31°54′27.55″N35°0′27.41″E / 31.9076528°N 35.0076139°E /31.9076528; 35.0076139
Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut מודיעין-מכבים-רעות | |
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 View of Modi'in | |
 Coat of arms | |
 Interactive map of Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut | |
| Country |  Israel[a] |
| District | Central |
| Subdistrict | Ramla |
| Founded | 1985 (Maccabim) 1987 (Re'ut) 1993 (Modi'in) 2003 (merger) |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–council |
| • Body | Municipality of Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut |
| • Mayor | Haim Bibas(Likud) |
| Area | |
• Total | 50,176dunams (50.176 km2; 19.373 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 209 m (686 ft) |
| Population (2023)[1] | |
• Total | 97,566 |
| • Density | 1,944.5/km2 (5,036.2/sq mi) |
| Ethnicity | |
| • Jews and others | 99.9% |
| • Arabs | 0.1% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (IST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (IDT) |
| Website | modiin.muni.il |
Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut (Hebrew:מודיעין-מכבים-רעות,romanized: Mōdīʿīn-Makkabbīm-Rēʿūt), usually referred to as justModi'in, is a city in theCentral District ofIsrael, about 35 kilometres (22 mi) southeast ofTel Aviv and 30 kilometres (19 mi) west ofJerusalem, and is connected to those two cities viaHighway 443. In 2023 the population was 97,566.[1] The population density in that year was 1,794 people per square kilometer.
The modern city, which was built in the 20th century, is named after the ancient Jewish town ofModi'in, which existed in the same area. Modi'in was the place of origin of theMaccabees, the Jewish rebels who freedJudea from the rule of theSeleucid Empire and established theHasmonean dynasty, events commemorated by the holiday ofHanukkah.
A small part of the city (the Maccabim neighborhood) is not recognized by theEuropean Union (EU) as being in Israel, as it lies in what the1949 Armistice Agreement with Jordan left as ano man's land, and wasoccupied in1967 by Israel after it was captured from Jordan together with theWest Bank proper.[2][3]
The name "Modi'in" (Hebrew:מודיעין) derives from the ancient Jewish village ofModi'im,[4] of the high priestMattathias and his five sons, which was located in the same area as the modern city. The name "Maccabim" (Hebrew:מכבים) is Hebrew for theMaccabees and is a common nickname given to Mattathias and his five sons.
During classical antiquity, a town namedModi'in (Ancient Greek:Μωδεειμ,Mōdeeim)[5] existed in the general area of the modern city. It was the place of origin of theMaccabees, a group of Jewish rebel warriors who started and led theJewish revolt against theSeleucid rule over Judea and theHellenisation of its Jewish population. The revolt succeeded in driving out the Selucids, and the rededication of theSecond Temple at the end of the revolt is commemorated by the Jewish holiday ofHanukkah. After expelling the Selucids, the Maccabees formed theHasmonean dynasty, which ruled Judea in the 2nd and 1st centuriesBCE.[6][7]
UnderJustinian, the Byzantine town in the area was known as Moditha (Ancient Greek:Μωδιθα,romanized: Mōditha).[5]
An ancient Jewish fortifiedhomestead dating from theHellenistic period through to the Bar Kokhba revolt has been discovered in the area.[6] Archaeologists discovered what one of them suggested might be an orderly numismatic collection of 16 silvertetradrachms anddidrachms (shekels andhalf-shekels) minted in the city ofTyre during the reign of two Seleucid kings.[6] They further unearthed artifacts and structures from the Hasmonean period, theGreat Revolt (66–74 CE) and theBar Kokhba revolt (132–135 CE), including arock-hewn hiding complex entered through amikveh (ritual bath).[6]
Modern Modi'in is located near the site of the ancient Modi'in described in theTalmud, though the specific location is uncertain. Possibilities areSuba near Jerusalem, Umm el-Umdan nearRoute 20 toCanada Park andLatrun,al-Midya,[8] andKhirbet el-Burj (Titura[9][10][11]/Horbat Tittora).
Umm el-Umdan is an archaeological hilltop site near the southern Moriah (Buchman) neighbourhood of Maccabim Reut, towards Latrun Junction. The six main settlement strata excavated date to thePersian,Hellenistic,Roman,Byzantine, andEarly Muslim periods. However, the main findings are from a rural settlement from theHasmonean 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 until 132 CE (Bar Kokhba revolt). It has a 1st-century CEmikveh standing next to it.[12]
Horbat Tittora, located on a hill at Modi'in, shows signs of habitation from theChalcolithic to theOttoman period, with continuous habitation from theIron Age II in theFirst Temple period through to theByzantine period and some traces from theEarly Muslim,Mamluk and Ottoman periods.[13][14]
The ruins of aCrusader 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.[14][15]
Lack of interest in archaeological sites during the construction of the new city led to the loss of important archaeological vestiges.[7] Through the effort of several individual citizens, similar destruction was averted at Titura and Umm el-Umdan, with authorities taking over the preservation of the surviving sites, while the public actively included the Hasmonean antiquities into their annual Hanukkah rituals.[7]
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. After the1948 Arab–Israeli War, modern Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut's municipal boundary encompasses a number ofdepopulatedPalestinian villages:Ajanjul,Barfiliya,Bayt Shanna,Bir Ma'in,Al-Burj,Innaba,Khirbat al-Buwayra,Kharruba, andAl-Kunayyisa.
In 1985, the construction of the town of Maccabim, which was led by the InternationalMaccabi World Union (MWU) organization began.[16] 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 toARIJ, Israel confiscated land from two Palestinian villages for the construction of Maccabim, presently part of Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut: 1,499dunams fromBeit Sira[17] and 471 dunams fromSaffa.[18][19]
The cornerstone of Modi'in was laid in 1993. It was built as a modernplanned city with high standards of urban planning. Environmental issues and future growth were taken into consideration from the early design stages. Largegreenspaces 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 IsraeliMinistry of Interior unified Modi'in and Maccabim-Re'ut into a single city.
Modi'in has become a magnet forJerusalem residents displeased with the capital's growingHaredi character.[20] Thousands of residents ofRosh HaAyin,Lod, andRamla have also relocated to Modi'in.[20] In 2008, it was decided to cap the growth of Modi'in to allow for the development of Lod and Ramla.[20] The city was planned by the well-known architectMoshe Safdie. According to theIsrael Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), 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 9,659NIS, compared to a national average of 7,466 (2006). Modi'in has attracted a large community ofolim (Jewish immigrants) from English-speaking countries.[21]
השבטיםHaShvatim – The Tribes (North Buchman/Buchman) and מוריהMoriah (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 thetribes of Israel, 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.
הפרחיםHaPrachim – 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 theSong of Songs.
הנחליםHaNechalim – The Rivers (Safdie) and משואהMasuah – Beacon (Givat C) are located towards the west of the city, and were planned by architectMoshe Safdie. 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.
הכרמיםHaKramim – 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 חןAvnei 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.[citation needed] 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.
הנביאיםHaNevi'im – The Prophets (Northern Shimshoni) and המגיניםHaMeginim – The Defenders (Southern Shimshoni) are located towards the northwest of the city. Streets in HaNevi'im are named for theProphets of Israel, while HaMeginim's streets are named aftergenerals and important battles in Israeli history. Located in the neighborhoods are three commercial centers, three primary schools, and one secondary school.
הציפוריםHaTsiporim – 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.
The long-term projection of the IsraeliMinistry of Construction and Housing is for the city to be home to 240,000 residents. However, plans approved thus far are for 120,000 residents. The original city of Modi'in is laid out around a central hub, with the main arterial spokes organized asdual carriageways. Each side of the artery is a one-way street, and in between is a widegreen space, withlinear parks, playgrounds, schools, and some small commercial centers. Short lateral stubs fed bycontinuous-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 largetraffic circle punctuated bytraffic lights. On the north side of the circle is thecentral train station, to the northeast is theAzrieli Modi'in Mall, and to the west and south is theAnava Park, which contains a small artificial lake used for recreationalboating. The traffic circle straddles a major northeast–southwest artery, HaHashmonaim Boulevard, that connects to the southwest withRoute 431 (which has its eastern terminus in south Modi'in and extends west toRishon LeZion), and to the northeast withRoute 443 (atShilat Junction) providing connectivity toJerusalem (southeast) andLod (northwest).
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Approximately 5 km (3 miles) 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. 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 theBen Shemen 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.
In 2012, theEuropean Union (EU), reclassified the small part of Modi'in originally founded as the community of Maccabim as aIsraeli settlement since it had been established in theno man's land according to the1949 Armistice Agreements. The effect of this redefinition was to deny the affected area (which is exclusively green-leaf residential) a range of preferential tax benefits that would normally be conceded on Israeli products exported to Europe.[3] The decision was made to implement a 2010 ruling of theCourt of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).[3] The move sparked a diplomatic controversy.
In 2007, Modi'in was selected as one of the inaugural cities for theIsrael Baseball League. The baseball team was named theModi'in Miracle, but did not play games in Modi'in as there is no baseball stadium there.
In 2008, the Pioneers of theIsrael Football League, playingAmerican Football, relocated to Modi'in, where the Pioneers played all their home games. In their first season, the Modi'in "Dancing Camel" Pioneers won the2008-2009 Israel Bowl, with a 38–26 win in double overtime against theJerusalem Lions.[22] 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.
Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut is accessible byHighway 431,Highway 3 andRoad 443. AnIsrael Railways line began operation on April 1, 2008, to alarge underground station in Modi'in.[23]
Service began in September 2007 toPaatei Modi'in on the western outskirts of the city. This railway connects Modi'in toTel Aviv by way ofBen Gurion Airport. The line to Modi'in is a spur off theTel Aviv–Jerusalem railway. Intercity and local bus services are provided byKavim.
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Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut istwinned with:
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