Neve Michael

Neve Michael (Hebrew: נְוֵה מִיכָאֵל, lit. 'Michael's Haven')^[2] also known as Roglit, is a moshav in central Israel. Located in the Adullam region and built upon an eminence in the far south-east end of the Elah Valley, it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Yehuda Regional Council. In 2022 it had a population of 883.^[1]

Neve Michael נְוֵה מִיכָאֵל
Moshav
Neve Michael from a hill overlooking the Elah Valley
Etymology: "Michael's Haven"
Neve Michael Location of Neve Michael in Jerusalem District, Israel
Coordinates: 31°40′22″N 35°0′22″E
Country	Israel
District	Jerusalem District
Regional Council	Mateh Yehuda Regional Council
Founded	29 July 1958
Founded by	Kurdish Jews
Population [1]
• Total	883

History

The village was established on 29 July 1958 (12 Av 5718 anno mundi) by Kurdish immigrants from Iran on farm land that had belonged to the depopulated Palestinian village of Bayt Nattif.^[3] The place had formerly been known as Khirbet Jurfah.^[4] Archaeological finds range from the early Hellenistic period to the Umayyad period with evidence of a Jewish settlement in the first century CE.^[5]

The newly restructured Jewish National Fund (JNF), working in concert with the Hitahdut HaIkarim agricultural organisation, settled new immigrants on the site in 1958, giving to the place the name Roglit (Hebrew: רוֹגְלִית), meaning "tiller [of the grapevine]". The new immigrants were initially employed as laborers for JNF land reclamation. Afterwards, the village economy was based on agriculture (citrus fruit) and poultry, which phased out in the late 1980s. A newer regional community center built alongside it was given the name Neve Michael, in memory of American philanthropist, Michael M. Weiss, who was a donor to the JNF.^[6]

The newer section had a regional elementary school which catered to children from the surrounding communities of Roglit, Aderet and Aviezer, but closed its doors in the early 1980s.^{[citation needed]} Today, the grounds of the old school serve as a home for the mentally and physically disabled. When the new settlement of Neve Michael failed to attract new residents, the settlement of Neve Michael was merged with Roglit in 1983.^[7]

A new Israel Border Police outpost was also built in Neve Michael, which was later abandoned in 1962. The founders were joined by immigrants from North Africa, mainly Morocco.^[8] In 2005 the village started an expansion plan attracting many younger families to the moshav. The moshav has a mixed population with people of different ages, ethnic background and Jewish religious observance.^{[citation needed]}

Near the moshav are the ruins of Adullam and Hurvat Itri. To the south-east of the moshav, within walking distance, lies the community settlement of Giv'ot Eden.

Green view from Neve Michael

Gallery

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  Vineyard at Neve Michael
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  View of Valley from the Moshav
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  Sunrise over the Elah Valley
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  Houses in Neve Michael
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  Terebinth tree (Pistacia atlantica) in the Elah valley, on south side of Neve Michael
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  Beneath the shady boughs of a terebinth
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  Terebinth (Pistacia atlantica) growing in the Elah Valley
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  Wheat fields in the Valley of Elah
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  Almond tree with blossoming flowers
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  The ruined structure of an ancient house, in Kh. Jubeil Naqqar, near Neve Michael
• 
  The Community Center in Moshav Neve Michael
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  Neve Michael looking out over Wadi Sur
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  Moshav as seen from eastern mountain
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  Wheat fields in valley
• 
  Dominican sage (Salvia dominica) and Neve Michael in background