Kfar Shamai Explained

Kfar Shamai
Imgsize:250
Foundation:1949
Founded By:Immigrants from Yemen
District:north
Council:Merom HaGalil
Affiliation:Hapoel HaMizrachi
Pushpin Map:Israel northeast
Pushpin Mapsize:250
Pushpin Label Position:bottom
Coordinates:32.9567°N 35.4569°W

Kfar Shamai (Hebrew: כפר שמאי) is a moshav in northern Israel. Located in Upper Galilee, about 3km (02miles) west of Safed, it falls under the jurisdiction of Merom HaGalil Regional Council. In it had a population of .

History

The moshav was founded in 1949 by immigrants from Yemen. It was built over the Palestinian village of al-Sammu'i that was depopulated during the 1948 war[1] as part of Israel's Independence war. Most of these immigrants have stayed. Over the years immigrants from Romania and Morocco joined them. Today, 2006, the moshav houses a museum for the preservation of local history since its establishment.

The name "Kfar Shamai" is based on Shammai the Elder, who was the partner of Hillel the Elder. According to Jewish tradition, Shammai was buried in Har Meron or in "Shammai Hill" near the community.

Notes and References

  1. Yalqut Teiman, Yosef Tobi and Shalom Seri (editors), Tel-Aviv 2000, p. 131, s.v. כפר שמאי (Hebrew)