Mahseya
Mahseya | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Country | Israel |
| Council | Mateh Yehuda |
| Region | Shephelah |
| Affiliation | Hapoel HaMizrachi |
| Founded | 1950 |
| Founded by | Moroccan and Yemenite Jews |
Mahseya (Template:Lang-he-n) is a moshav in central Israel. Located about 2 kilometers east of Beit Shemesh, it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Yehuda Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 385.
History
The village was established in 1950 by Jewish immigrants from Morocco and Yemen, near the abandoned Arab-village, Dayr Aban.[1] Although it too was later abandoned, it was re-settled by Cochin Jews. Its name is taken from the Jeremiah 32:12;
And I delivered the deed of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel mine uncle['s son], and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the deed of the purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the guard.
During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, to the south of the current site of the moshav, there was located a military outpost for the Egyptian army (within the Arab village, Dayr Aban), known as the `Joint` Command Post, and which place was taken in armed conflict during Operation Ha-Har.
Archaeology
In 2004, archaeologists uncovered a large stone building, 40 × 80 m, with floors composed of chalk, stone and mosaic. An olive press was built to the west. Pottery vessels and coins date the building to the sixth–eighth centuries CE. From the size and nature of construction, it is believed to have been a monastery.[2]
References
- ^ Yalqut Teiman, Yosef Tobi and Shalom Seri (editors), Tel-Aviv 2000, p. 158, s.v. מחסיה (Hebrew) ISBN 965-7121-03-5
- ^ Israel Antiquities Authority, Khirbat es-Suyyagh