Maronites in Israel
Encyclopedia
The Maronites
are an ethnoreligious group in the Middle East that have been historically tied with Lebanon. They derive their name from the Syriac saint Mar Maron whose followers moved to Mount Lebanon from northern Syria establishing the Maronite Church, most of whose members currently live in Lebanon. The Maronite community in Israel numbers about 6,700, most of whom live in the Galilee, close to the Lebanese border. The Maronites in Israel encompass the long existing community in Jish
area and the families of former SLA militia members who fled South Lebanon in April-May 2000.
The Maronite Church
has been in formal communion with the Roman Catholic Church since 1182, and is the only Eastern church which is entirely Catholic. As a Uniate body (an Eastern Church in communion with Rome, which yet retains its respective language, rites and canon law) they possess their own liturgy, which is in essence an Antiochene rite in the Syriac language. The Maronite Patriarchal Vicariate in Jerusalem dates from 1895.
, Kafr Bir'im
and Jish
. Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
, the Maronite villages of Iqrit
and Kafr Bir'im
were ordered to temporarily evacuate by the IDF
, due to their proximity to the border with Lebanon. However, the residents have never been allowed to return, finally taking residence in the nearby town of Jish, which in turn had emptied from much of its Arab Muslim population earlier. The Maronites have formed the majority of Jish's population to this day.
The Maronite population of Israel has significantly increased, following the May 2000 withdrawal of IDF
from southern Lebanon. Several thousands of former SLA militia members and their families, mostly Lebanese Maronites, fled South Lebanon to Galilee
during April-May 2000. While many of them continued further into France and the Americas, many still remained, joining the existing Maronite communities of Galilee and establishing new ones, most notably in the city of Nahariyya.
The Maronite residents of Jish relate to themselves as Syriac Aramean Christian Maronite peoples.
Maronites
Maronites , is an ethnoreligious group in the Middle East that have been historically tied with Lebanon. They derive their name from the Syriac saint Mar Maron whose followers moved to Mount Lebanon from northern Syria establishing the Maronite Church....
are an ethnoreligious group in the Middle East that have been historically tied with Lebanon. They derive their name from the Syriac saint Mar Maron whose followers moved to Mount Lebanon from northern Syria establishing the Maronite Church, most of whose members currently live in Lebanon. The Maronite community in Israel numbers about 6,700, most of whom live in the Galilee, close to the Lebanese border. The Maronites in Israel encompass the long existing community in Jish
Jish
Jish is an Arab town located on the northeastern slopes of Mt. Meron, north of Safed, in Israel's North District. The population is predominantly Maronite Christian and Greek Catholic with a Muslim minority....
area and the families of former SLA militia members who fled South Lebanon in April-May 2000.
The Maronite Church
Maronite Church
The Syriac Maronite Church of Antioch is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See of Rome . It traces its heritage back to the community founded by Maron, a 4th-century Syriac monk venerated as a saint. The first Maronite Patriarch, John Maron, was elected in the late 7th...
has been in formal communion with the Roman Catholic Church since 1182, and is the only Eastern church which is entirely Catholic. As a Uniate body (an Eastern Church in communion with Rome, which yet retains its respective language, rites and canon law) they possess their own liturgy, which is in essence an Antiochene rite in the Syriac language. The Maronite Patriarchal Vicariate in Jerusalem dates from 1895.
History
The Maronite community in upper Galilee spans from the 18th century, being concentrated in the villages of IqritIqrit
Iqrit was a Palestinian Christian village, located 25 kilometers northeast of Acre. Originally allotted to form part of an Arab state under the 1947 UN Partition Plan, it was captured and depopulated by the Israel Defence Force during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war...
, Kafr Bir'im
Kafr Bir'im
Kafr Bir'im, also Kefr Berem , was an Arab Christian village in Palestine located south of the Lebanese border and northwest of Safed. The village was situated above sea level, with a church overlooking it at an elevation of . The church was built on the ruins of an older church destroyed in an...
and Jish
Jish
Jish is an Arab town located on the northeastern slopes of Mt. Meron, north of Safed, in Israel's North District. The population is predominantly Maronite Christian and Greek Catholic with a Muslim minority....
. Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
1948 Arab-Israeli War
The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...
, the Maronite villages of Iqrit
Iqrit
Iqrit was a Palestinian Christian village, located 25 kilometers northeast of Acre. Originally allotted to form part of an Arab state under the 1947 UN Partition Plan, it was captured and depopulated by the Israel Defence Force during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war...
and Kafr Bir'im
Kafr Bir'im
Kafr Bir'im, also Kefr Berem , was an Arab Christian village in Palestine located south of the Lebanese border and northwest of Safed. The village was situated above sea level, with a church overlooking it at an elevation of . The church was built on the ruins of an older church destroyed in an...
were ordered to temporarily evacuate by the IDF
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
, due to their proximity to the border with Lebanon. However, the residents have never been allowed to return, finally taking residence in the nearby town of Jish, which in turn had emptied from much of its Arab Muslim population earlier. The Maronites have formed the majority of Jish's population to this day.
The Maronite population of Israel has significantly increased, following the May 2000 withdrawal of IDF
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
from southern Lebanon. Several thousands of former SLA militia members and their families, mostly Lebanese Maronites, fled South Lebanon to Galilee
Galilee
Galilee , is a large region in northern Israel which overlaps with much of the administrative North District of the country. Traditionally divided into Upper Galilee , Lower Galilee , and Western Galilee , extending from Dan to the north, at the base of Mount Hermon, along Mount Lebanon to the...
during April-May 2000. While many of them continued further into France and the Americas, many still remained, joining the existing Maronite communities of Galilee and establishing new ones, most notably in the city of Nahariyya.
Language
Traditionally, Aramaic had been the spoken language of the Maronites up to the 17th century, then Arabic took its place, while Aramaic remained in use only for liturgical purposes. Recently, the Jish community has made efforts to revive the ancient Aramaic Syriac language of the Maronites to the level of a spoken language. Although the vast majority of Maronites in the Middle East are currently Arabic-speakers, the Jish Maronite community of Galilee is unique, as they have retained a "Hebrew-like" tongue, traced to Aramaic.Identity
In a study on Maronites' identity in Israel, performed in Haifa University, it was found that the large majority of this community reject Arab identity in favor of distinct Maronite one. Israeli Druze, who form a sizeable portion of the Galilee population, show a similar trend, favoring a distinct Druze ethnoreligious identity, over pan-Arab one.The Maronite residents of Jish relate to themselves as Syriac Aramean Christian Maronite peoples.
External links
- Aramaic Center of Jish http://www.aramaic-center.com/about.html