Meirav

Meirav (Hebrew: מֵירַב) or Merav is a religious kibbutz located on the downward slopes of Mount Gilboa in Israel. Located about ten kilometres southwest of Beit She'an and less than 500 metres from the Green Line, it falls under the jurisdiction of Valley of Springs Regional Council (Hebrew: מועצה אזורית עמק המעיינות, Mo'atza Azorit Emeq Hamaayanot), known until 2008 as the Beit She'an Valley Regional Council.

Name

Some people connect the name "Meirav" to the story of Saul's death in the Battle of Gilboa against the Philistines, which is believed to have occurred nearby, because Saul's oldest daughter was named Meirav (1 Samuel 14:49). However, the name can also be interpreted as meaning "a lot of water" and " the most of".

History

The kibbutz was founded initially as a Nahal settlement on Mount Malkishua in 1982, and is the newest religious kibbutz in the country. In 1987 it moved to its current location on Mount Avinadav.

Meirav is located just south of another religious kibbutz, Ma'ale Gilboa. As they are both religious kibbutzim, it was decided that although they are located in the Gilboa mountains (and would naturally fall under the jurisdiction of Gilboa Regional Council), it would be better to include them in Beit She'an Valley Regional Council, where there is a group of religious kibbutzim, including Ein HaNatziv, Sde Eliyahu, Shluhot and Tirat Zvi.