Type of Community: Yishuv

Region: South

Religious Percent: 20

English Speaking Percent: 10

Meitar was established in 1984 by a mixed group of secular and religious Jews, and the feeling of openness and acceptance is a trademark of community until this day. This southern gem of a town is a friendly community where everyone makes an effort to speak in Hebrew. It should be specially noted that Meitar won an award for its excellent schools in 2007.

Local Employment
Many residents work throughout the Negev while others travel to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Ben Gurion University and Soroka Hospital in Beer Sheva are major employers in the area. There is a growth of hi-tech companies in the area and many of these companies are seeking employees.

Education / Youth
Meitar won the National Education Award in 2007 for its wonderful educational institutes. The public secular elementary school goes up to 9th grade, and the religious school goes through 8th. Most of the religious children study in Ulpanot and Yeshivot after 8th grade, but remain involved in the community and in the local Bnei Akiva. The secular students generally attend local high schools. Several youth groups, both secular and religious, offer programs.

Transportation
The train to Tel Aviv takes 75 minutes (from Beer Sheva). There are regular buses to Beer Sheva and Kiryat Arba. It is 1.5 hours by car to both Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, and a half hour drive to Arad. A car would be necessary as the buses don’t run that often.

Olim Services
There are no specific programs in place for Olim, but given the close knit nature of this community, the new Oleh is well looked after. There is an English speaker’s book club.

Amenities / Services
The Community Center offers a wide variety of programs for both adults and youth, and an emphasis is now being placed on care for the aging populations.

Community and Religious Life
The relationships that exist between the secular and religious populations are solid and genuine. There are 8 Orthodox and one Conservative Beit Knesset (synagogues). There are daily Minyanim- several every morning and evening, Daf Yomi both morning and evening, and separate swimming hours every day at the pool. There is daily learning for men plus a Beit Midrash for women with Shiurim, and daily Tehilim for women. Additionally, there is a weekly women’s Chumash class in English taught by Rabbi Elisha Citroen.

Source: Nefesh B’Nefesh

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