Heftziba
| Heftziba | |
|---|---|
 Heftziba
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| Coordinates: 32°31′4.8″N 35°25′31.44″E / 32.518000°N 35.4254000°ECoordinates: 32°31′4.8″N 35°25′31.44″E / 32.518000°N 35.4254000°E | |
| District | Northern |
| Council | Gilboa |
| Affiliation | Kibbutz Movement |
| Founded | 1922 |
| Founded by | Immigrants from Czechoslovakia and Germany |
| Population (2015) | 538 |
Heftziba (Hebrew: חֶפְצִיבָּהּ) is a kibbutz in northern Israel. Located on the boundaries of the Jezreel and Beit She'an Valleys between the cities of Afula and Beit She'an, it falls under the jurisdiction of Gilboa Regional Council. In 2015 it had a population of 538.
The kibbutz was founded in 1922 by immigrants from Czechoslovakia and Germany. It was named after the farm adjacent to Hadera, where the original settlers worked before they relocated and founded the community. Originally the name derives from the Bible, where God speaks about his love for Israel: "My delight in her." (Isaiah 62:4)
According to a census conducted in 1922 by the British Mandate authorities, Heftziba had a population of 125 inhabitants, consisting of 123 Jews and 2 Muslims.
The Beit Alfa Synagogue National Park is located in the kibbutz, not, as many assume, at the adjacent kibbutz with the same name, Beit Alfa. It contains an ancient Byzantine-era synagogue, with a mosaic floor depicting the lunar Hebrew months as they correspond to the signs of the zodiac. The synagogue as well as the nearby kibbutz got their name from the Arab village that once stood here, Khirbet Bait Ilfa.
Makuya students have been sent to kibbutzim in Israel to study Hebrew and the biblical background. Some of them continue their academic studies in universities. The primary kibbutz the Makuya students stay at is Heftziba.
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