Araba

views updated

ARABA

ARABA (or Gabara ), place in Israel. It is mentioned by Josephus as one of the three foremost cities in Galilee (after Tiberias and Sepphoris) and as the center of a district (Wars, 3:7, 132). The sages R. Johanan b. Zakkai and R. Ḥanina b. Dosa taught there, and the latter's tomb is said to be at Araba. The Muslim-Arab village of Araba (ʾArrābat al-Ba#x1E6D;ṭūf) is located in central Lower Galilee, north of the Bet Netofah Valley. In 1965 it received municipal council status. The town's population was 4,760 in 1967 and 17,900 in 2002, contained within an area of 3.3 sq. mi. (8.5 sq. km.).

[Efraim Orni]

More From encyclopedia.com