Hashmonaim

Used with permission from yeshabulletin.com

Hashmonaim - חשמונאים

About Hasmonaim
Hashmoniaim (a national religious urban settlement - yishuv) located just 3 km away from the Shilat intersection and the city of Modi'in, and 2 kilometers from Kiryat Sefer (for maps press here).

On July 7, 1988, Hashmonaim was proclaimed as a yishuv, turning Ramat Modi'im into a legal neighbourhood of Hashmonaim, which then comprised of two neighbour- hoods: Ramat Modi'im, and Ganei Modi'in.  (Ganei Modi'in, first settled during 1985, is located north west of Ramat Modi'im, and is defined as an ultra orthodox yishuv).   Hashmonaim is under the auspices of the Mateh Binyamin regional council.

Residents 
Residents of Hashmonaim tend to be young, well-educated professionals, including a fair number of doctors, lawyers, engineers, business owners, and educators. They describe their community as an open orthodox community, where residents are committed to their religious lifestyle, but nonjudgmental. Perhaps this is why they feel Hashmonaim has no tensions evident at all. Ashkenazim, Sefaradim, and Yemenites live and pray in the community, but have no cause for conflict. 

Hashmonaim has 10 regular minyanim, with between 12 and 150 people in each. However, it is a community with frequent “minyan hopping,” where the number of options does not indicate fissures in the community. Torah classes are offered regularly in both Hebrew and English. 

Residents of the yishuv currently use mikvas in Kiryat Sefer of Modi’in, however, the community recently raised funds for construction of its own mikva and plans to break ground in the near future.

Education
While there is no maon (daycare) run by the yishuv, many private residents have services available to the community. There are 5 ganim throughout the yishuv and offering many options to parents with pre-schoool children. The government religious elementary school on Hashomaim has over 300 students. The parent-body of the school is tremendously active in all school affairs. In addition, the school has special programs to accommodate its many English-speaking students.  

After completing elementary school, most boys who live in Hashmonaim go to Yeshivat Ner Tamid, a Bnei Akiva affiliate located on the yishuv’s premises. Ner Tamid was established by students of Rabbi Yosef Dov Soleveitchik, and follows his approach toward Torah education. More information on Yeshivat Ner Tamid is available on the yeshiva’s website at https://www.geocities.com/yeshivat_ner_tamid/index.htm. 

Girls generally go to the ulpana located in Modi’in.

The Bnei Akiva youth group plays an active role in the lives of most of Hashmonaim’s children. The chapter numbers over 400 members.

Housing
Hashmonaim has mostly single family and two-family houses, although there are a limited number of cottages and garden apartments. Housing in Hashmonaim is on the expensive side, where empty lots sell for $160,000. Houses on the yishuv are all fairly large, most are around 200 meters. An average price for a two family house would be $380,000; villas sell for in excess of $400,000.  Rentals can be found for around $1000 per month.  

Transportation
Residents of Hashmonaim generally have at least one car. It really can be difficult to get around the area relying only on public transportation.  Reliable, privately-run bus services runs between Hashmonaim and Modi’in (5 minutes), Tel Aviv (40 minutes), Jerusalem (50 minutes), and Petah Tikva (50 minutes). Superbus public transportation has many bus available to Hashmonaim. Public transportation details are available on the Hashmonaim site: https://rammond.djmetals.com/transport

Cultural Activities
The residents liked the idea of settling in an area near a city like Modi’in, but value the small community feeling. The yishuv organizes loads of activities for the children.  With classes in judo, art, dance, in addition to athletic activities, there really is no reason for kids to leave the yishuv. North American olim are often comforted to see Hashmonaim’s baseball field (a rare sight in Israel), when they arrive at the yishuv.

Residents of the yishuv currently use mikvahs in Kiryat Sefer or Modii'in, however, the community recently raised funds for the construction of its own mikvah and plans to break ground in the near future

Religious Life
Residents note that communal life is very much centered around the synagogues. All residents are Religious-Zionist; Ashkenazi and Sefaradi synagogues.

Hashmonaim has 10 regular minyanim, between 12 an d150 people in each. There are a number of options available to find the minyan the best suits your wants and needs. Torah classes are offered regularly in Hebrew and in English.

Community Services
Hashmonaim has a small library, with a reasonable collection of English-language books. The yishuv hopes to build a pool and athletic training room within the next few years.

Health Services
When it comes to healthcare options, residents of Hashmonaim benefit from their close proximity to Kiryat Sefer and Modi’in.  Both localities have the modern clinics of all the kupot holim, dental offices, optometrists, and other health professionals.

Commerce
While the yishuv is evolving rapidly and has many services available locally, many residence take advantage of the close proximate to Modi'in for more major shopping or 10 minutes away to Shirat, where they can find a supermarket, toy store, hardware store, clothing stores, and almost any consumer good they can possibly need.

Physical Surroundings
Hashmonaim is a pretty yishuv, situated on a gentle hill just a few kilometers past Modi’in. The yishuv has a fair number of open space, athletic fields, and playgrounds.

Absorption
With a large Anglo community in Hashmonaim the community is particularly committed to providing new immigrants with a warm welcome. They provide an “adoptive family” for each family of olim, and Shabbat invitations are arranged for several weeks. Hashmonaim children are also quite involved in welcoming newcomers. They “adopt” new olim and help smooth the children’s absorption process.  

There are several different levels of ulpan classes at the Modi’in Community Center, but residents of Hashmonaim also have the option of traveling to Beit Shemesh, Jerusalem, or Tel Aviv for a more appropriate class. Most government ministries, including Absorption and Interior have branch offices in Petah Tikva or Tel Aviv that service olim from Hashmonaim. Unlike most yishuvim, Hashmonaim does not require its potential residents to pass before an acceptance committee.  Residents must agree to public observance of Shabbat, but otherwise are free to purchase or rent as they wish.