Hashmonaim and the communities around it

A common first question is which neighbourhood of Hashmonaim to look in. The honest answer is that there aren't any official ones: the national street register lists one locality with 34 streets, and when Nefesh B'Nefesh is asked about popular neighbourhoods for olim it answers "Anywhere in the Yishuv." What does matter is the cluster of communities around it, because daily life here crosses those lines all the time.

Hashmonaim (Ramat Modi'im)

The Mateh Binyamin council describes Hashmonaim as an urban religious yishuv of about 680 families, founded in Tammuz 5747 (July 1987), 30 km from Jerusalem, with a mix of backgrounds: new and veteran olim, veteran Israelis, young couples, families and seniors. Its other name is Ramat Modi'im, which is why the community website is "the Ramat Modi'im website". Hebrew Wikipedia (a community source) says about 35% of residents came from the US and other English-speaking countries, and NBN notes that many young couples who grew up here stay.

The yishuv sits on Route 446 between two wadis, Nahal Modi'im to the south and Wadi Kreika to the north, at roughly 220-280 m. HaMoriya is the main road; the main shul cluster is at the HaMoriya-Etz Hadar corner, and the small commercial strip is on HaYitzhar St.

Ganei Modiin, next door

Ganei Modiin is a separate Haredi community yishuv whose entrance is through Hashmonaim. It was founded in 1985, joined Kiryat Sefer/Modiin Illit in 1996 and, about 20 years later, returned to Mateh Binyamin. Hebrew Wikipedia gives about 800 families and about 12 synagogues, mostly Haredi. In 1988 the two were declared one yishuv named Hashmonaim, and today security is still handled by a joint Ganei Modiin-Hashmonaim committee. Several shuls that directories list under "Hashmonaim" are actually on Ganei Modiin streets (Shabazi, Maharitz).

Matityahu and Kfar HaOranim

• Matityahu, just east: about 170 Haredi families, founded in June 1981 by a Haredi-Zionist group formed in the US; the council says about half the residents are of Anglo-Saxon origin.
• Kfar HaOranim (Menora), to the south-east: about 590 families, secular, founded in October 1997, about 4 km from Modiin, with no admissions committee and a small commercial centre.

The places you'll use

• Kiryat Sefer (Modiin Illit), immediately east: the nearest Maccabi centres, big Clalit clinics, Terem's evening urgent care, a Bituach Leumi branch, and the frequent buses to Jerusalem and Bnei Brak that stop at Hashmonaim Junction.
• The Shilat junction area, just south on Route 443: Rami Levy, bakeries, Shabbat take-away and the Be pharmacy that opens on Motzei Shabbat.
• Modiin, about 2 km west: the train stations, Azrieli Mall, Terem 24/7 and the Ministry of Aliyah office.

The community matcher compares Hashmonaim, Ganei Modiin, Matityahu and Kfar HaOranim. The biggest difference between them is religious character, which no score captures, so please visit on a weekday and on Shabbat.

A note on the "Western Hill"

Hebrew Wikipedia's history mentions 243 lots sold on the "western hill" in 1982, a long dispute, and a revised plan approved in 2004. I couldn't confirm the name is still used, so I haven't treated it as a neighbourhood. If you live there and call it that, tell me.