MODIIN

ancient tomb in Modiin identified as that of
Matityahu, courtesy Wikipedia

modern Modiin, courtesy, Wikipedia

The city of Modiin is the center of a metropolitan area that also includes the neighborhoods of Maccabim and Re’ut. It is located about midway between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and is connected to those two cities via Highway 443. In 2019 the population was 93,277. The modern city, built in the 1990s, was named after the ancient Jewish town of Modi'in, the place of origin of the Maccabees.  

During the time of Joshua, the site of Modiin was allotted to the tribe of Judah on its northwestern border, probably where the tribal borders of Dan and Benjamin meet. By the 2^nd century BCE, the town became the residence of the priestly Hasmonean (later referred to as the “Maccabee”) family and was headed by Matityahu. The First Book of Maccabees described his genealogy as "Mattathias, the son of John, the son of Simeon, a priest of the sons of Joiarib, from Jerusalem; and he dwelt at Modin" (I Macc. ii. 1). He had five sons: Judah (Judas Maccabaeus), Eleazar, Simon, John, and Jonathan. In 168 BCE, the ruler of the Syrian-Greek Seleucid Empire which also ruled over Judea, was Antiochus Epiphanes. He had sent his soldiers under Apelles, who is mentioned by Josephus but not in the Book of Maccabees, to Modiin, in order to set up an altar to the heathen god, and ordered Matityahu, as the most influential citizen, whose example would be followed, to sacrifice in accordance with the king's command. He responded: "Though all the nations that are under the king's dominion obey him, . . . yet will I, and my sons, and my brethren, walk in the covenant of our fathers" (I Macc. ii. 19-20). And when a certain Jew was about to obey the command, Matityahu, who was filled with holy wrath, killed the offender and destroyed the altar, while his sons cut down the king's officer. Thus began the Jewish revolt against Seleucid rule and the Hellenisation of the Jewish population. The revolt succeeded in driving out the Seleucids, and the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem at the end of the revolt is commemorated by the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. In c. 165 BCE, Matityahu died and was buried in Modiin. His children were also buried there and their tombs can still be seen today. After expelling the Seleucids, the Maccabees formed the Hasmonean dynasty, which ruled Judea in the 2nd and 1st centuries BCE.

Simon eventually built a splendid mausoleum at Modiin, which was adorned with seven pyramids and high columns with sculptures of ships that were said to be visible from the sea (i Macc. 13:25–30; Jos., Ant. 13:210–11). In the time of Jonathan, Modiin and the surrounding area was passed into Jewish possession. An important battle was undertaken against the Seleucid Kendebaois from a camp situated close to Modiin. Judas Maccabaeus is mentioned as having marched out of the town in order to fight Seleucid forces sent against him by Antiochus v (ii Macc. 13:14ff.), suggesting that Modiin was unfortified. John and Judah camped close to Modiin before the battle of Kidron (i Macc. 16:4).

Archaeological excavations have revealed remains dating from this period including a late 2^nd/early 1^st century BCE synagogue, in use until 132 CE (Bar Kokhba revolt), and a 1st-century CE mikveh standing next to it. Modiin was the home town of R. Eleazar of Modi'in, a close relative of Bar Kokhba and perhaps identical with Eleazar the high priest, who appears on coins of the Bar Kokhba revolt. R. *Eleazar was put to death in 135 CE on grounds of treason. Another teacher associated with Modi'in was Rabbi Yossi, but details regarding him and his teachings are sparse.

Abandoned shortly afterward, the ensuing centuries were taken up with travelers, pilgrims, and archaeologists, attempting to identify the location of the ancient town as well as of the Tombs of the Maccabees.

In 1944, during World War II while Israel was under a British Mandate, the custom of the annual Hanukkah torch relay, starting from the Tombs of the Maccabees in Modiin, was established by the Maccabi Sports Federation. Originally, a torch, carried by Israeli runners starting from the site of the Tombs, would make its way to Federation headquarters in Tel Aviv. However, since the 1950s and continuing to this day, the torch would first go to Jerusalem to light the national menorah, then to other parts of the country, and even to communities in the Diaspora.

In July 1948, during Israel’s War of Independence, the area west of the Naḥal Modi'im gorge was occupied by Israeli forces while the Arab settlement of al-Midya remained beyond the 1949 armistice line under Arab Jordanian occupation.  

In the 1950s and 1960s, the Herzl Forest of Ben Shemen was gradually enlarged eastward to become the Modi'im Forest, and an observation tower and amphitheater were built there. In 1964, the Modi'im region development project was started, providing for further afforestation and land reclamation; the area's northern section was set aside as an ultimate reserve for the expansion of the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, with plans laid out for the construction of a future city to be named Makkabit. In 1965, a Naḥal outpost settlement, Mevo Modi'im, was established less than a mile from the armistice line by a group affiliated with Po'alei Agudat Israel. After the *Six-Day War, these settlers moved southeastward to set up a new village in the Ayalon Valley, at the foot of the Beth-Ḥoron ascent, while the site of Mevo Modi'im, which has poor and rocky soil, was earmarked for a village to be based on industry and a Po'alei Agudat Israel seminary. Forest planting continued after 1967 on both sides of the former armistice line, carried out in the west by Jewish laborers and in the east by Arabs.

In 1985, the construction of the town of Maccabim, which was led by the International Maccabi organization began, and the project of founding nearby Re'ut, led by an association of Israeli army officers, started in 1987. The towns were united into Maccabim-Re'ut in 1990. Meanwhile, the modern-day city of Modiin was planned by the famed Israeli architect Moshe Safdie. The cornerstone was laid in 1993. It was built as a modern planned city with high standards of urban planning. Environmental issues and future growth were taken into consideration from the early design stages. Large greenspaces were incorporated into the city's layout and today comprise 50% of the area within the city limits. The city was opened for residency in 1996. It was later merged with Maccabim-Re’ut to create the unified municipality of Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut. In 2008, it was decided to cap the growth of Modi'in to allow for the development of Lod and Ramla.

In 2007, Modi'in was selected as one of the inaugural cities for the Israel Baseball League. The baseball team was named the Modi'in Miracle, but did not play games in Modi'in as there is no baseball stadium there.

In 2008, the Pioneers of the Israeli Football League (American Football) relocated to Modi'in. The Pioneers played all their home games in Modi'in. In their first year, they won the IFL Championship. After an unsuccessful 2009–10 season, their second in Modi'in, the Pioneers relocated once again to Tel Aviv, where most of the team's players lived.

In 2014, Modi'in was the site of the funeral for the kidnapped and murdered teens Naftali Fraenkel, Gil-Ad Shaer and Elad Yifrah. Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke at the funeral.

The city center is a large traffic circle. On the north side of the circle is the central train station, to the northeast is the Azrieli shopping mall, and to the west and south is the Anaba park which contains a small artificial lake used for recreational boating. The traffic circle straddles a major northeast–southwest artery, HaHashmona'im Blvd., that connects to the southwest with route 431 and to the northeast with route 443 (at Shilat Junction) providing connectivity to Jerusalem (southeast) and Lod (northwest).

Approximately 3 miles west-northwest of the city center is an industrial zone, and to the west (on route 431) is the Yishpro commercial center. The industrial zone is also linked to route 443 via its own interchange, between Shilat Junction and the Maccabim Junction at the eastern side of the Ben Shemen JNF forest. This keeps most of the commercial traffic out of the city proper, so that the two arteries between the city and its industrial zone (Emek HaEla and HaShdera Hamerkazit) carry primarily commuters rather than trucks.

Aside from Maccabim-Re’ut, the following neighborhoods surround Modiin: HaShvatim, Moriah, HaPrachim, HaNachlim, Masuah, “Malibu”, HaKramim, Avnei Chen, HaNevi’im, HaMeginim, and HaTzipporim.