Bat Yam
Encyclopedia
Bat Yam is a city located on Israel
's Mediterranean Sea
coast, on the central coastal strip, just south of Tel Aviv
. Part of the Gush Dan
metropolitan area
, in the Tel Aviv District
, the city is home to 130,000 people.
, the town was attacked by Arab
gangs from Jaffa
and was evacuated by British Authorities. In 1930, it was re-settled. In 1936, it was granted local council
status and renamed Bat Yam. By 1945, 2,000 Jews were living in Bat Yam. According to the Jewish National Fund
, in 1947 it had a population of 4,000.
Following the United Nations
vote in favour of a partition plan on November 29, 1947 and the subsequent outbreak of violence
, Bat Yam came under heavy attack from Jaffa, until Jaffa surrendered on May 13, 1948.
In the years following Israel's independence, Bat Yam grew dramatically due to mass immigration and gained city status in 1958. A small Hasidic
enclave of Bobover Hasidim, known as Kiryat Bobov, was established in 1959. The city gained a sizeable community of Jews from Turkey
(est. 23% of the population). Bat Yam again experienced a period of rapid growth in the early 1990s with the mass immigration of Jews from the former Soviet Union
.
, the city was on the brink of bankruptcy. In 2003 a new mayor, Shlomo Lahiani
, was elected and the city began to rejuvenate. Large investments were made in education, culture and the appearance of the city. Shlomo Lahiani was re-elected as the mayor of Bat Yam in the municipal elections of 2008. He won 86 percent of the vote.
, which is devoted to re-examining urban spaces through art and architecture, was held in Bat Yam. In 2010 the second Biennale, "Timing" took place, which featured site-specific installations from designers and architects from around the world. The city has two shopping malls, Kanyon Bat Yam, which opened in 1993, and Kanyon Bat Yamon.
The location of Bat Yam on the Mediterranean makes it popular with beach-goers. Bat Yam has a 3.2 kilometers long promenade along the ocean lined with pubs and restaurants. The city has six beaches, one of which is protected by a breakwater. The Museum of Bat Yam exhibits contemporary art. Other museums include the Ben Ari Museum and Ryback Museum that houses the work of Issachar Ber Ryback. There is also a museum in the memory of the Yiddish writer Sholem Asch
, who lived his last years in Bat Yam, and a small Holocaust museum.
is the biggest bus company in the area. It operates frequent service to various neighborhoods of Tel Aviv
, and also connects Bat Yam to Holon, Rishon LeZion, Ramat Gan, Giv'atayim
, Bnei Brak, Tel HaShomer
and Bar Ilan University
. Egged
connects Bat Yam to various neighborhoods of Holon and Rishon LeZion, and also operates service to Jerusalem, Tel Aviv
, Ramla
, Ben Gurion International Airport
(part-time service) and intermediate communities.
The city's major football club, Maccabi Ironi Bat Yam
, currently plays in Liga Leumit
, the third level of Israeli football
. The club was formed by a 2004 merger of Hapoel Bat Yam (which had spent several seasons in the second division in the 1990s) and Maccabi Bat Yam.
Bat Yam's Al Gal
beach is regarded to be one of the best surfing
spots in the region, having fairly consistent surf conditions, especially during the summer months.
with:
Kragujevac
, Serbia
Livorno
, Italy Antalya
, Turkey
Kutno
, Poland Villeurbanne
, France Valparaíso
, Chile
Aurich
, Germany Neukölln
, Berlin, Germany Salinas, Ecuador
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
's Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
coast, on the central coastal strip, just south of Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
. Part of the Gush Dan
Gush Dan
The Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area , or Gush Dan , is a metropolitan area including areas from both the Tel Aviv and the Central Districts of Israel. The area is closely linked to the city of Tel Aviv through social, economic, and cultural ties. It is located along the Israeli Mediterranean coastline...
metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
, in the Tel Aviv District
Tel Aviv District
The Tel Aviv District is the smallest and most densely populated of six administrative districts of Israel with a population of 1.2 million residents...
, the city is home to 130,000 people.
History
Bat Yam was established in 1926 as Bayit VaGan . During the 1929 Palestine riots1929 Palestine riots
The 1929 Palestine riots, also known as the Western Wall Uprising, the 1929 Massacres, , or the Buraq Uprising , refers to a series of demonstrations and riots in late August 1929 when a long-running dispute between Muslims and Jews over access to the Western Wall in Jerusalem escalated into violence...
, the town was attacked by Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
gangs from Jaffa
Jaffa
Jaffa is an ancient port city believed to be one of the oldest in the world. Jaffa was incorporated with Tel Aviv creating the city of Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel. Jaffa is famous for its association with the biblical story of the prophet Jonah.-Etymology:...
and was evacuated by British Authorities. In 1930, it was re-settled. In 1936, it was granted local council
Local council (Israel)
Local councils are one of the three types of local government found in Israel, with the other two being cities and regional councils. As of 2003, there were 144 local councils in Israel, these being settlements which pass a minimum threshold enough to justify their operations as independent...
status and renamed Bat Yam. By 1945, 2,000 Jews were living in Bat Yam. According to the Jewish National Fund
Jewish National Fund
The Jewish National Fund was founded in 1901 to buy and develop land in Ottoman Palestine for Jewish settlement. The JNF is a quasi-governmental, non-profit organisation...
, in 1947 it had a population of 4,000.
Following the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
vote in favour of a partition plan on November 29, 1947 and the subsequent outbreak of violence
1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine
The 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine lasted from 30 November 1947, the date of the United Nations vote in favour of the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the UN Partition Plan, to the termination of the British Mandate itself on 14 May 1948.This period constitutes the...
, Bat Yam came under heavy attack from Jaffa, until Jaffa surrendered on May 13, 1948.
In the years following Israel's independence, Bat Yam grew dramatically due to mass immigration and gained city status in 1958. A small Hasidic
Hasidic Judaism
Hasidic Judaism or Hasidism, from the Hebrew —Ḥasidut in Sephardi, Chasidus in Ashkenazi, meaning "piety" , is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy through the popularisation and internalisation of Jewish mysticism as the fundamental aspects of the Jewish faith...
enclave of Bobover Hasidim, known as Kiryat Bobov, was established in 1959. The city gained a sizeable community of Jews from Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
(est. 23% of the population). Bat Yam again experienced a period of rapid growth in the early 1990s with the mass immigration of Jews from the former Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
Local government
In the early 2000s, following financial scandals under the leadership of Yehoshua SaguyYehoshua Saguy
Major General Yehoshua Saguy is an Israeli former intelligence officer and politician. He served as director of the Military Intelligence Directorate between 1979 and 1983, and as a Knesset member for Likud from 1988 until 1992.-Biography:...
, the city was on the brink of bankruptcy. In 2003 a new mayor, Shlomo Lahiani
Shlomo Lahiani
Shlomo Lahiani is an Israeli politician and the current mayor of Bat Yam. He was first elected mayor as a Labour-backed independent in 2003 with 45% of the vote, beating the Likud candidate. He was subsequently re-elected, with 86.3% of the vote, reportedly the highest ever in a large Israeli...
, was elected and the city began to rejuvenate. Large investments were made in education, culture and the appearance of the city. Shlomo Lahiani was re-elected as the mayor of Bat Yam in the municipal elections of 2008. He won 86 percent of the vote.
Politics and government
| Type | Name | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Head of council | Mintz Ben Zion | 1936–37 |
| Head of council | Yisrael Ben Zion | 1937–39 |
| Head of council | Yisrael Rabinovich-Teomim | 1939–43 |
| Head of council | Eliav Levai | 1943–50 |
| Head of council | David Ben Ari | 1950–58 |
| Mayor | David Ben Ari | 1958–63 |
| Mayor | Menachem Rothschild | 1963–73 |
| Mayor | Yitzhak Walker | 1973–77 |
| Mayor | David Mesika | 1977–78 |
| Mayor | Menachem Rothschild | 1978–83 |
| Mayor | Ehud Kanmon | 1983–93 |
| Mayor | Yehoshua Saguy Yehoshua Saguy Major General Yehoshua Saguy is an Israeli former intelligence officer and politician. He served as director of the Military Intelligence Directorate between 1979 and 1983, and as a Knesset member for Likud from 1988 until 1992.-Biography:... |
1993–2003 |
| Mayor | Shlomo Lahiani Shlomo Lahiani Shlomo Lahiani is an Israeli politician and the current mayor of Bat Yam. He was first elected mayor as a Labour-backed independent in 2003 with 45% of the vote, beating the Likud candidate. He was subsequently re-elected, with 86.3% of the vote, reportedly the highest ever in a large Israeli... |
2003–date |
| Source: Bat Yam's mayors on the official city website | ||
Art and culture
In 2008 the Bat-Yam International Biennale of Landscape UrbanismBat-Yam International Biennale of Landscape Urbanism
The Bat Yam International Biennale of Landscape Urbanism, "Urban Action," is an event dedicated to examining and re-designing city landscapes and lifestyles. The first Biennale, was "Hosting," held in 2008...
, which is devoted to re-examining urban spaces through art and architecture, was held in Bat Yam. In 2010 the second Biennale, "Timing" took place, which featured site-specific installations from designers and architects from around the world. The city has two shopping malls, Kanyon Bat Yam, which opened in 1993, and Kanyon Bat Yamon.
The location of Bat Yam on the Mediterranean makes it popular with beach-goers. Bat Yam has a 3.2 kilometers long promenade along the ocean lined with pubs and restaurants. The city has six beaches, one of which is protected by a breakwater. The Museum of Bat Yam exhibits contemporary art. Other museums include the Ben Ari Museum and Ryback Museum that houses the work of Issachar Ber Ryback. There is also a museum in the memory of the Yiddish writer Sholem Asch
Sholem Asch
Sholem Asch, born Szalom Asz , also written Shalom Asch was a Polish-born American Jewish novelist, dramatist, and essayist in the Yiddish language.-Life and work:...
, who lived his last years in Bat Yam, and a small Holocaust museum.
Transportation
All bus lines in Bat Yam have at least one terminus in Tel Aviv, Rishon LeZion or Holon. DanDan Bus Company
Dan Bus Company is an Israeli bus company based in Tel Aviv. It operates local bus service in the Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area as well as some intercity bus services between the Gush Dan area and nearby regions such as Samaria, and a connection between Bne Brak and Jerusalem. Dan operates 1,200...
is the biggest bus company in the area. It operates frequent service to various neighborhoods of Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, and also connects Bat Yam to Holon, Rishon LeZion, Ramat Gan, Giv'atayim
Giv'atayim
Giv'atayim is a city in Israel east of Tel Aviv. It is part of the metropolitan area known as Gush Dan. Givatayim was established in 1922 by pioneers of the Second Aliyah. It has a population of 53,000....
, Bnei Brak, Tel HaShomer
Tel HaShomer
Tel HaShomer is a district in Gush Dan in central Israel. It is located east of Ramat Gan, and is bordered to the north by Kiryat Ono, to the east by Yehud, and to the south by Or Yehuda...
and Bar Ilan University
Bar-Ilan University
Bar-Ilan University is a university in Ramat Gan of the Tel Aviv District, Israel.Established in 1955, Bar Ilan is now Israel's second-largest academic institution. It has nearly 26,800 students and 1,350 faculty members...
. Egged
Egged Bus Cooperative
Egged Israel Transport Cooperative Society Ltd , a cooperative owned by its members is the largest transit bus company in Israel. It provides about 55 % of public transport services throughout the country, employs 6,227 workers and has 2,861 buses for more than 928 service routes and 3,103...
connects Bat Yam to various neighborhoods of Holon and Rishon LeZion, and also operates service to Jerusalem, Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, Ramla
Ramla
Ramla , is a city in central Israel. The city is predominantly Jewish with a significant Arab minority. Ramla was founded circa 705–715 AD by the Umayyad Caliph Suleiman ibn Abed al-Malik after the Arab conquest of the region...
, Ben Gurion International Airport
Ben Gurion International Airport
Ben Gurion International Airport , also referred to by its Hebrew acronym Natbag , is the largest and busiest international airport in Israel, handling 12,160,339 passengers in 2010...
(part-time service) and intermediate communities.
Trains
The Yoseftal Railway Station is scheduled to open in 2011 as part of the new Tel Aviv – Rishon LeZion West line. Bat Yam will also be the terminus for the red line of the Tel Aviv Light Rail.Sports
Maccabi Ironi Bat Yam F.C.
Maccabi Ironi Bat Yam is an Israeli football club based in Bat Yam. The club is currently in Liga Leumit and plays at the 3,100-capacity Bat Yam Municipal Stadium.-History:...
, currently plays in Liga Leumit
Liga Leumit
Liga Leumit is the second tier in the Israeli football league system below the Premier League.-Structure:There are 16 clubs in the league. At the end of each season, the lowest-placed team are relegated to Liga Alef while the highest-placed team from Liga Alef are promoted in their place...
, the third level of Israeli football
Football in Israel
Football is the most popular sport in Israel. Football as an organised sport first developed in the United Kingdom who controlled Israel during the days of the British Mandate. Israel will be hosting the UEFA U-21 Championship in 2013....
. The club was formed by a 2004 merger of Hapoel Bat Yam (which had spent several seasons in the second division in the 1990s) and Maccabi Bat Yam.
Bat Yam's Al Gal
Al Gal
Al Gal is a beach area located on the west coast of Israel near the city of Bat Yam. It is an exposed beach break and reef break that has fairly consistent surf, specially during the months of summer when most of the surf comes in the form of windswells....
beach is regarded to be one of the best surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
spots in the region, having fairly consistent surf conditions, especially during the summer months.
Twin towns – Sister cities
Bat Yam is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with:
Kragujevac
Kragujevac
Kragujevac is the fourth largest city in Serbia, the main city of the Šumadija region and the administrative centre of Šumadija District. It is situated on the banks of the Lepenica River...
, Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
Livorno
Livorno
Livorno , traditionally Leghorn , is a port city on the Tyrrhenian Sea on the western edge of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of approximately 160,000 residents in 2009.- History :...
, Italy Antalya
Antalya
Antalya is a city on the Mediterranean coast of southwestern Turkey. With a population 1,001,318 as of 2010. It is the eighth most populous city in Turkey and country's biggest international sea resort.- History :...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
Kutno
Kutno
Kutno is a town in central Poland with 48,000 inhabitants and an area of 33,6 km2. Situated in the Łódź Voivodeship , previously in Płock Voivodeship . It is the capital of Kutno County....
, Poland Villeurbanne
Villeurbanne
Villeurbanne is a commune in the Rhône department in eastern France.It is situated northeast of Lyon, with which it forms the heart of the second-largest metropolitan area in France after that of Paris. Villeurbanne is the second-largest city in the department.-History:The current location of...
, France Valparaíso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
Aurich
Aurich
Aurich is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Aurich.-History:The history of Aurich dates back to the 13th century, when the settlement of Aurechove was mentioned in a Frisian document called the Brokmerbrief in 1276. In 1517, Count Edzard from the house of...
, Germany Neukölln
Neukölln
Neukölln is the eighth borough of Berlin, located in the southeastern part of the city and was part of the former American sector under the Four-Power occupation of the city...
, Berlin, Germany Salinas, Ecuador
Salinas, Ecuador
Salinas is a coastal city located in the Province of Santa Elena, Ecuador. It is the seat of the canton that bears its name. The westernmost city on mainland Ecuador, Salinas is an important tourist center. Recently, Salinas was the center of controversy during the contentious "more fun, less sun,"...
Notable residents
- Shay AbutbulShay AbutbulShay Abutbul is an Israeli football player playing for Hapoel Tel Aviv.-Career:Shay Abutbul began his career in the youth ranks of top Israeli side Hapoel Tel Aviv. After impressing with the youth side, Shay was called up to the first team in 2002. Since then Abutbul has been one of the top...
(1983–), soccer player - Yohai AharoniYohai AharoniYohai Aharoni is an Israeli footballer currently playing in Liga Alef.He is the son of ex-Maccabi Haifa defender Eitan Aharoni.- External links :...
(1986–), soccer player - Sholem AschSholem AschSholem Asch, born Szalom Asz , also written Shalom Asch was a Polish-born American Jewish novelist, dramatist, and essayist in the Yiddish language.-Life and work:...
(1880–1957), Polish-born, YiddishYiddish languageYiddish is a High German language of Ashkenazi Jewish origin, spoken throughout the world. It developed as a fusion of German dialects with Hebrew, Aramaic, Slavic languages and traces of Romance languages...
writer, has a museum of his work in the city. - Michael BarkaiMichael BarkaiMichael Barkai was the Commander of the Israeli Navy, a recipient of the Medal of Distinguished Service for his command of the missile ships during the Yom Kippur War.-Childhood:...
(1935–99), Commander of the Israeli Navy - Vered "Vardush" BuskilaVered BuskilaVered "Vardush" Buskila is an Israeli Olympic sailor, and competes in the 470 Class double-handed monohull planing dinghy with a centerboard, Bermuda rig, and center sheeting...
(born 1983), Olympic sailor - Miri Ben-AriMiri Ben-AriMiri Ben-Ari is an Israeli violinist, who currently resides in the United States.Ben-Ari grew up playing classical music; she started training at age 5 and at age 12, she was presented with a violin by Isaac Stern. During her mandatory Israeli military service, she was chosen to play for the...
(1978–), hip hopHip hopHip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
violinist - Moshe BitonMoshe BitonMoshe Biton is an Israeli Footballer who currently plays for Hapoel Haifa. he played also at Maccabi Petach Tikva FC, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Bnei Yehuda.-External links:*...
, soccer player - David D'OrDavid D'OrDavid D'Or is an Israeli singer, composer, and songwriter. A countertenor with a vocal range of more than four octaves, he is a three-time winner of the Israeli "Singer of the Year" and "Best Vocal Performer" awards. He was also chosen to represent Israel in the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest, at...
(born David Nehaisi; 1965–), Israeli singer, composer, and songwriter; attended high school - Meir DaganMeir DaganMeir Dagan is a former Israel Defense Forces officer and former Director of the Mossad .-Biography:...
, (born 1945) Director of the MossadMossadThe Mossad , short for HaMossad leModi'in uleTafkidim Meyuchadim , is the national intelligence agency of Israel.... - Elana EdenElana EdenElana Eden is a Jewish-Israeli actress best known for her film debut and title role in The Story of Ruth .Born Elana Lani Cooper in Bat Yam, Israel; to a Polish landscape gardener, Eden originally auditioned for a part in The Diary of Anne Frank...
(1940–), actress best known as "RuthRuth (biblical figure)Ruth , is the main character in the Book of Ruth in the Hebrew Bible.-Biblical narrative:Ruth was a Moabitess, who married Mahlon, the son of Elimelech and Naomi, but Elimelech and his two sons died...
" in The Story of RuthThe Story of RuthThe Story of Ruth is a 1960 American biblical drama film directed by Henry Koster, based on the Biblical account of Ruth. The title role is portrayed by Jewish actress Elana Eden, with Stuart Whitman as Boaz, Peggy Wood as Naomi, and Tom Tryon as Mahlon....
(1960) - Sharon FarberSharon FarberSharon Farber, born in Bat-Yam, Israel, has received critical acclaim as a composer in the Concert world as well as that of Film and TV. She brings to her music influences from her Middle Eastern heritage as well as her extensive knowledge of Classical and Western music.-Early career:Sharon began...
, composer - Matt HaimovitzMatt HaimovitzMatt Haimovitz is an Israeli-born cellist now based in the United States and Canada. He mainly plays a cello made by Matteo Gofriller in 1710.-Family, musical education and early career:...
(1970–), US cellist, born here - Rita KatzRita KatzRita Katz is a terrorism analyst and the co-founder of the Search for International Terrorist Entities Institute , a private intelligence firm based in Washington, DC....
(1963–), terrorism analyst - Shlomo LahianiShlomo LahianiShlomo Lahiani is an Israeli politician and the current mayor of Bat Yam. He was first elected mayor as a Labour-backed independent in 2003 with 45% of the vote, beating the Likud candidate. He was subsequently re-elected, with 86.3% of the vote, reportedly the highest ever in a large Israeli...
(1965–), mayor of Bat Yam - Peter Roth (1974–), Israeli pop singer and composer
- Gal ShishGal ShishGal Shish is an Israeli footballer who plays for Hapoel Tel Aviv. At international level, Shish was capped at levels from under-17 to under-21.-References:...
(1989–), soccer player - Itzik ZoharItzik ZoharItzik Zohar is a former Israeli international footballer and television sports personality. Born in Bat Yam, Israel to a family of North African extraction, he holds the distinction of scoring the first two goals for Israel in its first world cup qualifier in the UEFA confederation on October 28,...
(1970–), soccer player