Aishiya

Aaichiyeh (عيشية) is a village in the Jezzine District in Southern Lebanon. It is located 82 kilometers far from Beirut and on an altitude of 750 meters. The village is accessible by the roads of Nabatieh-Jezzine and Marjayoun-Jezzine. Its population is approximately 4000 people as of 2008.

Etymology
The name "aïchiye" (العيشية ) goes back to the word "live", which is the symbol of comfortable living and the surrounding pine trees and nature.

Religious sites
There are 2 churches in Aaichiyeh: Mar Antonios (مار انطونيوس) Church, and the Church of the Lady (السيدة العذراء). They were built prior to the Lebanese Civil war (1975-1990) and were both renovated at the conclusion of the conflict.

Agriculture and nature
Aichiyeh's soil is fertile, which makes its inhabitants dependent on raising livestock, bees, chickens, and growing olives and fruits such as grapes, peaches and apricots. The spring provides irrigation of cultivated lands. In the past, the villagers planted tobacco, a widespread crop at the time. Aaichiyeh is known for its abundance in oak and pine trees.

History
Phoenician vases were found, indicating a previous Phoenician settlement. The Aaichiyeh massacre in 1976 killed over 70+ people the village for the time being, until a portion of its residents came back to settle in their homes following the conflict. Today, Aichiyeh's people strongly support the Lebanese Armed Forces and good and strong relations between them.

During the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon, the IDF had an army base in Aichiyeh.