Jish

Jish
  • גִ'שׁ/גִ'ישׁ, גּוּשׁ חָלָב‎
  • الجش
Local council
Hebrew transcription(s)
 • ISO 259Ǧiš, Guš Ḥalab
Jish is located in Northeast Israel
Jish
Jish
Jish is located in Israel
Jish
Jish
Coordinates: 33°1′34″N 35°26′43″E / 33.02611°N 35.44528°E / 33.02611; 35.44528
Grid position191/270 PAL
Country Israel
DistrictNorthern
Founded2000 BC (Earliest settlement)
1300 BC (Gush Halav)
Government
 • Head of MunicipalityElias Elias
Area
 • Total
6,916 dunams (6.916 km2 or 2.670 sq mi)
Population
 (2022)[1]
 • Total
3,216
 • Density470/km2 (1,200/sq mi)
Ethnicity
[1]
 • Arabs98.4%
 • Jews and others1.6%
Name meaningA lump of milk
Websitewww.jish.org.il

Jish (Arabic: الجش; Hebrew: גִ'שׁ, גּוּשׁ חָלָב,[2][3] Jish, Gush Halav) is a local council in Upper Galilee, located on the northeastern slopes of Mount Meron, 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) north of Safed, in Israel's Northern District.[4] In 2022, it had a population of 3,216,[1] which is predominantly Maronite Catholic and Melkite Greek Catholic Christians (63%), with a Sunni Muslim Arab minority (about 35.7%).[5][6]

Jish is the ancient Giscala or Gush Halav, first mentioned in the historical record by the Roman-Jewish historian Josephus, who described it as the home of John of Giscala and the last city in the Galilee to fall to the Romans during the First Jewish–Roman War (War 4:93).[7] Archeological excavations uncovered remains from the Canaanite and Israelite periods;[7] later archaeological finds in Jish include two ancient synagogues, a unique mausoleum and rock-cut tombs from the Roman and Byzantine periods.[8] Historical sources dating from the 10th-15th centuries describe Jish (Gush Halav) as a village with a strong Jewish presence.[8]

In the early Ottoman era, Jish was wholly Muslim.[9] In the 17th century, the village was inhabited by Druze.[8] In 1945, under British rule, Jish had a population of 1,090 with an area of 12,602 dunams. It was largely depopulated during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, but was resettled not only by the original inhabitants, who were largely Maronite Christians, but also by some Maronite Christians who were expelled from the razed villages of Kafr Bir'im and some Muslims who were expelled from Dallata.[10][11]

In 2010, the population of Jish was 3,000.[11]

  1. ^ a b c "Regional Statistics". Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  2. ^ Palmer, 1881, p. 76
  3. ^ Conder and Kitchener, 1881, SWP I, p. 225
  4. ^ Yoav Stern (30 July 2007). "Galilee villages launch campaign to attract Christian pilgrims". Haaretz. Retrieved 2007-12-19.
  5. ^ YNET [1] On the slopes of a hill, at an elevation of 860 meters surrounded by cherry orchards, pears and apples, built houses, especially church building looks from afar. Number of inhabitants 3,000 divided by 55% Maronite Christian, 30% Greek Catholics and the rest are Muslims.
  6. ^ "Population" (in Hebrew). Jish local council. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  7. ^ a b Encyclopedia Judaica, Jerusalem, 1978, "Giscala," vol. 7, 590
  8. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference iaa27 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference Hutteroth was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Morris, 2004, p. 508
  11. ^ a b "The Aramaic language is being resurrected in Israel". Vatican Insider - La Stampa. 24 September 2011. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016.