01In brief
Masad (Hebrew: מסד) is a rural community settlement in the Lower Galilee region of northern Israel. Established in 1983, it is represented in the Lower Galilee Regional Council. The 2022 CBS dataset lists it in the Northern District's Kinneret subdistrict and records 389 residents, compared with 342 residents at the end of 2004. Masad lies approximately 10 km north of Golani Junction.
02Overview
Masad is represented in the Lower Galilee Regional Council and lies about 10 km north of Golani Junction.[1][2] The 2022 CBS locality dataset lists it under locality code 1258 in the Northern District's Kinneret subdistrict and gives an average-elevation value of 262 meters.[3]
In 2007, the planned site of the proposed Ramat Arbel settlement was described as about 500 meters from each of Masad and Ravid; the figure describes the proposed site's relationship to the two existing communities and is not a direct measurement of the distance between Masad and Ravid.[4]
03History
Masad was established in 1983 and has been identified as a rural community and community settlement in the Lower Galilee.[1][2]
In 2004, construction and marketing began for a residential expansion on 60 dunams. The first phase allocated plots for 30 detached houses, each on a 500-square-meter lot, with three house models ranging from four to seven rooms. Prices were reported at 650,000–800,000 shekels, and Ad-Bar Consultants was to manage and supervise construction.[2]
In April 2007, the National Planning and Building Council rejected the Ramat Arbel plan. The proposed settlement would have been about 500 meters from Masad and Ravid, and the dispute centered on whether a new community was needed when approved development capacity remained in existing localities.[4]
04Demographics
Masad remains a small community. The place list recorded 342 inhabitants on December 31, 2004.[1] The 2022 CBS dataset reports 389 residents.[3]
For 2022, the dataset lists 388 residents in the category of "Jews and others," including 370 Jews, and one Arab resident.[3] These are statistical classifications used in the cited dataset.
05Economy and Community Development
Available reporting on Masad's local development has focused mainly on its housing market. In 2010, a newly built house with 170 square meters of floor area was priced at 1.1 million shekels. A separate listing offered a new home, including the plot and development costs, from 620,000 shekels.[5]
These were contemporaneous 2010 prices rather than current valuations. Together with the 2004 expansion project, they document residential growth and housing marketing in the community during the 2000s.[2][5]
Sources
- 1Encyclopedia.com, Land of Israel: Population, accessed on October 2, 2026.
- 2Globes, The community of Masad, a community settlement in the Lower Galilee – image, accessed on October 2, 2026.
- 3Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, Localities 2022 dataset, accessed on October 2, 2026.
- 4Ynet, The plan to establish the Ramat Arbel settlement in the Galilee was rejected, accessed on October 2, 2026.
- 5Globes, Price list: How much will an apartment or villa in a kibbutz/moshav in the Negev/Galilee cost you?, accessed on October 2, 2026.
IsraelPedia Question & Answers
What is Masad, Israel?
Masad is a rural community settlement located in the Lower Galilee region of northern Israel. Established in 1983, it is represented in the Lower Galilee Regional Council and lies approximately 10 km north of Golani Junction. As of 2022, it had 389 residents.
Where exactly is Masad located within Israel's administrative districts?
Masad is listed under the Northern District's Kinneret subdistrict, with a locality code of 1258 and an average elevation of 262 meters.
What residential expansion took place in Masad in 2004?
In 2004, construction and marketing began for a residential expansion on 60 dunams in Masad. The first phase allocated plots for 30 detached houses, each on a 500-square-meter lot, with three house models ranging from four to seven rooms. Prices were reported at 650,000–800,000 shekels, and Ad-Bar Consultants was to manage and supervise construction.
What was the Ramat Arbel dispute and how did it relate to Masad?
The Ramat Arbel plan proposed establishing a new settlement approximately 500 meters from Masad and the nearby community of Ravid. In April 2007, the National Planning and Building Council rejected the plan, with the dispute centering on whether a new community was needed when approved development capacity remained in existing localities.
What were housing prices like in Masad in 2010?
In 2010, a newly built house with 170 square meters of floor area in Masad was priced at 1.1 million shekels. A separate listing offered a new home, including the plot and development costs, from 620,000 shekels.
What is the demographic breakdown of Masad's 2022 population?
The 2022 CBS dataset reports 389 residents in Masad. Of these, 388 are listed in the category of "Jews and others," including 370 Jews, and one resident is listed as Arab. These figures reflect the statistical classifications used in the cited dataset.