Nir Hen

Nir Hen נִיר חֵ"ן‎
Nir Hen
Coordinates: 31°36′35.27″N 34°42′55.07″E / 31.6097972°N 34.7152972°ECoordinates: 31°36′35.27″N 34°42′55.07″E / 31.6097972°N 34.7152972°E
District	Southern
Council	Lakhish
Affiliation	Moshavim Movement
Founded	1955–1956
Founded by	Jewish refugees from North Africa
Population (2015)[1]	503
Name meaning	Meadow of the 58

Nir Hen (Hebrew: נִיר חֵ"ן‎, lit. Meadow of the 58 (ח"ן is 58 in Gematria)) is a moshav in south-central Israel. Located in Hevel Lakhish between Ashkelon and Kiryat Gat, it falls under the jurisdiction of Lakhish Regional Council. In 2015 it had a population of 503.

History

The moshav was founded in 1956. Its name is in memory of the 58 passengers who traveled on El Al Flight 402 that was shot down over the skies of Bulgaria about a year before the community was founded. The community was originally settled by Jewish refugees from North Africa, and later other immigrants and native Israelis joined them.

The moshav was built, in part, on lands of a former Arab municipality, whose residents fled during the 1948 war.

Notable residents

• Avri Ran

References

1. "List of localities, in Alphabetical order" (PDF). Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 16 October 2016.