''), but sometimes use syllables, as ...

for the religious Zionist leader Rabbi Shmuel Chaim Landau. The population is largely

modern Orthodox Modern may refer to: History *Modern history ** Early Modern period ** Late Modern period *** 18th century *** 19th century *** 20th century ** Contemporary history * Moderns, a faction of Freemasonry that existed in the 18th century Philosoph ...

, with some secular Jews. There are many synagogues and educational institutions in Givat Mordechai. The main campus of the

Jerusalem College of Technology The Jerusalem College of Technology - Lev Academic Center (JCT; he, המרכז האקדמי לב) is a private college in Israel, recognized by the Council for Higher Education, which specializes in providing high-level science and technology ed ...

is located there, as is the

Hebron yeshiva Hebron Yeshiva, also known as ''Yeshivas Hevron'', or Knesses Yisroel, is a yeshiva devoted to high-level study of the Talmud. It originated in 1924 when the roshei yeshiva and 150 students of the Slabodka Yeshiva, known colloquially as the "mother ...

Landmarks

The Jerusalem Fire Brigade is headquartered in Givat Mordechai. Ezra Orion's outdoor sculpture "Stairway" (1979-1980) is located at the entrance to Givat Mordechai in the Elsie Bernadette Garden. It is widely known as "Sulam Yaakov," or "

Jacob's Ladder Jacob's Ladder ( he, סֻלָּם יַעֲקֹב ) is a ladder leading to heaven that was featured in a dream the biblical Patriarch Jacob had during his flight from his brother Esau in the Book of Genesis (chapter 28). The significance of th ...

", referencing the story in

Book of Genesis The Book of Genesis (from Greek ; Hebrew: בְּרֵאשִׁית ''Bəreʾšīt'', "In hebeginning") is the first book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament. Its Hebrew name is the same as its first word, ( "In the beginning") ...

(28:11–19). The steps face down so as to discourage the unwise from climbing it. Givat Mordechai abuts the Pri-Har valley (

Gazelle Valley Gazelle Valley ( he, עמק הצבאים, translit: ''Emek Hatzva'im''), previously known as the Pri Har Valley, is an open space of 260 dunams (64.25 acres) in the heart of Jerusalem, Israel, on the edge of the Givat Mordechai neighborhood, oppo ...

), a large expanse of open fields that is home to a herd of mountain gazelles and other wildlife. Plans to build residential towers here triggered an outcry from environmentalists and local residents, who managed to block the project. Instead, the area is slated to become a park and a nature reserve.

Notable people

*Rabbi Eitan Aviner, Director of Judaic Advancement,

Bnei Akiva Schools of Toronto The Bnei Akiva Schools of Toronto (BAS Toronto) consist of two Modern Orthodox Jewish high schools, namely Ulpanat Orot girls school ( he, אולפנת אורות, link=no) and Yeshivat Or Chaim boys school ( he, ישיבת אור חיים, link= ...

Faculty and Staff , Bnei Akiva Schools of Toronto
*Rabbi

Yehuda Amital Yehuda Amital ( he, יהודה עמיטל, born Yehuda Klein; 31 October 1924 – 9 July 2010) was an Orthodox rabbi, the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Har Etzion, and a member of the Israeli cabinet. The concept of a Hesder Yeshiva is attributed to ...

, head of

Yeshivat Har Etzion Yeshivat Har Etzion (YHE; ), commonly known in English as "Gush" and in Hebrew as "Yeshivat HaGush", is a hesder yeshiva located in Alon Shvut, an Israeli settlement in Gush Etzion. It is considered one of the leading institutions of advanced Tora ...

Zevulun Orlev Zevulun Orlev ( he, זבולון אורלב, born 9 November 1945) is an Israeli politician and a former Knesset member, Minister of Welfare & Social Services and leader of the National Religious Party. Orlev is a decorated war hero who receive ...

, Israeli MK and former minister

References

External links

A view of Givat Mordechai in winterGivat Mordechai Fire Station
{{Neighborhoods of Jerusalem Neighbourhoods of Jerusalem Orthodox Jewish communities in Jerusalem