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| Ra'anana | ||
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| District | Center | |
| Government | City | |
| Hebrew | רַעֲנָנָה | |
| Arabic | رعنانا | |
| Population | 73,100 (December 2007) | |
| Area | 14,928 dunams (14.928 km2; 5.764 sq mi) | |
| Mayor | Nahum Hofree | |
| Founded in | April 2, 1922 | |
| Coordinates | 32°11′N 34°52′E / 32.183°N 34.867°ECoordinates: 32°11′N 34°52′E / 32.183°N 34.867°E | |
Ra'anana (Hebrew: רַעֲנָנָה) (lit. "Fresh") is a city with a population of 73,100 in the southern Sharon Plain of the Central District of Israel. Ra'anana is bordered by Kfar Sava on the east and Herzliya on the southwest. It has been named the city with the highest quality of life in Israel and the safest city in the Middle East.[1]
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History
Ra'anana was founded in 1921 by the Ahuza Alef Society of New York, one of several societies formed in the United States to purchase land in Palestine and establish Jewish agricultural plantations.[2]
On April 2, 1922, the first group of colonizers from the USA and Canada, consisting of four members of the Ahuza society, three laborers and two armed guards, set out by wagon from Tel Aviv and pitched a tent on the land. In its early days, the settlement was called "Raananya." The Arab neighbors called it "Amerikiya" because so many of the early residents spoke English.
Demography
Ra'anana has a large English-speaking population. The number of French immigrants is also on the rise.[3]
Religion
Though the majority of Ra'anana residents are secular, there is a sizable religious minority, mainly consisting of Modern Orthodox Jews, many of whom are Western immigrants, in particular from the U.S., U.K., South Africa and France. There are a large number of synagogues around Ra'anana, primaily in the east and center of the city and there is also a small Hasidic community of Clevelander Hasidim, led by the Clevelander Rebbe of Ra'anana, Rabbi Yitzchok Rosenbaum. The chief rabbi of the city is Rabbi Yitzhak Peretz.
Industry & Commerce
Ra'anana has an industrial zone in the north of the city, which is home to Rananim shopping mall and many high-tech companies, among them Emblaze, Hewlett-Packard, NICE Systems, SAP and Texas Instruments. In addition, Microsoft's head office in Israel and Amdocs are located in an office complex at the eastern edge of the city, close to Ra'anana Junction, where Highway 4 meets Ahuza Street, Ra'anana's main boulevard. Ahuza Street runs through the city from east to west and is lined with shops, restaurants and a cultural center.
Education
Ra'anana has 12 elementary schools, 10 middle schools and 8 high-schools. The education level in Ra'anana is considered to be one of Israel's highest.[citation needed] It also has special educational frameworks for gifted students and for students with different disabilities such as autism. Raanana is also a home for schools of unique educational idiology, like religious pluralistic shools and democratic school.
Parks and museums
The park of Raanana is the largest urban park in the Sharon area. The park was established for the benefit and pleasure of Ra'anana's residents and the city's visitors. The Ra'anana Municipality invested a large budget in establishing the park and continues to invest in its ongoing development. The park's administration and employees ensure its cleanliness and upkeep as well as the security of its facilities for the welfare of its visitors. It offers myriad possibilities for rest and relaxation, walking and bike paths, as well as activities on the sports fields and a visit to the zoological garden with its petting corner for children. In addition the park offers a beautiful lake. Its clover shape is reminiscent of Raanana's city emblem. There are two fountains in the lake and pedestrians can cross over it on the bridge. The lake is surrounded by special gardens, including the Seven Species garden, and there are pleasant shaded walking paths alongside the lake. There is also a restaurant and small art gallery directly adjacent to the lake. The Founders Museum presents the story and lifestyle of Raanana's original settlers, from the arrival of "the Ahuza Alef-New York Association" (at the beginning of the century) until Raanana became an official local council in 1936.[4]
Hospitals and medical facilities
Loewenstein Hospital Rehabilitation Center is located in Ra'anana.
Sports
The main soccer club of the city is Hapoel Ra'anana. In basketball, the city is represented by Bnei Hasharon who play at the MetroWest high school. With a large population of American expatriates, the Ra'anana Express are an inaugural team in the Israel Baseball League.
The Ra'anana Roosters are the local rugby team, and the area is a centre of rugby union in Israel, with the Israel Rugby Union being based there.
Mayors
- Baruch Ostrovsky (1931-1959)
- Michael Pasweig
- Yitzhak Skolnik
- Benyamin Wolfovich
- Zeev Bielski (1989-2005)
- Nahum Hofree (2005 - present)
International relations
Twin towns — Sister cities
Ra'anana is twinned with:
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References
- ^ Ra'anana – is the "SAFEST CITY" in the MIDDLE EAST
- ^ Encyclopedia of Zionism and Israel, ed. Raphael Patai, Herzl Press/McGraw-Hill, New York, 1971, "Ahuza", vol. 1, p. 17
- ^ Hoffman, Carl (2006-09-07). "Ra'anana's French revolution | Features | Jerusalem Post". Jpost.com. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?apage=1&cid=1154526025254&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull. Retrieved 2009-05-06.
- ^ Yad Labanim
- ^ "Stedenband Opsterland-Ra'anana [City Connection Opsterland-Ra'anana]". Stedenbanden.nl. http://www.stedenbanden.nl/detail_city.phtml?know_id=383. "Vanaf 1960 onderhoudt de gemeente Opsterland contacten met de gemeente Ra'anana. Deze contacten zijn in 1963 officieel vastgelegd in een 'vriendschapsverdrag'. In maart 2000 is een delegatie naar Ra'anana gereisd om te praten over een meer themagerichte invulling van het verdrag."
- ^ Being the first to twin, a central street in the Ra'anana is named "Opsterland"
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Raanana |
- Official municipal website
- North Raanana's Environment Organization
- Orange sculpture - Virtual Tour 360
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