Migdals

Migdals is the English plural form of the Hebrew word Migdal, meaning "tower." In general usage it can denote multiple towers or structures, but it is also applied as a collective term for several places, personal names, institutions and historical sites associated with the root word.

Geographical uses include modern Israeli localities such as Migdal, a town on the Sea of Galilee, and Migdal HaEmek in northern Israel. The name also figures in antiquity: Magdala, an ancient first-century settlement on the Galilean shore often identified with the Hebrew Migdal or Migdal Nun, is noted in Christian tradition as the home of Mary Magdalene and has been the subject of archaeological investigation.

As a surname, Migdal and its variants appear in Jewish communities and among descendants worldwide. The root is used in organizational and commercial names in Israel, notably in the financial and insurance sector, where companies incorporate Migdal as part of their corporate identity.

In literature and religious texts the term appears both as a toponym and a descriptive element, reflecting the strategic or symbolic significance of towers in the ancient Near East. Because "Migdals" can refer to multiple distinct subjects—places, people, companies, and historical sites—context is normally required to determine the intended reference.