Mata, Israel

Mata
Mata
Coordinates:
Council	Mateh Yehuda
Region	Jerusalem corridor
Affiliation	Moshavim Movement
Founded	1950
Founded by	Yemenite Jews

Mata (Hebrew: מַטָּע‎, lit. Grove) is a moshav in central Israel. Located near Beit Shemesh, it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Yehuda Regional Council. In 2013 it had a population of 821.

Etymology

"The name mata is also hinted at in Ezekiel (XXXIV, 29)": I will provide for them a grove.

History

The village was established in 1950 by immigrants from Yemen on land which had formerly belonged to the depopulated Arab village of Allar. After two Yemenite Jews were murdered by local Arabs, the Yemenite community eventually moved to more populated areas of Petah Tikva and Karkur. The founders were later joined by more immigrants from Morocco. Tobacco was once grown there by the early residents, but this has been replaced by grape vineyards.

Geography

The moshav is located to the east of Wadi Tannur, a riverine gulch where there are still two natural springs; one now known as "Ain Matta" (the Spring of Matta),and the other, "Ain Tannur," which proceeds from a tunnel. Nearby can be seen the ruins of a travelers' inn and livery stable, now called "khanut," and where formerly a Byzantine church was said to have stood. It was once a very productive valley, with many varieties of autumnal fruits. Sweet and bitter almonds, olives, grapes, pomegranates, lemons, figs, walnuts, Syrian pears, carobs and hawthorns are just a few of the fruit trees that are still seen there.

In the adjacent valley to the south-east of the moshav is a natural spring, called `Ain Jerash, named after a nearby small Arab village (now abandoned) and which was built on a spur near the town of Tzur Hadassah (Har Kitron). Rock-carved niches used as tombs can still be seen in the abandoned village.