Gefen

Gefen
Gefen is located in Jerusalem District
Gefen
Gefen
Location within Jerusalem District
Coordinates: 31°44′27″N 34°52′42″E / 31.74083°N 34.87833°E / 31.74083; 34.87833
Country Israel
DistrictJerusalem
CouncilMateh Yehuda
AffiliationHapoel HaMizrachi
Founded1955
FounderMoroccan Jews
Population
 (2024)
422

Gefen (Hebrew: גֶּפֶן, lit. 'Grapevine') is a moshav in central Israel. Located between Beit Shemesh and Kiryat Malakhi, it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Yehuda Regional Council. In 2024 it had a population of 422.

History

The village was established in 1955 by Jewish immigrants from Morocco. The chosen site had previously belonged to the depopulated Arab village of Mughallis before the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.

The name is taken from Psalm 80:15: "God Almighty, look down from heaven and see; watch over this grapevine."

References

  1. 1 2 "Regional Statistics". Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
  2. ↑ Khalidi, Walid (1992). All That Remains: The Palestinian Villages Occupied and Depopulated by Israel in 1948. Washington D.C.: Institute for Palestine Studies. p. 220. ISBN 0-88728-224-5. ISBN 0-88728-224-5.
  3. ↑ Yizhaqi, Arie (ed.): Madrich Israel (Israel Guide: An Encyclopedia for the Study of the Land), Vol.9: Judaea, Jerusalem 1980, Keter Press, p.379 (Hebrew)