01In brief
Ahisamakh is a moshav in the Central District of Israel, located near the city of Lod in the Hevel Modi'in area. Founded in 1950 by Jewish immigrants from Libya — most of them from Tripoli — the village takes its name from the biblical Ahisamakh, father of Oholiab, the craftsman credited with building the Tabernacle. In 2022, Ahisamakh had 1,413 residents, including 1,408 Jews.
02Overview
03History
The moshav was established in 1950, during Israel's first years of statehood.[1][2] Its founders were Jewish immigrants from Libya, the majority of them originally from Tripoli.[2] Ahisamakh is one of several moshavim established by members of the Libyan Jewish community during this period, alongside settlements such as Alma and Zetan.[3]
The wider Libyan Jewish community numbered approximately 38,000 people before emigration, living mainly in Tripoli and Benghazi.[3] The last Jews departed Libya in 1967.[3] The moshav's name honors the biblical Ahisamakh, father of Oholiab, the builder of the Tabernacle.[2]
04Demographics
Ahisamakh's total population in 2022 was 1,413, of whom 1,408 were classified as Jews.[1] A separate report from the same year put the figure at approximately 1,450 residents.[2] The moshav is overwhelmingly Jewish in character, reflecting its origins as a community founded by Libyan Jewish immigrants.
05Economy and Culture
Ahisamakh's cultural history is closely tied to Libyan Jewish immigration. Most of its founders came from Tripoli, and it is listed with Alma and Zetan among moshavim established by Libyan Jews.[2][3] Its biblical name, drawn from Ahisamakh, father of Oholiab, provides another link to Jewish history and tradition.[2]
06Notable Sites
07Land Development Near Lod
A 1995 plan designated approximately 3,000 housing units to be built on land belonging to Moshav Ahisamakh, adjacent to Lod.[5] The development was conceived as a new Lod neighborhood on the moshav's lands rather than construction within the moshav community itself.[5] Despite receiving approval in 1995, the project stalled for more than thirteen years before its cornerstone was laid in 2014.[6]
Subsequent planning changes expanded the project's scope from roughly 3,000 to approximately 3,600 housing units.[6] By 2014, around 1,000 unit rights belonging to the moshav had been sold to ultra-Orthodox associations, with additional rights held by other owners and the Israel Land Authority.[5]
08Controversies
In 2022, a financial investigation drew public attention to Ahisamakh when residents alleged that a senior member entrusted with moshav funds was suspected of misappropriating approximately 100 million shekels.[2] Residents expressed concern over missing funds in the moshav association's accounts, as well as potential consequences for members' savings, pensions, and loans guaranteed by the association.[2] The suspect denied stealing money and claimed to have been the victim of extortion; the allegations had not been established as proven findings at the time of reporting.[2]
Sources
- 1Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, accessed on September 27, 2026.
- 2Mako, "We feel cheated. He betrayed us. Nobody knows where the money went", accessed on September 27, 2026.
- 3Ynet, 50 years since the end of the Libyan exile, accessed on September 27, 2026.
- 4JewishGen, The Global Home for Jewish Genealogy, accessed on September 27, 2026.
- 5Ynet, After 13 years: 3,600 apartments for the ultra-Orthodox to be built in Lod, accessed on September 27, 2026.
- 6Ynet, Lod: An ultra-Orthodox neighborhood with 3,600 apartments inaugurated, accessed on September 27, 2026.
IsraelPedia Question & Answers
What is Ahisamakh, Israel?
Ahisamakh is a moshav in the Central District of Israel, located near the city of Lod in the Hevel Modi'in area. It was founded in 1950 by Jewish immigrants from Libya, most of them originally from Tripoli. The moshav takes its name from the biblical Ahisamakh, father of Oholiab, the craftsman credited with building the Tabernacle.
Who founded Ahisamakh and what was the broader Libyan Jewish community like?
Ahisamakh was founded by Jewish immigrants from Libya, the majority of them from Tripoli. The wider Libyan Jewish community numbered approximately 38,000 people before emigration, living mainly in Tripoli and Benghazi. The last Jews departed Libya in 1967. Ahisamakh is one of several moshavim established by Libyan Jews during this period, alongside settlements such as Alma and Zetan.
What is the population of Ahisamakh?
Ahisamakh's total population in 2022 was 1,413, of whom 1,408 were classified as Jews. A separate report from the same year put the figure at approximately 1,450 residents.
What is the housing development planned on Ahisamakh's lands near Lod?
A 1995 plan designated approximately 3,000 housing units to be built on land belonging to Moshav Ahisamakh, adjacent to Lod, conceived as a new Lod neighborhood rather than construction within the moshav itself. Despite receiving approval in 1995, the project stalled for more than thirteen years before its cornerstone was laid in 2014. Subsequent planning changes expanded the scope to approximately 3,600 housing units, with around 1,000 unit rights having been sold to ultra-Orthodox associations by 2014.
What financial controversy arose in Ahisamakh in 2022?
In 2022, residents of Ahisamakh alleged that a senior member entrusted with moshav funds was suspected of misappropriating approximately 100 million shekels. Residents expressed concern over missing funds in the moshav association's accounts and potential consequences for members' savings, pensions, and loans guaranteed by the association. The suspect denied stealing money and claimed to have been the victim of extortion, and the allegations had not been established as proven findings at the time of reporting.