About Netanya
Netanya is a city in the Northern Central District of Israel, and is the capital of the surrounding Sharon plain. It is 30 km (18.64 mi) north of Tel Aviv, and 56 km (34.80 mi) south of Haifa. Its 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) of beaches have made the city a popular tourist resort. In addition, the city is known for its large immigrant population. A significant percentage of the city's population consists of immigrants from the former Soviet Union, France, and Ethiopia, and the city is home to a notably large population of English-speaking immigrants from the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), at the end of 1014 the city had a total population of 101,418. An additional 150,000 people live in the local and regional councils within 10 kilometres (6 miles) of Netanya which serves as a regional center for them. The city mayor is Miriam Feirberg. The city is expected to reach a population of 350,000 by 2020. On December 14, 1918 a team led by Moshe Shaked began digging for water at the site, finding it in February 1919. Subsequently, on February 18, 1919, the first five settlers moved onto the land, plowing and cultivating it for the first time.
Jewish History, POI & Kosher Establishments in Netanya
As a tourist destination and large city, Netanya features a number of museums and galleries. The Well House is a museum telling the early history of Netanya located in a farm established in 1918, and as such one of the earliest buildings in Netanya. Also in the city are the Tribes of Israel Pearl museum of Yemenite Jewish Heritage, the Shlomo Dror Art Institute, and the Diamimon diamond museum. Furthermore, the Cliff Gallery, Gosher Gallery, Abecassis Gallery and Fourth Gallery are all located in the city. Netanya is also home to many war memorials such as the Holocaust Train Car, Beit Yad Lebanim – the memorial to fallen IDF soldiers from Netanya, the National Memorial for Fallen Ordnance Corps, the Alexandroni Brigade Memorial, the National Victory Monument – dedicated to the Russian Red Army victory over Nazi Germany and the Memorial to Victims of Acts of Terror. Netanya is made up approximately of 50% secular Jews. On the other hand, it is the home of the Sanzer Hasidic dynasty, as well as a large Chabad Lubavitch presence.
