Mateh Yehuda Regional Council (Hebrew: מועצה אזורית מטה יהודה, Mo'atza Azorit Mateh Yehuda) is a regional council in the Jerusalem District of Israel. In 2008 it was home to 36,200 people.
The name of the regional council stems from the fact that its territory was part of the land allotted to the Tribe of Judah, according to the Bible.
[edit] Places and communities
The regional council administers moshavim, kibbutzim, Arab villages and other rural settlements that lie to the north and south of Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway, from Jerusalem to Latrun and up to area of Beit Shemesh (Ha'ela Valley) in the South.
The settlements vary greatly in their character. There are religious, secular and mixed Jewish communities, two Arab communities, and the only mixed Arab-Jewish village in Israel - Neve Shalom. Many of the Jewish communities in the Mateh Yehuda district were established by immigrants from India, Yemen, Iraq, Iran and countries in Eastern Europe.
[edit] List of villages
- Kibbutzim
- Moshavim
- Communal settlements
- Jewish villages
- Arab villages
- Arab-Jewish village
- Other settlements
[edit] Tourism
The main tourist activities in the area are mountain hiking and biking. Other attractions include the Avshalom stalactites cave, natural water springs, historical synagogues and goat cheese farms.
[edit] Partnerships
The regional council has sister city-like partnerships with these municipalities:
The regional council and Beit Shemesh are linked to South Africa and Washington, D.C., in the Partnership 2gether program of the Jewish Agency for Israel.[1]
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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| Center District |
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| Haifa District |
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| Jerusalem District |
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| Judea and Samaria Area |
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| North District |
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| South District |
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Coordinates: 31°45′N 34°53′E / 31.75°N 34.883°E / 31.75; 34.883
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