| Rekhasim | |
| Settlement Type: | Local council (from 1959) |
| Translit Lang1: | Hebrew |
| Translit Lang1 Type1: | ISO 259 |
| Translit Lang1 Info1: | Rkasim |
| Translit Lang1 Type3: | Also spelled |
| Translit Lang1 Info3: | Rechasim (unofficial) |
| Pushpin Map: | Israel haifa |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Coordinates: | 32.7488°N 35.1008°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Established Date: | 1951 |
| Leader Title: | Head of Municipality |
| Leader Name: | Itzhak Raih |
| Unit Pref: | dunam |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Blank Name Sec1: | Name meaning |
| Blank Info Sec1: | Mountain ridges |
Rekhasim (Hebrew: רְכָסִים, lit. Mountain ridges)[1] is a Haredi town and local council in the Haifa District of Israel. It is located between Kiryat Tiv'on, Kiryat Ata, and Nesher, next to roads 70, 75, and 762.
With a jurisdiction of 2,859 dunams (~2.9 km2), it had a population of in . It is ranked low (2 out of 10) on the Israeli socio-economic scale.[2]
The town was named after a verse in the Book of Isaiah (Isaiah 40:4), because it is located on four mountain ranges.
Rekhasim lies on four hills near Mount Carmel, labelled with Hebrew letters (Hill Alef, Bet, Gimel and Dalet). It borders two villages in the Zvulun Regional Council: the Jewish Kfar Hasidim and Arab Ibtin.
Its lowest elevation is only 19.8m (65feet) above sea level, while the highest is at 193.6m (635.2feet). The average temperature in January is 11C, and 27C in August. The average annual precipitation is 650mm.
Rekhasim was founded in 1951 by released soldiers and residents of nearby ma'abarot.[3] It initially absorbed large numbers of immigrants from India, Morocco, Romania, Russia, and Yemen.[1]
In 1955 the Knesses Chizkiyahu yeshiva relocated here from Zikhron Ya'akov. The yeshiva purchased a 10dunam lot on the outskirts of the village and five buildings containing a beth midrash, dining hall, dormitories and offices, moving into its new home at the end of April 1955.[4] A small Haredi community developed around the yeshiva, but the majority of residents remained non-Haredi into the 1990s.[1] In 1995 the secular school closed, many non-religious residents left, and the village developed a Haredi majority, with both Ashkenazi and Sephardi neighborhoods. It is now considered a desirable and growing community for young Haredi families.[1]
Educational offerings include tens of kindergartens, six Talmud Torahs, three girls' schools, three yeshiva ketanas, three yeshiva gedolas, and numerous kolels.[1] In addition to the Knesses Chizkiyahu yeshiva system, there is the Sephardi Yeshivat Rechasim, with 400 students.[1]
Rekhasim has more than 80 synagogues and numerous chesed and gemach organizations.[1]