Mateh Yehuda Regional Cooncil

Mateh Yehuda Regional Council (Hebrew: מועצה אזורית מטה יהודה‎‎, Mo'atza Azorit Mateh Yehuda) is a regional council in the Jerusalem Destrict o Israel. In 2008 it wis hame tae 36,200 fowk.

The name o the regional cooncil stems frae the fact that its territory wis pairt o the land allottit tae the Tribe o Judah, accordin tae the Bible.

Places an communities

The regional cooncil admeenisters moshavim, kibbutzim, Arab veelages an ither rural settlements that lie tae the north an sooth o Jerusalem-Tel Aviv heich-gate, frae Jerusalem tae Latrun an up tae aurie o Beit Shemesh (Ha'ela Valley) in the Sooth.

The settlements vary greatly in their character. There are releegious, secular an mixed Jewish communities, twa Arab communities, an the anerlie mixed Arab-Jewish veelage in Israel - Neve Shalom. Mony o the Jewish communities in the Mateh Yehuda destrict wur established bi immigrants frae Indie, Yemen, Iraq, Iran an kintras in Eastren Europe.

Leet o veelages

Kibbutzim
- Harel · Kiryat Anavim · Ma'ale HaHamisha · Nahshon · Netiv HaLamed-Heh · Ramat Rachel · Tzora · Tzova
Moshavim
- Aderet · Agur · Aminadav · Aviezer · Bar Giora · Beit Zeit · Beit Meir · Beit Nekofa · Bekoa · Eshtaol · Even Sapir · Gefen · Givat Ye'arim · Givat Yeshayahu · Kfar Uria · Kisalon · Luzit · Mevo Beitar · Mata · Mahsia · Mesilat Zion · Naham · Nehusha · Nes Harim · Neve Ilan · Neve Michael · Ora · Ramat Raziel · Sdot Micha · Sho'eva · Shoresh · Ta'oz · Tal Shahar · Tarum · Tirosh · Tzafririm · Tzelafon · Yad HaShmona · Yish'i · Zanoah · Zekharia
Communal settlements
- Nataf · Srigim · Tzur Hadassah
Jewish villages
- Gizo · Motza Illit
Arab villages
- Ein Naqquba · Ein Rafa
Arab-Jewish veelage
- Neve Shalom
Ither settlements
- Deir Rafat · Ein Kerem Agricultural School · Eitanim · Givat Shemesh · Kfar Zoharim · Kiryat Ye'arim Youth Village · Yedida

Tourism

The main tourist activities in the area are mountain hiking and biking. Other attractions include the Avshalom stalactites cave, natural water springs, historical synagogues and goat cheese farms.