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Yonatan


Moshav Yonatan was founded in 1975 in memory of Yonatan Rosenman, who was killed in the Yom Kippur war in the area. His brother, Didi Yadin, is a member of the small group of farmers who took the initiative to start this agricultural community in the Golan Heights. Yonatan was started as a Moshav Shitufi (a cooperative) and underwent a privatization process to become a Yishuv Kehillati (in which each family operates as an independent economic unit but has a strong communal and social life). Nevertheless, the rural atmosphere prevails and the Moshav is home to a variety of agricultural operations.

Yonatan Stats
Region: North - צפון Climate: Mountain
Demographics: Young couples/Young families, Families, Retirees Medical care:
Clalit
City Type: Moshav/Kibbutz מושב / קיבוץ Affordability: $$
Number of families: 85  
Sectors:
Chardal, Dati Leumi		  
Number of English speakers: 10%
Community contacts:
Paul Barel
Email: klitayonatan@gmail.com
Cell: 052-834-8498
Married, elementary school, Dati
Website: http://www.yonatan.org.il/index.php
Listserv: GoNorthGolan@yahoogroups.com
Local Employment
The Moshav has many agricultural branches including one of the largest dairy farms in the country, a chicken coop which markets hundreds of thousands of chickens a year, a vineyard which supplies grapes to the Golan Heights winery, crops such as apples, mangoes, passion fruit, pears and more. In addition, a wide range of professionals live in Moshav Yonatan, including healthcare professionals, rabbinical scholars, high-tech workers, architects, and others.

Education / Youth
Community life is very active on the Moshav. There is a Talmud Torah for children ages 3-8 offered three times a week, a gymboree offered once a week in the winter months, Parshat Hashavua and Tehillim for kids every Shabbat, various Chugim for different ages, Bnei Akiva and other youth groups. There is a childcare center for children ages three months through three years on the Moshav, as well as kindergarten for children through age six. The elementary school is located in Hispin, which is 15 minutes away, and transportation is provided by the Regional Council. The high school for boys is also in Hispin, and the available high schools for girls are in Tiberias and Meron.

Transportation
From Yonatan, it is a 12 minute drive to Katzrin (the capital of the Golan), 20 minutes to the Kinneret, half an hour to Chatzor, a 45 minute drive to Tiberias and Tsfat, and about 50 minutes to Karmiel.
There is a bus line to and from Tiberias twice a day. Most people have a car, but people are very generous about offering lifts.


Olim Services
There is a significant English speaking population on the Moshav. A number of families have made Aliyah directly to Yonatan, and there are several more families in which one parent (or both) are English speakers.

Amenities / Services
Yonatan hosts a grocery store, a health clinic, a secretarial office which provides postal services, a library, a gemach, and a gas station (which is on the Moshav itself).

Community and Religious Life
The general atmosphere on the Moshav is very warm and friendly. The community's members are Dati Leumi, Shomrei Mitzvot and Zionist. The rabbi of the community, Rav Yishai Samuel, is the main Mashgiach of the Golan, as well as the Rav of Beit Sefer HaGolan (the religious elementary school in Hispin). Approximately 85 families currently live in the Yishuv, in single family houses as well as eight caravans. Religious life is very active on the Moshav, and there are various Shiurim given both by the rabbi and other members of the community. Several chugim are also offered for adults on the moshav itself, such as pilates and dance. In addition, the Culture Committee organizes parties, holiday activities, women's evenings and other communal activities.

Real Estate
Currently, the community is looking for families to join the building project, referred to as the expansion, or Harchava. The Moshav invested in infrastructure for 19 plots and the new neighborhood is ready for construction. Several plots are still available for purchase. Sewage, water, paved roads, electricity and lighting are already in place. The plots of land are a good size (750 sq. meters) and the cost (infrastructure included) is approximately 151,000 NIS. This is a Bnei Beitcha or "Build Your Own House," project, so buyers can design and build their dream house exactly as they want it.

Updated: January 2010

Tags: North Moshav - Kibbutz $$ Young Couples & Families Families Chardal Dati Leumi