Mateh Yehuda Regional Council

Mateh Yehuda Regional Council (, Mo'atza Azorit Mateh Yehuda) is a regional council in the Jerusalem District of Israel. In 2008 it was home to 36,200 people.
The name of the regional council stems from the fact that its territory was part of the land allotted to the Tribe of Judah, according to the Bible.
==Places and communities==
The regional council administers moshavim, kibbutzim, Arab villages and other rural settlements that lie to the north and south of Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway, from Jerusalem to Latrun and up to area of Beit Shemesh (Ha'ela Valley) in the South.
The settlements vary greatly in their character. There are religious, secular and mixed Jewish communities, two Arab communities, and the only mixed Arab-Jewish village in Israel - Neve Shalom. Many of the Jewish communities in the Mateh Yehuda district were established by immigrants from India, Yemen, Iraq, Iran and countries in Eastern Europe.
===List of villages===
*Kibbutzim
**Harel · Kiryat Anavim · Ma'ale HaHamisha · Nahshon · Netiv HaLamed-Heh · Ramat Rachel · Tzora · Tzova
*Moshavim
**Aderet · Agur · Aminadav · Aviezer · Bar Giora · Beit Zeit · Beit Meir · Beit Nekofa · Bekoa · Eshtaol · Even Sapir · Gefen · Givat Ye'arim · Givat Yeshayahu · Kfar Uria · Kisalon · Luzit · Mevo Beitar · Mata · Mahsia · Mesilat Zion · Naham · Nehusha · Nes Harim · Neve Ilan · Neve Michael · Ora · Ramat Raziel · Sdot Micha · Sho'eva · Shoresh · Ta'oz · Tal Shahar · Tarum · Tirosh · Tzafririm · Tzelafon · Yad HaShmona · Yish'i · Zanoah · Zekharia
*Communal settlements
**Nataf · Srigim · Tzur Hadassah
*Jewish villages
**Gizo · Motza Illit 
*Arab villages
**Ein Naqquba · Ein Rafa
*Arab-Jewish village
**Neve Shalom
*Other settlements
**Deir Rafat · Ein Kerem Agricultural School · Eitanim · Givat Shemesh · Kfar Zoharim · Kiryat Ye'arim Youth Village · Yedida
==Tourism==
The main tourist activities in the area are mountain hiking and biking. Other attractions include the Avshalom stalactites cave, natural water springs, historical synagogues and goat cheese farms.
==Partnerships==
The regional council has sister city-like partnerships with these municipalities:
* - Vantaa, Finland
* - Würzburg district, Bavaria, Germany
==External links==
*Official website 
 
Category:Regional councils in Israel
ca:Matte Yehuda
fr:Mateh Yehuda
it:Mateh Yehuda Regional Council
he:מועצה אזורית מטה יהודה
nl:Regionale raad van Mateh Yehuda
pl:Samorząd regionu Mateh Yehuda
fi:Matte Yehuda