CONTENTS

• Commerce and Health Services
• Transportation
• Residents
• Education
• Community Cultural and Religious Life
• Physical Surroundings
• Absorption Programs
• Real Estate

Commerce and Health Services back to top^
While the yishuv does have a reasonably well-stocked minimarket, for more major shopping residents generally travel 2 minutes down the road to Modi’in or 10 minutes away to Shilat, where they can find a supermarket, toy store, hardware store, clothing stores, and almost any consumer good they can possibly need. 

When it comes to healthcare options, residents of Hashmonaim benefit from their proximity to Kiryat Sefer and Modi’in.  Both localities have modern clinics of all the kupot holim and offices for dentists, optometrists, and other health professionals.

Transportation back to top^
Residents of Hashmonaim generally have at least one car. It really can be difficult to get around the area relying only on public transportation.  Reliable, privately-run bus services runs between Hashmonaim and Modi’in (5 minutes), Tel Aviv (40 minutes), Jerusalem (50 minutes), and Petah Tikva (50 minutes). 

Residents back to top^
Residents of Hashmonaim tend to be young, well-educated professionals, including a fair number of doctors, lawyers, engineers, business owners, and educators. They describe their community as an open orthodox community, where residents are committed to their religious lifestyle, but nonjudgmental. Perhaps this is why they feel Hashmonaim has no tensions evident at all. Ashkenazim, Sefaradim, and Yemenites live and pray in the community, but have no cause for conflict.

Community Services and Institutions back to top^
Hashmonaim has a small library, with a reasonable collection of English-language books. The yishuv hopes to build a pool and athletic training room within the next few years. 

Education back to top^
While the yishuv does not itself administer a maon (daycare facility), several private providers offer these services to Hashmonaim residents.

There are 5 ganim spread throughout the yishuv and parents feel that all options are very good. The government religious elementary school on Hashomaim has over 300 students. The parent-body of the school is tremendously active in all school affairs. In addition, the school has special programs to accommodate its many English-speaking students.  

After completing elementary school, most boys who live in Hashmonaim go to Yeshivat Ner 16.01.08 premises. Ner Tamid was established by students of Rabbi Yosef Dov Soleveitchik, and follows his approach toward Torah education. More information on Yeshivat Ner Tamid is available on the yeshiva’s website at http://www.geocities.com/yeshivat_ner_tamid/index.htm. 

Girls generally go to the ulpena located in Modi’in.

The Bnei Akiva youth group plays an active role in the lives of most of Hashmonaim’s children. The chapter numbers over 400 members.

Community Cultural and Religious Life back to top^
Hashmonaim is a real community-oriented place. Residents note that communal life is very much centered around the synagogues. The residents liked the idea of settling in an area near a city like Modi’in, but value the small community feeling. 

The yishuv organizes loads of activities for the children.  With classes in judo, art, dance, in addition to athletic activities, there really is no reason for kids to leave the yishuv. North American olim are often comforted to see Hashmonaim’s baseball field (a rare sight in Israel), when they arrive at the yishuv. 

Hashmonaim has 10 regular minyanim, with between 12 and 150 people in each. However, it is a community with frequent “minyan hopping,” where the number of options does not indicate fissures in the community. Torah classes are offered regularly in both Hebrew and English. 

Residents of the yishuv currently use mikvas in Kiryat Sefer or Ganei Modi’in, which is only a short walk from Hashmonaim. However, the community recently raised funds for construction of its own mikva and plans to break ground in the near future. 

Physical Surroundings back to top^
Hashmonaim is a pretty yishuv, situated on a gentle hill just a few kilometers past Modi’in. The yishuv has a fair number of open space, athletic fields, and playgrounds.

Absorption Programs back to top^
The large Anglo community in Hashmonaim is particularly committed to providing new immigrants with a warm welcome. They provide an “adoptive family” for each family of olim, and Shabbat invitations are arranged for several weeks. Hashmonaim children are also quite involved in welcoming newcomers. They “adopt” new olim and help smooth the children’s absorption process.  

There are several different levels of ulpan classes at the Modi’in Community Center, but residents of Hashmonaim also have the option of traveling to Beit Shemesh, Jerusalem, or Tel Aviv for a more appropriate class. Most government ministries, including Absorption and Interior have branch offices in Petah Tikva or Tel Aviv that service olim from Hashmonaim. Unlike most yishuvim, Hashmonaim does not require its potential residents to pass before an acceptance committee.  Residents must agree to public observance of Shabbat, but otherwise are free to purchase or rent as they wish. 

Real Estate back to top^
Hashmonaim has mostly single family and two-family houses, although there are a limited number of cottages and garden apartments. Housing in Hashmonaim is on the expensive side, where empty lots sell for $160,000. Houses on the yishuv are all fairly large, most are around 200 meters. An average price for a two family house would be $380,000; villas sell for in excess of $400,000.  Rentals can be found for around $1000 per month.