Julis

The term JuLis may also refer to the political organisation Young Liberals of Germany
Julis (, ) is a Druze village and local council in the North District of Israel. Opinions differ as to the source of the village's name. One opinion attributes it to the Roman name Julius - a Roman commander supposedly camped in the area. What seems to be Roman relics have been found in places within and around the village, but no real effort to verify these claims had been made. Another opinion for the source of the name attributes it back to the Arabic word for
"sitting" - "jalis", as it is located on lower hills than the surrounding villages, and thus seems to be sitting. 
==History==
One of the oldest families in the village dates back to 1500 years ago, which implies that the village has been around for that length of time at least. Some claim that the village was founded in the 16th century, but that seems not to be accurate.
According to the 1596 Ottoman daftar Julis had a predominantly Muslim (Druze?) pupulation, with a total of 79 households. The taxable produce comprised wheat, barley, "summer crops", fruit trees, and "goats and bees". Julis also had a press for olive oil or grape syrup.Hütteroth, Wolf-Dieter and Kamal Abdulfattah, 1977, Historical Geography of Palestine, Transjordan and Southern Syria in the Late 16th Century. Erlanger Geographische Arbeiten, Sonderband 5. Erlangen, Germany: Vorstand der Fränkischen Geographischen Gesellschaft. p. 191. Quoted in Petersen, 2002, p. 191 
In the early part of the 18th century Julis was one of the major cotton producing villages in the area.Cohen, 1973, p. 12. Cited in Petersen, 2002, p.191 Later in the same century it was one of five villages in nahiya ("subdistrict") Sahil Akka (Acre coast), which were owned directly by the governor of Acre, and were exempt from the usual Ottoman taxes.Cohen, 1973, p. 126, 133. Cited in Petersen, 2002, p. 191
In the late nineteenth century, Julis was described as "a village built of stone containing about 200 Druzes, surrounded by olives and arable land."Conder, Claude Reignier and H.H. Kitchener: The Survey of Western Palestine. London: Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund.(1881) I:146. Quoted in Petersen, 2002, p.191
Julis was declared a local council in 1967. The current head of the local council is Salman Hino. The population was estimated at 5,400 residents at the end of 2007. The annual population growth rate was 1.8%. All of the residents adhere to the Druze faith.
The socioeconomic status of the population is lower than average, although in 2000, a high percentage (72.1%, compared to 60.3% in Tel Aviv) of all high school students received the matriculation certificate. The mean income was NIS 3,499 per month (over the year 2000), compared to a national average of NIS 6,835.
==Notable residents==
*Sheikh Aly Faris, a deceased spiritual figure among the Druze.
*Sheikh Amin Tarif, former spiritual leader of the Druze in Israel.
*Jamil Nabwani, former mayor of Julis.
*Salah Tarif, former mayor of Julis and Israel's first non-Jewish government minister.
*Adel Amer, former mayor of Julis.
*Salman Heno, former mayor of Julis.
*Nabie Nabwani, former mayor of Julis.
*Nadim Ammar, former mayor of Julis.
*Hussein (Amir) Amar, a deceased first Druze lieutenant colonel in the infantry unit of Golani. 
*Tamir Nabwani, the deceased first Druze General Staff Reconnaissance Unit commando.
*Sheikh Naim Heno, Judge of the high religious druze court
== Sight Seeings ==
*The Mona Garden, A fascinating natural garden attended by many tourists and fresh married couples.
*The Druze Center House, A museum which includes a big exhibition of old Druze tools, devices and clothes. The Druze Center House - Hebrew Website
*Sheik Ali Faris place, A small place with a cupola in which Sheik Ali Faris used to pray and live.
*Sheik Ali Faris cave, Located about 2 kilometers North-East of Julis. In this cave Sheik Ali Faris resided and did his contemplation.
== See also ==
*List of Arab localities in Israel
==References==
===Bibliography===
*Cohen, A. (1973), Palestine in the Eighteenth Century: Patterns of Government and Administration, Hebrew University, Jerusalem. Cited in Petersen, (2002)
*Petersen, Andrew (2002): A Gazetteer of Buildings in Muslim Palestine: Volume I (British Academy Monographs in Archaeology) P. 191
==External links==
*http://www.myjulis.co.il - Official website of Julis
Category:Local councils in Israel
Category:Arab localities in Israel
Category:Druze localities in Israel
cs:Džulis
he:ג'וליס
pl:Julis