Gedera
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Gedera, or less commonly known as Gdera (), is a
town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...
in the southern part of the
Shfela The Shephelah () or Shfela (), or the Judaean Foothills (), is a transitional region of soft-sloping rolling hills in south-central Israel stretching over between the Judaean Mountains and the Coastal Plain. The different use of the term "Jude ...
region in the Central District of
Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
founded in 1884. It is south of
Rehovot Rehovot (, / ) is a city in the Central District (Israel), Central District of Israel, about south of Tel Aviv. In it had a population of . Etymology Israel Belkind, founder of the Bilu (movement), Bilu movement, proposed the name "Rehovot ...
. In , it had a population of .


History

Gedera is in the Book of Chronicles I 4:23 and the
Book of Joshua The Book of Joshua is the sixth book in the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament, and is the first book of the Deuteronomistic history, the story of Israel from the conquest of Canaan to the Babylonian captivity, Babylonian exile. It tells of the ...
15:36 as a town in the territory of Judah. Its identification with the site of modern Gedera was proposed by
Victor Guérin Victor Guérin (; 15 September 1821 – 21 September 1890) was a French people, French intellectual, explorer and amateur archaeologist. He published books describing the geography, archeology and history of the areas he explored, which included ...
in the 19th century, but was dismissed as "impossible" by
William F. Albright William Foxwell Albright (May 24, 1891 – September 19, 1971) was an American archaeologist, biblical scholar, philologist, and expert on ceramics. He is considered "one of the twentieth century's most influential American biblical scholars ...
who preferred to identify it with al-Judeira. Biblical Gedera is now identified with Khirbet Judraya, south of
Bayt Nattif Bayt Nattif or Beit Nattif (, and alternatively) was a Palestinian Arab village, located some 20 kilometers (straight line distance) southwest of Jerusalem, midway on the ancient Roman road between Beit Guvrin and Jerusalem, and 21 km n ...
. Tel Qatra, which lies at the northern edge of Gedera, is usually identified with Kedron, a place fortified by the Seleucids against the Hasmonaeans (1 Macc. 15:39–41, 16:9). It has also been identified with Gedrus, a large village in the time of
Eusebius Eusebius of Caesarea (30 May AD 339), also known as Eusebius Pamphilius, was a historian of Christianity, exegete, and Christian polemicist from the Roman province of Syria Palaestina. In about AD 314 he became the bishop of Caesarea Maritima. ...
(fourth century). Eusebius identified Gedrus with biblical Gedor, which is a name also appearing on the
Madaba map The Madaba Map, also known as the Madaba Mosaic Map, is part of a floor mosaic in the early Byzantine church of Saint George in Madaba, Jordan. The mosaic map depicts an area from Lebanon in the north to the Nile Delta in the south, and fro ...
, but several other sites for Gedor have been proposed. Tel Qatra was occupied from the
Middle Bronze Age The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...
to at least the early Islamic period. Sometime between then and the Medieval period, the settlement moved to the southern foot of the tell, where 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 ...
village of
Qatra Qatra () was a Palestinian Arab village in the Ramle Subdistrict, located southwest of the city of Ramla and west of Jerusalem, some above sea level.Bromiley, 1994, pp. 5-6. It was depopulated in May 1948. History Qatra was a Canaanite cente ...
existed until 1948. Its peak was in the Byzantine period when the tell had at least one large public building. Gedera was founded in the winter of 1884 by members of the
Bilu Bilu may refer to: People * Bilú (footballer, 1900-1965), Virgílio Pinto de Oliveira, Brazilian football manager and former centre-back * Asher Bilu (born 1936), Australian artist * Bilú (footballer, born 1974), Luciano Lopes de Souza, Brazi ...
group, to the south of
Qatra Qatra () was a Palestinian Arab village in the Ramle Subdistrict, located southwest of the city of Ramla and west of Jerusalem, some above sea level.Bromiley, 1994, pp. 5-6. It was depopulated in May 1948. History Qatra was a Canaanite cente ...
. Gedera was established on a tract of village land purchased for the Biluites by Yechiel Michel Pines of the
Lovers of Zion The Lovers of Zion, also ''Hovevei Zion'' () or ''Hibbat Zion'' (, ), were a variety of proto-Zionist organizations founded in 1881 in response to the anti-Jewish pogroms in the Russian Empire and were officially constituted as a group at a conf ...
from the French consul in Jaffa, Poliovierre. The first pioneers arrived at the site during the festival of Chanukah. In 1888, Benjamin and Mina Fuchs built Gedera's first stone house, later used as a
Bnai Brith B'nai B'rith International ( ; from ) is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit Jewish service organization and was formerly a cultural association for German Jewish immigrants to the United States. B'nai B'rith states that it is committed to the secu ...
meeting house. The Zionist secular colonists of Gederah were young and considered aggressive towards the native Palestinian Arab population. Zionist sources indicate they provoked Palestinians in the adjacent village of Qatra, humiliating them and being unfair and arrogant towards them. In one case, following a quarrel with Qatra in 1887 (in the course of which a colonist was wounded while trying to prevent Arab herdsmen from grazing their flocks on the colony's land), the colonists deliberately started a fight to attract the attention of prominent Jewish activists in Jaffa. In 1912, a group of Yemenite immigrants settled in Gedera. During the British Mandate, Gedera became a popular resort due to its mild climate and fresh air. In 1949–1953, thousands of immigrants from Yemen, Romania, Iraq, Poland, Egypt, Morocco, Tunis, India, Iran, Libya, and other countries were housed in tent camps. The land on which Gederah was established had once been owned by the Palestinians of Qatra, who had lost it due to debts. They were cultivating it as tenant farmers when the Jewish owners arrived and resented the intrusion onto what they still thought of as their land. According to another account, the land was actually owned by Qatra, but had been assigned by the government to the nearby village of Mughar when Qatra disclaimed ownership to avoid a certain murder charge. Mughar then sold it to Polivierre, who sold it to Pines. This, and the proximity of the two sites, led to poor relations between the communities that sometimes led to violent clashes.
Israel Belkind Israel Belkind (, ; 1861–1929) was a Jewish educator, author, writer, historian and founder of the Bilu movement. A pioneer of the First Aliyah, Belkind founded the ''Biluim'', a group of Jewish idealists aspiring to settle in the Land of Isra ...
, a member of ''Bilu'', described Gedera's relationship with its Arab neighbors as among the worst in all the settlements. Haim Hissin, also a ''Bilu'' member, criticized the Arabs for their provocative behavior, but also blamed the Jews for being unfair and arrogant. Qatra was depopulated by the
Haganah Haganah ( , ) was the main Zionist political violence, Zionist paramilitary organization that operated for the Yishuv in the Mandatory Palestine, British Mandate for Palestine. It was founded in 1920 to defend the Yishuv's presence in the reg ...
on 17 May 1948. In the 1950s, a neighborhood called Oriel ("light of God") was established for new immigrants with visual impairments. The immigrants worked in a sheltered workshop, and the neighborhood was specially planned to promote their independence. On February 9, 2009, a Grad rocket fired from the
Gaza Strip The Gaza Strip, also known simply as Gaza, is a small territory located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea; it is the smaller of the two Palestinian territories, the other being the West Bank, that make up the State of Palestine. I ...
hit Gedera, marking the northernmost point in a round of 200 rockets targeting southern Israel.


Geography

Gedera is built on seven hills in the Southern Coastal Plain which rise to the height of
above sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of a location's vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) in reference to a vertical datum based on a historic mean sea level. In geodesy, it is formalized as orthometric height. The zero level ...
. The town has an area of 14,500
dunam 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 amo ...
s (). Gedera is considered to be the southern edge of central Israel while
Hadera Hadera (, ) is a city located in the Haifa District of Israel, in the northern Sharon plain, Sharon region, approximately 45 kilometers (28 miles) from the major cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa. The city is located along 7 km (5 mi) of ...
is considered the northern edge, hence the Israeli expression "from Hadera to Gedera" to describe the most populated area in Israel.


Demography

In 1911, Gedera had a population of 140. At the time of the
1922 census of Palestine The 1922 census of Palestine was the first census carried out by the authorities of the British Mandate of Palestine, on 23 October 1922. The reported population was 757,182, including the military and persons of foreign nationality. The divis ...
, Gedera had a population of 140 inhabitants, consisting of 136 Jews and 4 Christians. The alternative name Qatra Yehud also appears. The 1931 census, recorded 63 occupied houses and a population of 201 Jews and 7 Muslims. By 1945, the population had increased to an estimated 970 Jews. Gedera today has a large population of
Yemenite Jews Yemenite Jews, also known as Yemeni Jews or Teimanim (from ; ), are a Jewish diaspora group who live, or once lived, in Yemen, and their descendants maintaining their customs. After several waves of antisemitism, persecution, the vast majority ...
. Most estimates put their population at 50% of Gedera, making it one of the few primarily
Mizrahi ''Mizrachi'' or ''Mizrahi'' () has two meanings. In the literal Hebrew meaning ''eastern'', it may refer to: * Mizrahi Jews, Jews from the Middle East and North Africa * Mizrahi (surname), a Sephardic surname, given to Jews who got to the Iberia ...
towns in the Central District of Israel. In 2008, 1,700
Ethiopian Jew The history of the Jews in Ethiopia dates back millennia. The largest Jewish group in Ethiopia is the Beta Israel. Offshoots of the Beta Israel include the Beta Abraham and the Falash Mura, Ethiopian Jews who were converted to Christianity, some ...
s were living in Gedera.


Economy

The principal agricultural branches of Gedera in its early years were grapes and grains. Citrus and other field crops were added later. In the 1930s, several industries were established, and the moshava became a vacation resort with convalescence and rest homes.


Urban development

Gedera's position near the large south-central cities of Israel (
Rehovot Rehovot (, / ) is a city in the Central District (Israel), Central District of Israel, about south of Tel Aviv. In it had a population of . Etymology Israel Belkind, founder of the Bilu (movement), Bilu movement, proposed the name "Rehovot ...
,
Ashdod Ashdod (, ; , , or ; Philistine language, Philistine: , romanized: *''ʾašdūd'') is the List of Israeli cities, sixth-largest city in Israel. Located in the country's Southern District (Israel), Southern District, it lies on the Mediterranean ...
and
Kiryat Gat Kiryat Gat () also spelled Qiryat Gat, is a city in the Southern District of Israel. It lies south of Tel Aviv, north of Beersheba, and west southwest of Jerusalem. In it had a population of . The city hosts one of the most advanced semicondu ...
), low prices for private homes and the fact that it is a green and quiet town yet it is in the central district near
Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( or , ; ), sometimes rendered as Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and usually referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a popula ...
and
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 ...
make it attractive to Israelis. Gedera is one of the faster-growing towns in Israel, with a 7.9% growth rate. New Gedera is an upscale neighborhood built by the Azorim company. A major shopping venue built by Azorim is the Gedera Mall, located in the southeast of the town. First opened in September 2007, Gedera Mall has small businesses along with anchor tenants from semi-major department stores from Israel and Europe. The major road Highway 7 was recently constructed alongside the border of Gedera, linking Gedera directly to Israel's cross-country highway,
Highway 6 Route 6, or Highway 6, may refer to routes in the following countries: International * AH6 (highway), Asian Highway 6 * European route E6 * European route E006 Albania * :de:Nationalstraße 6 (Albanien), National Road SH6 Argentina * P ...
.


Landmarks

The Museum of the History of Gedera and the Biluim is located in a restored historical building at the end of Biluim Street. Beit Mintz, built by Dr. Moshe Mintz, doubled as a residence (western wing) and communal hall (eastern side). When Mintz died in 1930, he bequeathed the house to the people of Gedera. The house was used as a concert hall, a wedding venue and a move theater. In the summer, films were screened in the courtyard. In 1986, it was dedicated as a museum in the presence of the Mintz family. A concrete monument entitled "Bereshit Bara" ("Genesis") by the Austrian artist Ernst Degasperi stands in a garden opposite the museum. The Sverdlov Hut is the one remaining hut built by the Biluim. It belonged to Chana and Yigal Sverdlov, who later left it to the city. A bell used to call residents for public meetings is located in the front yard. In 1885, the pioneers dug a 20×4×2 meter hole and covered it with a roof to use as a stable. Today, it has been restored, and is known as "Bor HaBilu'im". The first designated school building was built in 1896. Later, the building became "Beit HaIkar", the Farmer's House, a meeting place for the local farmers. The 16.5 meter water tower behind Yeshurun Central Synagogue was built in 1935. The bottom floor was used as a classroom. The top floor held a water tank, and served as a watchtower. A sculpture garden in Gedera showcases the work of Yoma Segev, who creates sculptures from scrap and recycled materials.


Archaeology

A pottery workshop for the manufacture of Gaza Jars was discovered at Tel Qatra, an archaeological tel on the outskirts of Gedera. Gaza amphorae were used to ship wine and other foodstuffs across the Byzantine world.


Notable residents

*
Gila Gamliel Gila Gamliel-Demri (; born 24 February 1974) is an Israeli politician who currently serves as Ministry of Science, Technology and Space, Minister of Science and Technology, and also as a member of the Knesset for Likud. She also previously serv ...
(born 1974), member of the Knesset for Likud and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Office *
Moshe Kaplinsky Maj. Gen. Moshe Kaplinsky (Hebrew: משה קפלינסקי; born January 20, 1957) is an Israeli army general and businessman who was CEO of the Israeli subsidiary of Better Place. Most recently, he was Deputy Chief of the General Staff of ...
(born 1957), army general and businessman *
Agi Mishol Agi Mishol (; born October 20, 1947) is an Israeli poet. Mishol's work has been published in several languages, and has won various awards including the Zbigniew Herbert International Literary Award, the Horst Bienek Prize for Poetry and the Ye ...
(born 1947), poet *
Avishag Semberg Avishag Semberg (or Abishag Samberg, ; born ) is an Israeli Olympic taekwondo athlete. She is an Olympic bronze medalist for Israel at the 2020 Summer Olympics in the women's 49 kg competition. She won Israel's all-time tenth Olympic medal, ...
(born 2001), Olympic
taekwondo Taekwondo (; ; ) is a Korean martial art and combat sport involving primarily kicking techniques and punching. "Taekwondo" can be translated as ''tae'' ("strike with foot"), ''kwon'' ("strike with hand"), and ''do'' ("the art or way"). In ad ...
bronze medalist


International relations


Twin towns – Sister cities

Gedera is twinned with:


See also

* Alisa Flatow


References


External links

*
Gedera on Google Maps from Space
* Avner Hillman
Gedera – The Biluim's Shack: Conservation and Rehabilitation of a Wooden StructureIsrael Antiquities Authority Site
- {{Authority control Local councils in Central District (Israel) Populated places established in 1884 1884 establishments in the Ottoman Empire