Migdal, Israel

Migdal (Hebrew: מִגְדָּל‎, lit. Tower) is a town in the Northern District of Israel. It was founded in 1910, and granted local council status in 1949. In 2019 it had a population of 1,952.

Migdal

  • מִגְדָּל‎‎
  • مغدال‎
Local council (from 1949)
Hebrew transcription(s)
 • ISO 259Migdal
Migdal
Migdal
Coordinates: 32°50′20.68″N 35°29′57.46″E
Country Israel
DistrictNorthern
Founded1910
Government
 • Head of MunicipalityIsrael Sason Amrosi
Area
 • Total11,395 dunams (11.395 km2 or 4.400 sq mi)
Population
 (2019)[1]
 • Total1,952
 • Density170/km2 (440/sq mi)
Name meaningTower

Migdal is located near Ginosar, and about 8 km north of Tiberias.[2] It has a shoreline on the Sea of Galilee, including the Tamar, Ilanot and Arbel beaches.

History

Migdal is named after a city from the Second Temple period called "Magdala". The ancient city is believed to have been located on the site of the depopulated village of al-Majdal, which preserved the name.[3]

In 1908, a small group of German Catholics who identified the site as the birthplace of Mary Magdalene settled there.[4] They left after a year and the land was bought by Russian Zionists who founded a farm, Ahuzat Moskva (Moscow Estate) in 1910. This settlement was adjacent to the Arab village al-Majdal. A few years later, the land was sold to private investors.[2] An encampment of Gdud HaAvoda workers who built the Tiberias-Rosh Pina road was established there in 1921.[5]

According to a census conducted in 1922 by the British Mandate authorities, Migdal had a population of 51 inhabitants, consisting of 42 Jews and 9 Muslims.[6]

See also

Magdala
Al-Majdal, Tiberias

References
  1. "Population in the Localities 2019" (XLS). Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  3. Hareuveni, Immanuel (2010). Eretz Yisrael Lexicon. Ministry of Education. pp. 558–559.
  5. Encyclopedia of Zionism and Israel Herzl Press and McGraw-Hill, New York 1971, Volume II, p. 784
The town of Migdal is featured on the right, and Hamaam on the left From Mount Arbel.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.