Template:Infobox Israel municipality
Gedera, or Gdera (Template:Lang-he-n) is a town in the Center District of Israel. It is located 13 kilometers south of Rehovot.[1]In 2009, Gedera had a population of 21,500.[2]
History
Yeshurun synagogue, built in 1912
Tel Qatra has been proposed as the site of the biblical city of HaGdera.[3]
Gedera was founded in the winter of 1884 by members of the Bilu group, to the south of the Arab village of Qatra.[4] Gedera was established on a tract of village land purchased for the Biluites by Rabbi Yehiel Michal Pines. [5]The first pioneers arrived at the site during the festival of Chanukah. In 1912, Yemenite immigrants settled there. During the British Mandate, Gedera became a popular resort due to its mild climate and fresh air. In 1949-1953, thousands of immigrants from Yemen, Romania, Iraq, Poland, Egypt, Morocco, Tunis, India, Iran, Libya and other countries were housed in tent camps. [6]
View of Gedera from Tel Qatra
The initial land of Gederah had once been owned by the Arabs of Qatra, who had lost it due to debts.[4] They were cultivating it as tenant farmers when the Jewish colonists arrived and resented the intrusion onto what they still thought of as their land.[4] This, and the close proximity of the two sites, led to poor relations between the communities that sometimes led to violent clashes.[4]Israel Belkind, a member of Bilu, described Gedera's relationship with its Arab neighbors as among the worst in all the colonies.[4] Haim Hissin, also a Bilu member, criticized the Arabs for their provocative behavior, but also blamed the Jews for being unfair and arrogant.[4]
Qatra was depopulated by the Haganah on 17 May 1948[7] and Gedera expanded to encompass its former site.[citation needed]
In December 2012, a Grad rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit Gedera, marking the northernmost point in a round of 200 rockets targeting southern Israel. [8]
Geography
Gedera is built on seven hills in the Shfela which rise to the height of 80 meters above sea level. The town has an area of 14,500 dunams (14.5 km²). [2]
Surrounded by green hills and agricultural lands, on the west it is possible to see all the way to the coastal city of Ashdod 14 kilometers to the southwest, and on the east there is a clear view of the Judean Mountains and hills of Jerusalem.
Gedera is often considered to be the southern edge of central Israel, while Hadera is considered the northern edge, hence the Israeli expression "from Hadera to Gedera" to describe the most populated area in Israel.
Demography
Gedera has a large population of Yemenite Jews. Most estimates put their population at 50% of Gedera, making it one of the few primarily Mizrahi towns in the center district of Israel. Ethiopian Jews make up 16% of the population (3,200 people).
Economy
The principal agricultural branches of Gedera in its early years were grapes and grains. Citrus and other field crops were added later. In the 1930s, several industries were established and the moshava became a vacation resort with convalescence and rest homes. [9]
Urban development
Gedera's position near the large south-central cities of Israel (Rehovot, Ashdod and Kiryat Gat), low prices for private homes and the fact that it is a green and quiet town yet it is in the central district near Tel Aviv and Jerusalem make it attractive to Israelis. Gedera is one of the faster-growing towns in Israel, with a 7.9% growth rate. [10]
New Gedera is an upscale neighborhood built by the Azorim company. A major shopping venue built by Azorim is the Gedera Mall, located in the southeast of the town. First opened in September 2007, Gedera Mall has small businesses along with anchor tenants from semi-major department stores from Israel and Europe.
The major road Highway 7 was recently constructed alongside the border of Gedera, linking Gedera directly to Israel's cross-country highway, Highway 6.
Landmarks
The Museum of the History of Gedera and the Biluim is located in Gedera in Beit Mintz, a restored historical building.[11]Beit Mintz was built by one of the Biluites, Dr. Moshe Mintz. When Mintz died in 1930, he bequeathed the house to the people of Gedera. It has been used as a communal hall, kindergarten, cinema, public library, military hospital and town hall. Since 1985, it has been the home of the Gedera Museum.[12]
The Sverdlov Hut is the one remaining hut built by the Biluim. It belonged to Chana and Yigal Sverdlov, who later left it to the city. A bell used to call residents for public meetings is located in the front yard. In 1885, the pioneers dug a 20x4x2 meter hole and covered it with a roof to use as a stable. Today it has been restored and is known as "Bor HaBilu'im."[13]
The first designated school building was built in 1896. Later, the building became "Beit HaIkar," the Farmer's House, a meeting place for the local farmers. [14]
The 16.5 meter water tower behind Yeshurun synagogue was built in 1935. The bottom floor was used as a classroom. The top floor held a water tank and served as a watchtower.[15]
Archaeology
A pottery workshop for the manufacture of Gaza jars was discovered at Tel Qatra, an archaeological tel on the outskirts of Gedera.[16]
^"Apparently site of Biblical Gederah" (Carta's Official Guide to Israel and Complete Gazetteer to all Sites in the Holy Land. (3rd edition 1993) Jerusalem, Carta, p.164, ISBN 965-220-186-3 )
^ abcdefYuval Ben-Bassat (2009). "Proto-Zionist-Arab encounters in late nineteenth-century Palestine: Socioregional dimensions". Journal of Palestine Studies. 38: 42–63.
