Kafr Kanna
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| Kafr Kanna | ||
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| Country | Israel | |
| District | North | |
| Government | Local council (from 1968) | |
| Hebrew | כַּפְר כָּנָּא | |
| Arabic | كفر كنا | |
| Name meaning | "Village of Cana" | |
| Population | 17,600 (2005) | |
| Area | 10,600 dunams (10.6 km2; 4.1 sq mi) | |
Kafr Kanna (Arabic: كفر كنا, kafr kanā; Hebrew: כַּפְר כַּנָּא) is an Arab town in the Galilee region of Israel that is associated with the New Testament village of Cana, where Jesus turned water into wine[2].
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[edit] History
The settlement of Kana was mentioned in the Amarna Letters, and was known in the times of the Roman-Jewish historian Josephus. As with many Jewish towns in the Galilee, the town took in Jewish refugees fleeing Roman persecution in Jerusalem and Judea[3]. The village flourished in the 16th century, as it lay on the trade route between Egypt and Syria. In 1596, Ottoman officials recorded the population as 475 Muslim households and 96 Jewish households, making it the 6th most populous locality in Palestine at the time.[4]
[edit] Religious significance
The town is identified by Christians as the town of Cana, where Jesus performed a miracle at the Marriage at Cana. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia of 1914, a tradition dating back to the 8th century identifies Cana with this town.
The town also contains the tomb of the Jewish sage, Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel, the Nasi (prince) of the Sanhedrin (legislative body of Ancient Israel), who became president of the Sanhedrin in 50 CE.
[edit] Demographics
Kafr Kanna achieved local council status in 1968. In 2005, there were 17,600 residents,[5] 83.5% of whom were Muslim and 16.5% Christian.
[edit] Sport
Maccabi Kafr Kanna currently play in Liga Artzit, the third tier of Israeli football, and have played at the second level in the past. Hapoel Kafr Kanna play in Liga Alef (the fourth tier), and Beitar Kafr Kanna play in Liga Bet (the fifth tier)
[edit] Notable residents
- Jamal Zahalka, resident, Knesset member, Balad party.
- Wasil Taha, resident, Knesset member, Balad party.
- Abdulmalik Dehamshe, resident, former Knesset member, United Arab List.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ William McClure Thomson (1859): The Land and the Book p.120
- ^ The near-miracle in Kafr Kana
- ^ Excavations uncover Galilee village of Kana
- ^ Hütteroth, Wolf-Dieter and Kamal Abdulfattah (1977), Historical Geography of Palestine, Transjordan and Southern Syria in the Late 16th Century. Erlanger Geographische Arbeiten, Sonderband 5. Erlangen, Germany: Vorstand der Fränkischen Geographischen Gesellschaft; page 187
- ^ Population of localities numbering above 1,000 residents and other rural populations on 31/12/2006 Central Bureau of Statistics
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Kafr Kanna |
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