Netanya
Encyclopedia
Center District (Israel)
The Central District of Israel is one of six administrative districts, including most of the Sharon region. The district capital is Ramla. It is further divided into 4 sub-districts: Petah Tikva, Ramla, Sharon and Rehovot. The district's largest city is Rishon LeZion. Its population as of 2008 was...
of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, and is the capital of the surrounding Sharon plain. It is located 30 km (18.64 mi) north 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 56 km (34.8 mi) south of Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
between the 'Poleg' stream and Wingate Institute in the south and the 'Avichail' stream in the north.
Its 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) of beaches have made the city a very popular tourist resort. Today the city houses a notably large population of English-speaking immigrants from the United Kingdom, USA, and Canada.
According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics
Israel Central Bureau of Statistics
The Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , abbreviated CBS, is an Israeli government office established in 1949 to carry out research and publish statistical data on all aspects of Israeli life, including population, society, economy, industry, education and physical infrastructure.It is headed by a...
(CBS), at the end of 2009 the city had a total population of 183,200. An additional 150,000 people live in the local and regional councils within 10 kilometers from Netanya which serves as a regional center for them. The city mayor is Miriam Feirberg
Miriam Feirberg
Miriam Feirberg Ikar is the mayor of Netanya, a city in the Centre District of Israel. Feirberg is the first female mayor in Netanya and one of the few women who have served as mayors of Israeli cities....
. The city is expected to reach a population of 350,000 by 2020. The city name has sometimes been spelled Nathania.
Foundation
The idea to create the settlement of Netanya was drawn up at a meeting of the Bnei Binyamin association in Zikhron Ya'akov. The location was decided upon near the ancient site of Poleg and it was decided for it to be named for the Jewish American philanthropistPhilanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
Nathan Straus
Nathan Straus
Nathan Straus was an American merchant and philanthropist who co-owned two of New York City's biggest department stores – R.H...
who devoted much money to activities in Israel. In 1928, members of Bnei Binyamin and Hanote, an organisation set up after Strauss was informed of the establishment of the settlement, are said to have purchased 350 acres (1.4 km²) of Umm Khaled lands. There remains today, however, considerable controversy amongst Palestinian and Israeli interpretation about whether land was sold (primarily from non-resident Arab land holders) during the British Mandate.
On December 14, 1928 a team led by Moshe Shaked began digging for water at the site, finding it in February, 1929. Subsequently, on February 18, 1929, the first five settlers moved onto the land, plowing and cultivating it for the first time. The land was divided between the settlers in June, 1929 as slowly the vision of the settlement became reality. Development was set back, however when the 1929 Palestine riots
1929 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...
and massacre caused the settlement to be abandoned for a couple of weeks. By September, however, development was back on track with the cornerstones for the first 10 houses being laid at Sukkot.
Growth
In the following years, Netanya continued to grow, with the first kindergarten and shop opening in 1930, and the first school in 1931, by which time there were 100 settlers. In 1933, the British architect Cliff Holliday proposed a plan for Netanya to become a tourist city. Holliday also prepared urban projects in Jaffa, Tiberias, Lydda and Ramla. The first urban planUrban planning
Urban planning incorporates areas such as economics, design, ecology, sociology, geography, law, political science, and statistics to guide and ensure the orderly development of settlements and communities....
for the city, saw it being divided into three sections with a tourism district along the coastline, housing, farms and commerce in the center, and agriculture and industry to the east. 1933 also saw the completion of the Tel-Aviv Hotel, the first hotel in the city, as well as the establishment of two new neighborhoods, Ben Zion and Geva.
The moshava
Moshava
A moshava , plural: Moshavot is a form of rural settlement in Israel.In a moshava, as opposed to communal settlements like the kibbutz and the moshav, all the land and property are privately-owned. The first moshavot, described as "colonies" in professional literature, were established by...
as it then was continued to grow in 1934, when the first ship of illegal immigrants carried 350 to Netanya's shoreline. These operations continued until 1939, with over seventeen ships landing near the city, being aided by the residents of Netanya. Whilst flourishing agriculturally, 1934 also saw the city diversify with Primazon opening the first factory there, producing fruit and vegetable preserves. Following this, the first industrial zone was set up, whilst the Shone Halahot Synagogue was built and the Bialik School, the first school, inaugurated.
As the settlement continued to grow, 1937 saw the cornerstone was laid for a new commercial center, the establishment of the Ein HaTchelet neighborhood, and the connection of Netanya to the Tel Aviv to Haifa road. In 1940, the British Mandate government defined Netanya as a 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...
of which Oved Ben Ami was elected head of. Expansion continued after this point, with the settlement of Neve Itamar created near Netanya in 1944, later becoming a neighborhood, and the first high school opening in 1945.
Israeli Independence
Netanya was active leading up to the Israeli Independence. In July 1947, in what became known as the Sergeants affairThe Sergeants affair
The Sergeants affair was an incident that took place in Mandate Palestine in July 1947 in which the Jewish underground group the Irgun kidnapped two British army Intelligence Corps NCOs, Sergeant Clifford Martin and Sergeant Mervyn Paice, and threatened to kill them if the death sentences passed...
, the Irgun hanged two British intelligence sergeants in what they claimed was revenge for the hanging of three Irgun members by the British. The Irgun hung the British sergeants in a eucalyptus grove near the village of Even Yehuda, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from Netanya.
In November 1947, an 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...
bus which left Netanya for Jerusalem was attacked in Petah Tikva
Petah Tikva
Petah Tikva known as Em HaMoshavot , is a city in the Center District of Israel, east of Tel Aviv.According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, at the end of 2009, the city's population stood at 209,600. The population density is approximately...
. In 1948, following the withdrawal of British forces from Netanya and the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, a large military base was established in the city. When fighting calmed down, Netanya was designated, on December 3, 1948 a city, the first city to be designated in the newly established State of Israel. At this time, the city had 9000 residents.
Security
Made vulnerable by its proximity (14 km, 9 mi) to the Palestinian city of TulkarmTulkarm
Tulkarem or Tulkarm is a Palestinian city in the northern Samarian mountain range in the Tulkarm Governorate in the extreme northwestern West Bank adjacent to the Netanya and Haifa districts to the west, the Nablus and Jenin Districts to the east...
, Netanya has suffered from numerous Palestinian
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
attacks aimed at Israel, including, notably, an attack in March 2002 which has come to be known as the Passover Massacre
Passover massacre
The Passover massacre was a suicide bombing carried out by Hamas at the Park Hotel in Netanya, Israel on March 27, 2002, during a Passover seder. Thirty civilians were killed in the attack and 140 were injured...
.
Since 2004 and the construction of Israeli West Bank barrier
Israeli West Bank barrier
The Israeli West Bank barrier is a separation barrier being constructed by the State of Israel along and within the West Bank. Upon completion, the barrier’s total length will be approximately...
number of attacks decreased significantly in Netanya as in other major cities.
Demographics
| City of Netanya Population by year |
|
| 1929 | 5 |
| 1931 | 100 |
| 1948 | 11,600 |
| 1955 | 31,000 |
| 1961 | 41,300 |
| 1972 | 71,100 |
| 1983 | 102,300 |
| 1995 | 146,100 |
| 2008 | 179,000 |
As of 2008, Netanya was home to 179,000 people, which grew 1.4% since 2007. The population density of the city is 5,993 per square kilometer. According to a 2001 survey by the CBS, 99.9% of the population are Jewish and other non-Arabs. In 2001 alone, the city became home to 1,546 immigrants. According to CBS, in 2001 there were 78,800 males and 84,900 females with the population of the city being spread out with 31.1% 19 years of age or younger, 15.3% between 20 and 29, 17.2% between 30 and 44, 17.4% from 45 to 59, 4.2% from 60 to 64, and 14.9% 65 years of age or older.
In terms of the origin of Netanya's residents, 63,800 originate from Europe and America, 30,200 from North Africa, 18,100 from Asia, 10,500 from Ethiopia and 38,100 from Israel. 90,200 of the residents of Netanya were born in Israel, whilst 71,300 were born abroad. A significant percentage of immigrants to the city over the past 20 years have been French Jews and Jews from the former Soviet Union. Also, a the largest group of Ethiopian Jews in Israel have settled in Netanya with over 10,500 Ethiopian Jewish residents in the city. Netanya is also the center of the Persian Jewish community of Israel.
As of 2000, the city had 58,897 salaried workers and 4,671 self-employed with the mean monthly wage in 2000 for a salaried worker in the city being NIS 4,905, a real change of 8.6% over the course of 2000. Salaried males have a mean monthly wage of NIS 6,217 (a real change of 9.0%) versus NIS 3,603 for females (a real change of 6.8%). The mean income for the self-employed is 6,379. There are 3,293 people who receive unemployment benefits and 14,963 people who receive an income guarantee.
In terms of religion, Netanya is made up approximately of 50% Secular Jews
Secular Jewish culture
Secular Jewish culture embraces several related phenomena; above all, it is the international culture of secular communities of Jewish people, but it can also include the cultural contributions of individuals who identify as secular Jews...
. On the other hand, it is the home of the Tzanzer chassidic sect, as well as a large Chabad Lubavitch presence.
Economy
IKEA
IKEA is a privately held, international home products company that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture such as beds and desks, appliances and home accessories. The company is the world's largest furniture retailer...
in Israel as well as much hi-tech industry. Tourism also plays a fairly major part in Netanya's economy with some 19 hotels in the city having 1,452 rooms. On average, this creates some 589 jobs. The hotels had an average occupancy rate of 51.7% in 2006. Netanya's long seashore and many beaches have created a holiday industry, which in turn features resort hotels, restaurants, and malls.
Geography
Netanya is located on the Israeli Mediterranean Coastal PlainIsraeli Coastal Plain
The Israeli coastal plain is the narrow coastal plain along Israel's Mediterranean Sea coast which houses 70% of the country's population. The plain extends north to south and is divided into a number of areas; the Plain of Zebulun , Hof HaCarmel , the Sharon plain , and the Plain of Judea The...
, the historic land bridge
Via Maris
Via Maris is the modern name for an ancient trade route, dating from the early Bronze Age, linking Egypt with the northern empires of Syria, Anatolia and Mesopotamia — modern day Iran, Iraq, Turkey and Syria....
between Europe, Africa, and Asia. The city is the capital of the Sharon plain, a geographic region stretching from the Mediterranean in the west to the Samarian hills in the east, and the modern day Tel Aviv metropolitan area
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...
in the south northwards to Mount Carmel
Mount Carmel
Mount Carmel ; , Kármēlos; , Kurmul or جبل مار إلياس Jabal Mar Elyas 'Mount Saint Elias') is a coastal mountain range in northern Israel stretching from the Mediterranean Sea towards the southeast. Archaeologists have discovered ancient wine and oil presses at various locations on Mt. Carmel...
. Although capital of a densely populated region, Netanya itself is relatively separate from settlements to the north, south, and east, though over time, growth has incorporated some into what makes up modern day Netanya.
Apart from some small moshav
Moshav
Moshav is a type of Israeli town or settlement, in particular a type of cooperative agricultural community of individual farms pioneered by the Labour Zionists during the second aliyah...
im and kibbutz
Kibbutz
A kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
im, south of Netanya is relatively clear of settlement until Herzliya
Herzliya
Herzliya is a city in the central coast of Israel, at the western part of the Tel Aviv District. It has a population of 87,000 residents. Named after Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism, Herzliya covers an area of 26 km²...
and the start 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...
, Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area. Likewise, to the north is clear of large settlement until Hadera
Hadera
Hadera is a city located in the Haifa District of Israel approximately from the major cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa. The city is located along of the Israeli Mediterranean Coastal Plain...
, and the east until Tulkarm
Tulkarm
Tulkarem or Tulkarm is a Palestinian city in the northern Samarian mountain range in the Tulkarm Governorate in the extreme northwestern West Bank adjacent to the Netanya and Haifa districts to the west, the Nablus and Jenin Districts to the east...
in the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
. The area to the east of Netanya does, however, have a large concentration of kibbutzim and moshavim in the Hefer Valley Regional Council
Hefer Valley Regional Council
The Hefer Valley Regional Council is a regional council in the Hefer Valley region of central Israel.The council covers an area adjacent to Hadera in the north, to Netanya in the south, to the Mediterranean in the west and to Tulkarm and the Green Line in the east...
and local councils
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...
of Kfar Yona and Even Yehuda.
Netanya itself is divided into a large number of neighborhoods (see Neighborhoods of Netanya
Neighborhoods of Netanya
This is a list of neighborhoods in the Israeli city of Netanya.* Ben Zion* Ein Hatchelet* Galey Yam* Gan Bracha* Givat Hairusim* Ir Yamim* Kiryat Eliezer* Kiryat Hasharon* Kiryat Nordau* Kiryat Oved* Kiryat Sanz* Kiryat Rabin * Mahane Ya’akov...
), recently growing southwards out of the city to create a number of high-end coastal neighborhoods with industrial areas inland. Netanya is home to the Poleg nature reserve and the Irises Dora Rainpool nature park containing the world's largest population of iris atropurpurea. At the center of the park is a rainpool which fills up with water in the winter months, and dries up over the summer months. Signs along the rainpool include information on the types of flora and fauna which populate the ecosystem.
Public transportation
The Netanya Railway Station
Netanya Railway Station
Netanya Railway Station is an Israel Railways passenger station located in the city of Netanya and serves the city, with its large industrial zones, as well as other small communities in the area.-Location:...
is located near the city center, on the east side of Highway 2
Highway 2 (Israel)
Highway 2 is an Israeli highway located on the coastal plain of the Mediterranean Sea. It stretches from Tel Aviv to Haifa. The highway is also called The Coastal Highway or The New Haifa - Tel Aviv Highway ....
. Another station is located in the nearby moshav
Moshav
Moshav is a type of Israeli town or settlement, in particular a type of cooperative agricultural community of individual farms pioneered by the Labour Zionists during the second aliyah...
of Bet Yehoshua
Beit Yehoshua Railway Station
Beit Yehoshua Railway Station is an Israel Railways passenger station located in Beit Yehoshua and serves the village and the southern part of the city of Netanya, with its large industrial zones, as well as other small communities in the area.-Train service:...
and is convenient for getting to southern Netanya and to the Poleg Industrial Area. Both stations are connected to the city by 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...
bus service, although Shay Li service taxis are highly predominant at the Beit Yehoshua Railway Station
Beit Yehoshua Railway Station
Beit Yehoshua Railway Station is an Israel Railways passenger station located in Beit Yehoshua and serves the village and the southern part of the city of Netanya, with its large industrial zones, as well as other small communities in the area.-Train service:...
. There are direct trains from both stations to 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...
, Binyamina, Hadera
Hadera
Hadera is a city located in the Haifa District of Israel approximately from the major cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa. The city is located along of the Israeli Mediterranean Coastal Plain...
, Herzliya
Herzliya
Herzliya is a city in the central coast of Israel, at the western part of the Tel Aviv District. It has a population of 87,000 residents. Named after Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism, Herzliya covers an area of 26 km²...
, Lod
Lod
Lod is a city located on the Sharon Plain southeast of Tel Aviv in the Center District of Israel. At the end of 2010, it had a population of 70,000, roughly 75 percent Jewish and 25 percent Arab.The name is derived from the Biblical city of Lod...
, Rehovot
Rehovot
Rehovot is a city in the Center District of Israel, about south of Tel Aviv. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2009 the city had a total population of 112,700. Rehovot's official website estimates the population at 114,000.Rehovot was built on the site of Doron,...
, Ashdod, Ashkelon
Ashkelon
Ashkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
and other towns. All Israel Railways
Israel Railways
Israel Railways is the principal passenger railway operating company in Israel, and is responsible for all inter-city and suburban rail way passenger and freight traffic in the country. All its lines are standard gauge. The network is centered in Israel's densely populated coastal plain, from...
stations, including Ben Gurion Airport
Ben Gurion Airport Railway Station
Ben Gurion Airport Railway Station is a station on the Israel Railways lines between Tel Aviv and Modi'in. The station is located in the lower level of Ben Gurion International Airport's Terminal 3, and was opened in 2004.-Services:...
, can be accessed from Netanya by means of transfer station
Interchange station
An interchange station or a transfer station is a train station for more than one railway route in a public transport system, and allows passengers to change from one route to another. Transfer may occur within the same mode, or between rail modes, or to buses...
s such as Binyamina and Tel Aviv.
Egged buses run from the Netanya central bus station to Jerusalem, Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
, Eilat and other destinations. Many neighborhoods have a direct connection to 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...
without the need to pass through the central bus station. In addition, many Egged lines connecting Tel Aviv with the north of the country stop at the Netanya Interchange on Highway 2
Highway 2 (Israel)
Highway 2 is an Israeli highway located on the coastal plain of the Mediterranean Sea. It stretches from Tel Aviv to Haifa. The highway is also called The Coastal Highway or The New Haifa - Tel Aviv Highway ....
, giving Netanya a direct connection with Nazareth
Nazareth
Nazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel...
, Tiberias, Kiryat Shmona
Kiryat Shmona
Kiryat Shmona is a city located in the North District of Israel on the western slopes of the Hula Valley on the Lebanese border. The city was named for the eight people, including Joseph Trumpeldor, who died in 1920 defending Tel Hai....
and many other northern destinations. Nateev Express operates bus services to 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...
, Bnei Brak and to the surrounding communities, including the city of Hadera
Hadera
Hadera is a city located in the Haifa District of Israel approximately from the major cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa. The city is located along of the Israeli Mediterranean Coastal Plain...
. Some regional lines are still operated by Egged. The intracity transportation is based on Egged Ta'avura
Egged Ta'avura
Egged Ta'avura is an Israeli bus company. It is a subsidiary of the Egged Bus Cooperative and the Ta'avura Group, and was founded by the two in 2006 from 2 other subsidiaries of Egged, following the public transportation reform and privatization in Israel in the 2000s...
bus lines and Shay Li service taxis.
Museums
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 1928, 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.Education
According to the Netanya Municipality, the city has 36,544 students including 5,351 pupils in 186 kindergartens, 16,748 in 46 elementary schools, and 14,445 in 16 high schools. Education in the city is controlled by the municipality's Education Administration. 52.7% of 12th grade students were entitled to a matriculation certificate in 2001.In terms of higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
, Netanya has a private higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
institution, Netanya Academic College
Netanya Academic College
Netanya Academic College is a private college based in Netanya, Israel. Established in 1994 by a team from Bar-Ilan University, it has an enrolment of around 4,000 undergraduate students...
, which offers Bachelor's
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
and Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
s in several subjects as well as the Ort Hermelin College of Engineering, the Zinman College of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Lesley College, and The Tesler School for Nursing. Furthermore, the Wingate Institute
Wingate Institute
The Wingate Institute is a sports training facility located south of Netanya, Israel, established in 1957. Named after Orde Wingate, the facility serves as the host facility for numerous Israeli national teams as well as a military training base....
, Israel's National Centre for Physical Education and Sport, is located just south of the city.
Sports
Maccabi Netanya
Maccabi Netanya F.C. is an Israeli football club based in Netanya. Established in 1934, the club were founding members of the Israeli League in 1949. After winning their first championship in 1970, the club's golden period lasted until the late 1980s, including four more league titles and a double...
, whose main local rival is Beitar Nes Tubruk
Beitar Nes Tubruk
Beitar Nes Tubruk Netanya , formerly Beitar Netanya, is a football club in Netanya, Israel. The club is one of the most successful youth academies in the country, competing in youth competitions at all age levels.....
. The third is Maccabi HaSharon Netanya, though the team has been limited to fourth tier football in the Liga Bet
Liga Bet
-History:League football started in Israel in 1949–50, a year after independence. However, the financial and security crises gripping the young nation caused the 1950–51 season to be abandoned before it had started. When football resumed in 1951–52, the new top division went by the name of Liga...
. Elitzur Netanya represents the city in the 1st tier of Israeli basketball. In handball, the city is represented by Hapoel Netanya
Hapoel Netanya
Hapoel Netanya is a handball team from the city of Netanya, Israel. The team's colors are black and white, and it hosts its home games in Ben Gurion hall in the north side of the city....
in the 2nd tier of the Israeli handball. In baseball, the city was represented by the Netanya Tigers
Netanya Tigers
The Netanya Tigers is an Israeli baseball team from Netanya in the Israel Baseball League.The Tigers finished the inaugrual 2007 season in fourth place, 19-21 , and were defeated by the Bet Shemesh Blue Sox in the semifinals of the 2007 championship, 6-3.-History:The team's Manager is Israeli Ami...
of the Israel Baseball League
Israel baseball league
The Israel Baseball League was a six-team professional baseball league in Israel. The first game was played on June 24, 2007...
. As part of "Netanya – city of sport" program the beach soccer
Beach soccer
Beach soccer, also known as beach football or beasal, is a variant of association football played on a beach or some form of sand. The game emphasises skill, agility and shooting at goal....
stadium was established and it currently hosts Israeli championship and international "Diamond tournament" games.
Aside from the professional sport teams, Maccabi Netanya
Maccabi Netanya
Maccabi Netanya F.C. is an Israeli football club based in Netanya. Established in 1934, the club were founding members of the Israeli League in 1949. After winning their first championship in 1970, the club's golden period lasted until the late 1980s, including four more league titles and a double...
also has a boxing and fencing club while Hapoel Netanya
Hapoel Netanya
Hapoel Netanya is a handball team from the city of Netanya, Israel. The team's colors are black and white, and it hosts its home games in Ben Gurion hall in the north side of the city....
has judo and gymnastic clubs.
Netanya is also the home of paragliding in Israel. The moderate cliffs plus a stiff offshore breeze provide an ideal environment for safe and fun comfortable paragliding. Gliders are often seen cruising high above the beach, just along the cliff line.
Twin towns — Sister cities
Netanya is twinned with:Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
in United Kingdom Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States (since 2000) Como
Como
Como is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy.It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como....
in Italy Dortmund
Dortmund
Dortmund is a city in Germany. It is located in the Bundesland of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Ruhr area. Its population of 585,045 makes it the 7th largest city in Germany and the 34th largest in the European Union....
in Germany Gießen
Gießen
Gießen, also spelt Giessen is a town in the German federal state of Hesse, capital of both the district of Gießen and the administrative region of Gießen...
in Germany
Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
in Queensland, Australia Iaşi
Iasi
Iași is the second most populous city and a municipality in Romania. Located in the historical Moldavia region, Iași has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Romanian social, cultural, academic and artistic life...
in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
in France Nowy Sącz
Nowy Sacz
Nowy Sącz is a town in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship in southern Poland. It is the district capital of Nowy Sącz County, but is not included within the powiat.-Names:...
in Poland Sarcelles
Sarcelles
Sarcelles is a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. Sarcelles is a sub-prefecture of the Val-d'Oise department and the seat of the Arrondissement of Sarcelles....
in France
Siófok
Siófok
Siófok is a city in Hungary on the southern bank of Lake Balaton in Somogy County. The city is one of Hungary's most popular holiday destinations, famous for its beaches and nightlife. Siófok is one of the richest municipalities of Hungary due to tourism...
in Hungary Stavanger
Stavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
in Norway Sunny Isles Beach
Sunny Isles Beach, Florida
Sunny Isles Beach is a city located on a barrier island in northeast Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The City is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the Intracoastal Waterway on the west...
in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, United States Cáceres
Cáceres, Spain
Cáceres is the capital of the same name province, in the autonomous community of Extremadura, Spain. , its population was 91,131 inhabitants. The municipio has a land area of 1,750.33 km², and is the largest in geographical extension in Spain....
in Spain
Notable residents
- Ronny LevyRonny LevyRonny Levy is a former Israeli international football player and now works as a manager. Levy was one of the best defensive midfielders in Israeli football while playing, and won championships with both Bnei Yehuda and Maccabi Haifa....
, football coach - Linor Abargil, winner of the 1998 Miss WorldMiss WorldThe Miss World pageant is the oldest surviving major international beauty pageant. It was created in the United Kingdom by Eric Morley in 1951...
beauty pageant - Moti KirschenbaumMoti Kirschenbaum-Biography:Kirschenbaum was born in Kfar Saba in 1939. He studied in Pardes Hanna Agricultural High School. He served in the parachuted Nahal unit of the IDF. From 1962 to 1968 he studied film and television in UCLA....
, television presenter and filmmaker - Eli FinishEli FinishEli Finish is an Israeli actor and comedian. He is well known for acting in the popular TV show Eretz Nehederet.-Career:After his release from the IDF in 1996, Finish studied acting in the art school HaBustan in Netanya...
, actor and comedian - Yehuda BarkanYehuda BarkanYehuda Barkan is an Israeli actor, film producer, film director and screenwriter.- Early life :Barkan was born in Netanya and was initially named Yehuda Ezekiel Berkowitz. In his childhood Barkan studied at the Bialik and ORT in schools in Netanya...
, actor and filmmaker - Imi LichtenfeldImi LichtenfeldImre "Imi" Lichtenfeld was an Israeli martial artist who founded the Krav Maga self-defense system. He was also known as Imi Sde-Or, the Hebrew calque of his name.-Early life:...
, martial artist, founded Krav MagaKrav MagaKrav Maga is a noncompetitive eclectic self-defense system developed in Europe that involves striking techniques, wrestling and grappling. Krav Maga is known for its focus on real-world situations and extremely efficient, brutal counter-attacks... - Margalit Tzan'aniMargalit Tzan'aniMargalit Tzan'ani , also known as Margol, is an Israeli singer and television personality. Tzan'ani is famous for her repertoire of Israeli oriental music style with soul influences, as well as jazz, blues, rock, pop and Arab music.-Biography :...
, singer - Mariano IdelmanMariano IdelmanMariano Idelman is an Israeli actor and comedian. He is well known for acting in the popular TV show Eretz Nehederet.-Career:In 1996 he appeared in Dudu Topaz's stand-up comedy show called The First in Entertainment with Eli Finish, and signed a 2-year contract with the show.Idelman and Finish...
, actor and comedian - Maya Buskila, singer
- Mordechai SpieglerMordechai SpieglerMordechai "Motaleh" Spiegler is a former Israeli footballer. He remains Israel's record goalscorer, with 33 goals in 83 caps.In 2005, he was voted the 105th-greatest Israeli of all time, in a poll by the Israeli news website Ynet to determine whom the general public considered the 200 Greatest...
, football player - Moshe GlamMoshe GlamMoshe Glam is an Israeli footballer and a football manager.With 5 seasons in Beitar Netanya, 3 seasons in Maccabi Netanya and 1 season in Maccabi HaSharon Netanya Glam made history as the only player to take part in all of the senior sides from the city of Netanya.-Honours:*Israeli Premier League...
, football player - Oded MachnesOded MachnesOded Machnes is a retired Israeli footballer who was a striker, and is the second-greatest goal-scorer in Israeli history with 196 goals in the Israeli Premier League....
, football player - Arik ShivekArik ShivekArik Shivek is the Israeli head basketball coach the Israeli national basketball team, as well as the coach of Belgian club Dexia Mons-Hainaut. Shivek replaced coach Tzvika Sherf.-Coaching career:...
, basketball coach - Shiraz TalShiraz TalShiraz Tal is a Israeli fashion model.Tal began her modeling career at age 15 in Paris. She was discovered by the Image Models modeling agency of Israel. She is best known for her work as a model in Armani Exchange advertisements, but she was also featured in the spring/summer 2000 Louis Vuitton...
, model - Yekusiel Yehudah HalberstamYekusiel Yehudah HalberstamYekusiel Yehudah Halberstam was an Orthodox rabbi and the founding rebbe of the Sanz-Klausenburg Hasidic dynasty....
, orthodox rabbi