Tel HaShomer
Encyclopedia
Tel HaShomer is a district in Gush Dan
in central Israel
. It is located east of Ramat Gan, and is bordered to the north by Kiryat Ono, to the east by Yehud
, and to the south by Or Yehuda
. A major Israel Defense Forces
base and the Sheba Medical Center
are located in Tel HaShomer.
established in 1934 by Moshe and Emil Litvinsky in memory of their father Elhanan Litvinsky. The first inhabitants were Jewish immigrants from Germany and Poland. In 1936, it was noted for its high proportion of academics and doctors. During World War II
, most of the village lands were expropriated for the construction of a British military base. The base was of strategic importance because it controlled the Jaffa
–Lydda Airport
road. It was also used to house Italian prisoners of war
.
stole explosives and 75 rifles. Towards of the end of the British Mandate of Palestine, Arabs under the command of Hasan Salama
began smuggling in arms and personnel disguised as laborers into the camp. The Haganah
command saw this as a threat and on April 15, 1948, two companies for the 32nd and 33rd Battalions of the Alexandroni Brigade
entered and captured the base. Arab forces counterattacked from al-Khayriyya
, Kafr 'Ana
, al-'Abbasiyya
and Saqiya, but the Jewish forces reinforced and pushed them back to a small salient in the south of the camp, which was captured later in Operation Hametz
. The Alexandroni Brigade lost three soldiers, which the Arab losses are estimated at about 50.
The area was renamed to Tel HaShomer in 1948, after HaShomer
, an early Ottoman
-period Jewish defense organization.
Adjacent to the base there are both military and civilian hospital
s (in adjoining complexes) known as the Tel HaShomer Hospital. The civilian hospital is named Sheba Medical Center
and is under the municipal jurisdiction of Ramat Gan. Magen David Adom
has its headquarters and main blood bank on site.
Gush Dan
The Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area , or Gush Dan , is a metropolitan area including areas from both the Tel Aviv and the Central Districts of Israel. The area is closely linked to the city of Tel Aviv through social, economic, and cultural ties. It is located along the Israeli Mediterranean coastline...
in central Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. It is located east of Ramat Gan, and is bordered to the north by Kiryat Ono, to the east by Yehud
Yehud
Yehud is a city in the Center District in Israel that is part of the joint municipality of Yehud-Monosson. In 2007, Yehud's population was approximately 25,600 .- History :...
, and to the south by Or Yehuda
Or Yehuda
Or Yehuda is a city in the Tel Aviv District in Israel. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , the city had a population of 32,200 at the end of 2007.-History:Or Yehuda is located where the biblical city of Kefar Ono used to stand....
. A major Israel Defense Forces
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...
base and the Sheba Medical Center
Sheba Medical Center
The Chaim Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer , also Tel HaShomer Hospital, is the largest hospital in Israel.-Overview:The hospital was named after Chaim Sheba, the founding director. It was established in 1948 as the country's first military hospital to treat casualties of Israel's War of...
are located in Tel HaShomer.
History
Tel Litvinsky (later Tel Hashomer) was a moshavaMoshava
A moshava , plural: Moshavot is a form of rural settlement in Israel.In a moshava, as opposed to communal settlements like the kibbutz and the moshav, all the land and property are privately-owned. The first moshavot, described as "colonies" in professional literature, were established by...
established in 1934 by Moshe and Emil Litvinsky in memory of their father Elhanan Litvinsky. The first inhabitants were Jewish immigrants from Germany and Poland. In 1936, it was noted for its high proportion of academics and doctors. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, most of the village lands were expropriated for the construction of a British military base. The base was of strategic importance because it controlled the Jaffa
Jaffa
Jaffa is an ancient port city believed to be one of the oldest in the world. Jaffa was incorporated with Tel Aviv creating the city of Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel. Jaffa is famous for its association with the biblical story of the prophet Jonah.-Etymology:...
–Lydda Airport
Ben Gurion International Airport
Ben Gurion International Airport , also referred to by its Hebrew acronym Natbag , is the largest and busiest international airport in Israel, handling 12,160,339 passengers in 2010...
road. It was also used to house Italian prisoners of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
.
1948 Arab–Israeli War
A Jewish attack on the base took place on November 29, 1947, when the PalmachPalmach
The Palmach was the elite fighting force of the Haganah, the underground army of the Yishuv during the period of the British Mandate of Palestine. The Palmach was established on May 15, 1941...
stole explosives and 75 rifles. Towards of the end of the British Mandate of Palestine, Arabs under the command of Hasan Salama
Hasan Salama
Hasan Salama or Hassan Salameh was a commander of the Palestinian Holy War Army in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War along with Abd al-Qadir al-Husayni.- Biography :...
began smuggling in arms and personnel disguised as laborers into the camp. The Haganah
Haganah
Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, which later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces.- Origins :...
command saw this as a threat and on April 15, 1948, two companies for the 32nd and 33rd Battalions of the Alexandroni Brigade
Alexandroni Brigade
The Alexandroni Brigade is an Israel Defense Forces brigade that fought in the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. Along with the 7th Armoured Brigade both units had 139 killed during the first battle of Latrun - Operation Ben Nun Alef .The unit is currently a reserve unit.-Katz controversy:In 1998, Teddy Katz...
entered and captured the base. Arab forces counterattacked from al-Khayriyya
Al-Khayriyya
Al-Khayriyya was a Palestinian village located 7.5 kilometers east of Jaffa. Its inhabitants fled as a result of a military assault by the Alexandroni Brigade of the pre-state Israeli forces in the lead up to the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.-History:...
, Kafr 'Ana
Kafr 'Ana
Kafr 'Ana was a Palestinian town located east of Jaffa. In 1945, the town had an estimated population of 2,800 Arabs and 220 Jews. Captured by the pre-state Israeli forces of the Alexandroni Brigade prior to the outbreak of the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, it was depopulated.-History:The Canaanites...
, al-'Abbasiyya
Al-'Abbasiyya
Al-'Abbasiyya was a Palestinian Arab village in the District of Jaffa. It was attacked under Operation Hametz during the 1948 Palestine War, and finally depopulated under Operation Dani. It was located 13 km east of Jaffa...
and Saqiya, but the Jewish forces reinforced and pushed them back to a small salient in the south of the camp, which was captured later in Operation Hametz
Operation Hametz
Operation Hametz was a Jewish operation towards the end of the British Mandate of Palestine. It was launched at the end of April 1948 with the objective of capturing villages inland from Jaffa and establishing a blockade around the town.-Background:...
. The Alexandroni Brigade lost three soldiers, which the Arab losses are estimated at about 50.
The area was renamed to Tel HaShomer in 1948, after HaShomer
Hashomer
Hashomer was a Jewish defense organization in Palestine founded out of Bar-Giora in April 1909. It ceased to operate after the founding of the Haganah in 1920. The purpose of Hashomer was to provide guard services for Jewish settlements in the Yishuv, freeing Jewish communities from dependence...
, an early Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
-period Jewish defense organization.
Structures and installations
It is well known for its central Israel Defence Forces base (Camp Yaakov Dori), which contains important installations such as:- The Recruitment Bureau (Lishkat HaGiyus) - handles new draftees before they are recruited.
- Meitav, until May 2006 known as Bsis Klita UMiyun (Bakum) - induction base for drafted soldiers, where they get "militarized" (receive uniforms, basic gear, etc.) and are allotted to their units.
- Factory which manufactures MerkavaMerkavaThe Merkava is a main battle tank used by the Israel Defense Forces. The tank began development in 1974 and was first introduced in 1978. Four main versions of the tank have been deployed. It was first used extensively in the 1982 Lebanon War...
tanks (7100th Maintenance Center). - Several IDF corps' HQs: Military Police, Educational Corps, Logistics Corps, Ordnance Corps, Medical Corps.
Adjacent to the base there are both military and civilian hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
s (in adjoining complexes) known as the Tel HaShomer Hospital. The civilian hospital is named Sheba Medical Center
Sheba Medical Center
The Chaim Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer , also Tel HaShomer Hospital, is the largest hospital in Israel.-Overview:The hospital was named after Chaim Sheba, the founding director. It was established in 1948 as the country's first military hospital to treat casualties of Israel's War of...
and is under the municipal jurisdiction of Ramat Gan. Magen David Adom
Magen David Adom
The Magen David Adom is Israel's national emergency medical, disaster, ambulance and blood bank service. The name means "Red Star of David"...
has its headquarters and main blood bank on site.