Rekhasim
Rekhasim
רכסים | |
|---|---|
| Hebrew transcription(s) | |
| • ISO 259 | Rkasim |
| • Also spelled | Rechasim (unofficial) |
 View of Rekhasim | |
  Rekhasim Location within Haifa region of Israel  Rekhasim Location within Israel | |
| Coordinates: 32°44′55.78″N 35°6′2.89″E / 32.7488278°N 35.1008028°E | |
| Country |  Israel |
| District |  Haifa |
| Subdistrict | Haifa |
| Founded | 1951 |
| Government | |
| • Head of Municipality | Itzhak Raih |
| Area | |
• Total | 2,859 dunams (2.859 km2; 1.104 sq mi) |
| Population (2024)[1] | |
• Total | 15,086 |
| • Density | 5,277/km2 (13,670/sq mi) |
| Name meaning | Mountain Ridges |
| Website | www.rekhasim.muni.il |
Rekhasim (Hebrew: רכסים, lit. 'Mountain Ridges')[2] is a Haredi town in the Haifa District of Israel. It is located between Kiryat Tiv'on, Kiryat Ata, and Nesher, next to roads 70, 75, and 762.
With a jurisdiction of 2,859 dunams (~2.9 km2), it had a population of 15,086 in 2024. It is ranked low (2 out of 10) on the Israeli socio-economic scale.[3]
Etymology
The town was named after a verse in the Book of Isaiah (Isaiah 40:4), because it is located on four mountain ranges.
History
Rekhasim was founded in 1951 by released soldiers and residents of nearby ma'abarot.[4] It initially absorbed large numbers of immigrants from India, Morocco, Romania, Russia and Yemen.[2]
In 1955 the Knesses Chizkiyahu yeshiva relocated here from Zikhron Ya'akov. The yeshiva purchased a 10-dunam (0.010 km2; 0.0039 sq mi) lot on the outskirts of the village and five buildings containing a beth midrash, dining hall, dormitories and offices, moving into its new home at the end of April 1955.[5] A small Haredi community developed around the yeshiva, but the majority of residents remained non-Haredi into the 1990s.[2] In 1995 the secular school closed, many non-religious residents left, and the village developed a Haredi majority, with both Ashkenazi and Sephardi neighborhoods. It is now considered a desirable and growing community for young Haredi families.[2]
Geography
Rekhasim lies on four hills near Mount Carmel, labelled with Hebrew letters (Hill Alef, Bet, Gimel and Dalet). It borders two villages in the Zvulun Regional Council: the Jewish Kfar Hasidim and Arab Ibtin.
Its lowest elevation is only 19.8 m (65 ft) above sea level, while the highest is at 193.6 m (635 ft). The average temperature in January is 11 °C (52 °F), and 27 °C (81 °F) in August. The average annual precipitation is 650 mm (26 in).[3]
Demographics
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 2,500 | — |
| 1983 | 3,500 | +40.0% |
| 1995 | 6,000 | +71.4% |
| 2008 | 9,000 | +50.0% |
| 2022 | 13,910 | +54.6% |
| 2024 | 15,087 | +8.5% |
Education
Educational offerings include tens of kindergartens, six Talmud Torahs, three girls' schools, three yeshiva ketanas, three yeshiva gedolas, and numerous kolels.[2] In addition to the Knesses Chizkiyahu yeshiva system, there is the Sephardi Yeshivat Rechasim, with 400 students.[2]
Rekhasim has more than 80 synagogues and numerous chesed and gemach organizations.[2]
Voting Patterns
In the 2022 election, 98 percent of voters in Rekhasim voted for the parties of the right-wing coalition led by Benjamin Netanyahu, while 2 percent voted for the parties of the center-left coalition led by Yair Lapid. 89 percent of voters voted for the Haredi parties Shas or UTJ. The Arab parties did not receive any votes.[8]
References
- ↑ "Regional Statistics". Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Marks, Yehudah. "The Torah Empire of the North", Hamodia Israel News, 19 March 2015, pp. 21-23.
- 1 2 "Local Authorities in Israel 2005, Publication #1295 - Municipality Profiles - Rekhasim" (PDF) (in Hebrew). Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 16 February 2008.
- ↑ HaReuveni, Immanuel (1999). Lexicon of the Land of Israel (in Hebrew). Miskal - Yedioth Ahronoth Books and Chemed Books. p. 868. ISBN 965-448-413-7.
- ↑ Meringer, Motty (29 April 2009). "Yeshivas Knesses Chizkiyahu". Etrog News. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
- ↑ "Regional Statistics". www.cbs.gov.il. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
- ↑ "Additional files - census 2008". Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "The true results of the elections for the 25th Knesset". Israel: Central Elections Committee. 1 November 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
External links
- Official website (in Hebrew)
