Kokhav Ya'akov

Kokhav Ya'akov כּוֹכַב יַעֲקֹב‎
Houses in Kokhav Ya'akov
Etymology: Star of Jacob
Kokhav Ya'akov
Coordinates: 31°52′49″N 35°14′45″E
District	Judea and Samaria Area
Council	Mateh Binyamin
Region	West Bank
Affiliation	Amana
Founded	1985
Population  (2022)	9,794[1]
Website	www.kochav-yaakov.org.il

Sign at the entrance to Kokhav Ya'akov

Kokhav Ya'akov (Hebrew: כּוֹכַב יַעֲקֹב, lit. 'Star of Jacob') is a religious Israeli settlement organized as a community settlement in the West Bank. Located near the Palestinian town of al-Bireh, it is administered by Mateh Binyamin Regional Council. In 2022 it had a population of 9,794. The settlement is north of Jerusalem and close to the Palestinian city of Ramallah.^[2]

The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this.^[3][4][5]

History

According to ARIJ Israel confiscated land from two Palestinian villages in order to construct Kokhav Ya'akov:

• 2,037 dunams from Kafr 'Aqab^[6]
• 284 dunams from Burqa^[7][8]

The settlement was established in 1985 by the Amana settlement movement, and was initially named Abir Ya'akov after rabbi Yaakov Abuhatzeira.^[9] In 1988, its name was changed to Kokhav Ya'akov.^{[citation needed]}

In 2013, Uri Ariel, then serving as Minister of Construction, visited Kochav Ya’akov, where he expressed support for additional home-building. Ariel indicated that he believed there was potential to construction 1,000 more homes in Kochav Ya’akov.^[10]

Tel Zion neighborhood

The Haredi neighborhood of Tel Zion, established in 1990, is part of the village. Its community boasts of over 800 families, including a large growing Litvish segment. The Yishuv is headed by the warm Rabbi Avraham Goldberg.^[11] In 2017 the Times of Israel reported that Kokhav Ya'akov has around Haredi 5,500 residents.^[12]

A recent^[when?] housing project was launched to attract new members, and over 100 apartments have been occupied. Two new Kollelim have been established under the directive of Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky. Rabbi Noe is the leader of the younger members, together with full support of Rabbi Goldberg.^{[clarification needed]}

Yemen Gallery

In March 2013 a heritage and tourism site promoting the legacy of Yemenite Jewry opened in Kokhav Ya'akov. Founded by Shoham Simchi, the Yemen Gallery (Hebrew: החצר התימנית) houses an art gallery and a workshop that recreates the life of Yemen's Jews. The building itself is designed in the spirit of traditional Yemenite architecture.^[13][14]

Notable residents

• Bat-El Gatterer (born 1988), Israeli taekwondo Olympian and European champion^[15][16][17]

References

1. "Regional Statistics". Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
2. "9-year-old girl shot after terrorist infiltration alert in West Bank settlement". i24. 2023-05-26. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
3. "The Geneva Convention". BBC News. December 10, 2009. Retrieved November 27, 2010.
4. Amy Teibel (14 March 2012). "Israel asks court delay uprooting settler outpost". The Seattle Times. Associated Press.
5. Juliane von Mittelstaedt (17 August 2009). "Creeping Construction Boom: Jewish Settlements Threaten Viability of Palestinian State". Der Spiegel.
6. Kafr 'Aqab village profile, ARIJ, p. 15
7. Burqa Village profile, ARIJ, p. 4
8. Israeli settlers sabotaged 40 olive trees in Burqa village /Ramallah, POICA
9. "Kochav Ya'akov". Peace Now. 2016-01-14. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
10. Lazaroff, Tovah (2013-08-13). "Ariel visits Kochav Ya'akov settlement, pledges more building". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
11. Rotem, Tamar. "The price is right". Haaretz. Retrieved September 13, 2008.
12. Magid, Jacob (2017-07-18). "Black is the new orange: 30% of settlers are now Haredim". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
13. Moshe, Benny (5 March 2013). מיזם חדש בבנימין: החצר התימנית [New initiative in Binyamin: The Yemen Gallery]. Arutz Sheva (in Hebrew). Retrieved 23 March 2013.
14. Moshe, Benny (18 March 2013). בבנימין נחנך מיזם המורשת 'החצר התימנית' [New heritage initiative launched in Binyamin: The Yemen Gallery]. Arutz Sheva (in Hebrew). Retrieved 23 March 2013.
15. "Beijing Taekwondo: Israel's Bat-El Gatterer hits the fast track". The Telegraph. July 31, 2008. Archived from the original on May 31, 2010. Retrieved November 14, 2011.
16. "Taekwondo et Cacheroute" (in French). Israel Infos. August 15, 2008. Retrieved November 16, 2011.
17. "Little Bat-El aims for taekwondo gold". Haaretz. April 2, 2008. Retrieved November 16, 2011.

External links

• Official website