City Focus Israel: Beit Shemesh

Beit Shemesh is a beautiful city. As the name, House of Sun, suggests, it is often sunny in the city between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Many have passed through on the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem train, but few have spent much time there.

The population, nearly 70,000, lies in the Jerusalem district. The city was first mentioned in Prophets, in the book of Joshua, as a city in the land of the tribe of Judah near the boarder with Dan.

The city was born in December, 1950, when a group of displaced Jews set out to build a new home. The city has recently been a center for many Jews fleeing the former Soviet Union.

The city has a large Haredi population, including Todlos Ahron chasidim, and the anti-Israel Satmar and Neutori Karta chasidim.