Matityahu - מתתיהו

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Moshav Matityahu, located approximately midway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv (near Modiin), is a community of religious families living in single-family homes. Removed from the hustle-bustle of city life, Matityahu enjoys a quiet and relaxed rustic environment. Moshav Matityahu was initially founded as a Moshav Shitufi (cooperative agricultural settlement) in 1981 by a Garin (settlers group) of English speaking Olim from the U.S. and elsewhere. Moshav businesses currently include a number of vineyards it operates which sell grapes to Israeli wine makers, agricultural fields operated by independent contractors and rental lands provided to a number of independent businesses in its commercial park.  

Moshav Matityahu is still officially a Moshav Shitufi, although there are no longer any readily apparent vestiges of the kibbutz-like structure that once was. Given the small size of this close-knit community, new candidate families are considered carefully before being accepted. One who understands the importance of Torah observance and tight-knit community on Matityahu will appreciate the benefits such an approach provides.

Residents  back to top^
Moshav Matityahu presently consists of approximately 65 families and is now seeking to accelerate its growth. Eight families have joined Matityahu in the past couple of years. In the next ten years, Matityahu plans to add another 350 carefully selected families.

Of the current resident families, approximately 75% speak English at home (the other 25% are primarily Hebrew-speaking). There is a wide range of ages – from families with parents in their twenties to great-grandparents. A number of households consist of parents who themselves grew up on the Moshav.

Education back to top^
The majority of elementary school-age children on Matityahu go to Cheder, Talmud Torah, or Beis Yakov in Kiryat Sefer and Chashmoniam. Most of these children walk the 10 minutes to and from school. The children who attend the Chinuch Atzma'i school in Chashmonaim, of which Rav Leff is the Menahel Ruchani, ride a school bus. New families are encouraged to send their elementary-school-age children to Charedi schooling.

There is a wonderful Gan (kindergarten) and Maon (day care center) located on the Moshav itself. While these are run almost entirely in Hebrew, the Ganenot (kindergarten teachers) are particularly experienced in helping non-Hebrew-speaking youngsters adjust to the new language environment.

Click here for a detailed article about the Maon and Gan.

For high school and post-high school, students attend a wide range of schools and Yeshivos, located in many different parts of the country. While most Moshav boys continue after high school to learn in Yeshivos, some do serve in the army – in Nachal Charedi, Hesder or regular units. (Many men who live on the Moshav served in the IDF and continue to serve annual reserve duty.) For girls, there is at least one Beis Yakov high school in Kiryat Sefer (another one, very close to Matityahu, is presently under construction). As in most other smaller communities in Israel, many girls either commute further (e.g., Ramat Gan, Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh) or dorm for high school.

Two youth directors are employed by the Moshav to provide regular weekly educational and fun activities for the children and teens.

Housing back to top^
Members of Moshav Matityahu live in single-family houses on generous parcels of land. Matityahu plans to embark on a centralized building project of two-family homes which are expected to be up for sale in 2007. Plans are to grow by 250 families over the next 5-10 years.

Transportation back to top^
Matityahu is approximately 25 minutes by car from Jerusalem, and 30 minutes from Tel Aviv and B'nei Brak. Ben-Gurion airport is 20 minutes away. The Ben Shemen junction of Route 6 (Israel's high-speed toll road) is 15 minutes away and a new Israel Railways station will be opening soon in Modiin.

There is good bus service to/from the Moshav itself, and frequent bus service a few minutes walk fromthe Moshav in Kiryat Sefer. While many Moshav families own an automobile , it is not necessary.

Cultural Activities back to top^
There is a very active “Vaad Tarbut” which organizes frequent educational, social and recreational activities for children and adults. There are numerous regular Torah learning shiurim for men, women and children throughout the week.

Chesed is a big part of life on Matityahu. We are a community in every sense of the word, providing moral and practical support to each another. When a parent is unable to function at full capacity due to birth, injury, a trip overseas, etc., the community immediately rallies to arrange daily meals, childcare assistance and the like.

The community is particularly supportive of families who have made Aliya from western countries, as most of us have done so as well!

Religious Life back to top^
All residents are Shomer-Mitzvos and high religious standards are demanded (e.g., TVs and videos are not permitted, all homes are required to follow the Kashrus standards set by Rav Leff, women must dress with complete adherence to the Tznius standards set by Rav Leff). A number of men learn full time in Kollel.

Many of the residents consider themselves "Charedi" (using Israeli terminology) or "Yeshivish" (more American terminology), but many other residents would not apply such labels to themselves. As a whole, one could describe Matityahu as making Torah learning and observance absolutely central to daily life, with a solid leaning more towards the typical Charedi way of life than to the typical Modern Orthodox / Dati Leumi way of life. The overall Hashkafa is fully Torah-observant while differing from mainstream Israeli Charedi communities in a few key ways. Examples of these differences include wholeheartedly accepting men who work in full-time jobs, allowing those who wish to acknowledge Yom Ha'atzmaut to do so (we do not say Hallel, but we do have other activities for those who wish to take part), and not demanding that men dress only in white shirts, jackets, and hats (although many do).

Community Services back to top^
On Matityahu itself there is a gan, maon, and mercaz hafala (activity center) for children. There is one central beit knesset, a kollel/yeshiva, and a mikva. There is a simcha hall available for holding events. For sports, there are basketball courts and a baseball field. In 2007, construction will commence on a swimming pool and a beit hachlama.

Health Services back to top^
Moshav members include a physician, nurse, and a number of active medics. All the Kupot Cholim (health service centers) have offices just a few minutes away in Kiryat Sefer.

An all-night Terem center, serving members of all the Kupot, operates ten minutes away in Modiin. Shaarei Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem is a 25-minute drive, and the Mercaz-area hospitals are only slightly further.

Commerce back to top^
In Modiin Illit, literally across the street from Matityahu, there are two large chain supermarkets (with home deliveries available) as well as a number of Makolets, mini-markets, butchers, and take-out (meat, falafel, pizza, etc.) – all "Kosher L'Mehadrin." There are also two large hardware stores which sell a myriad of household items and small appliances as well as many other stores selling furniture, eye glasses, books, religious articles, jewelry, shaitels, flowers, health foods, baked goods, clothing, shoes, paper goods, computers, stationary, toys and more. There are money changers, a bank, travel agents, moving company, appliance repair, professional photographer, a car rental outlet and even a Gold Gym with separate men's and women's hours (the gym is less than a five-minute walk from Matityahu).  

Five minutes away by car is the Shilat shopping area, with its dozens of stores including a large Home Center (like Home Depot in the US), a large pet store, baby stores, shoe stores, toy stores, plant nurseries, auto mechanics, and so on. Across route 443, a ten minute drive from Matityahu, is Modiin with its numerous shopping centers. Presently under construction in Modiin is what is to be the largest shopping mall in Israel.

Physical Surroundings back to top^
Moshav Matityahu, located approximately midway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv (near Modiin), is a community of religious families living in single-family homes. Removed from the hustle-bustle of city life, Matityahu enjoys a quiet and relaxed rustic environment. Moshav Matityahu was initially founded as a Moshav Shitufi (cooperative agricultural settlement) in 1981 by a Garin (settlers group) of English speaking Olim from the U.S. and elsewhere. Moshav businesses currently include a number of vineyards it operates which sell grapes to Israeli wine makers, agricultural fields operated by independent contractors and rental lands provided to a number of independent businesses in its commercial park.

Absorption back to top^
Moshav Matityahu is still officially a Moshav Shitufi, although there are no longer any readily apparent vestiges of the kibbutz-like structure that once was. Given the small size of this close-knit community, new candidate families are considered carefully before being accepted. One who understands the importance of Torah observance and tight-knit community on Matityahu will appreciate the benefits such an approach provides.

If you are a family of B'nei Torah, preferably (but not necessarily) English-speaking, who is excited by the thought of joining and contributing to a unique, close-knit Torah community in the center of Israel, we'd like to hear from you! Please fill in a questionnaire and send it back to us.

http://www.matityahu.org/klita.asp