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Mazkeret Batya (Hebrew: מַזְכֶּרֶת בַּתְיָה) is a town in the center of Israel. Mazkeret means "in memory [of]" and Batya is the name of the mother of Rothschild. Mazkeret Batya spans an area of 7,440 dunams (7 km²) and has a population of 8,600 as of September 2006. It was established in 1882 as Eqron, by 11 Jewish agricultural families from Russia (modern day Belarus).
Mazkeret Batya was the first settlement of the Hovevei Tzion movement. The land was purchased by Edmond Benjamin Rothschild of the wealthy Rothschild banking family of France whose mother was Batya. This was an early effort to establish Jews with experience in agriculture in this region. HaRav Shmuel Mohilever was instrumental in bringing the funding and settlers together. Harav Mohilever's remains were re-buried in the Mazkeret Batya cemetery.
Situated in the Central District, Rehovot subdistrict, 5 km SE to Rehovot, 25 km from Tel-Aviv and 30 km from Jerusalem. In the last few years it has there has been rapid growth in the town due to its location near Tel Aviv. Mazkeret Batya has a twin community relationship with the Jewish community of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.[1]
