Holon

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Holon
Image:HolonLogo.gif
Hebrew חוֹלוֹן
Arabic حولون
Name meaning (Little) sand
Founded in 1936
Government City (from 1950)
District Tel Aviv
Population 180,000 (2005)
Jurisdiction 19,200 dunams (19.2 km²)
Mayor Moti Sasson
The Yanshul, half-cat half-owl, symbol of the Holon Children's Museum
The Yanshul, half-cat half-owl, symbol of the Holon Children's Museum
A Samaritan synagogue
A Samaritan synagogue
Mediatech cultural center
Mediatech cultural center
This article is about the city Holon. For the philosophical concept, see Holon (philosophy).

Holon (Hebrew: חוֹלוֹן‎; חֹלֹן, Ḥōlōn) is a city in Israel, on the central coastal strip south of Tel Aviv. Holon is part of the metropolitan area known as Gush Dan in the Tel Aviv District. In 2005, it had a population of 180,000. Holon has the second largest industrial zone in Israel after Haifa.[citation needed]

Contents

[edit] Etymology

The name of the city comes from the Hebrew word hol, meaning "sand". The name Holon also appears in the Bible: "And Holon with its suburbs, and Debir with its suburbs" (Book of Joshua, 21:15).

[edit] History

Holon was founded on sand dunes six kilometers from Tel Aviv in 1935. [1] The Lodzia textile factory was established there by Jewish immigrants from Lodz, Poland, along with many other industrial enterprises. [2]

[edit] Culture

Holon used to host the annual Storytellers Festival, now held in Giv'atayim. It also hosts the annual Yemay Zemer song festival and a spring festival devoted to women. Daniel Barenboim organizes an annual music summer camp in the city.[citation needed]

Since the election of Moti Sasson as the mayor of Holon in 1993, many cultural projects have been inaugurated. Billing itself as a "children's city," Holon is home to the Holon Children's Museum and the Mediatheque youth theater. [3]

Holon also plays host each year to a street carnival in celebration of the Jewish holiday of Purim, the Adloyada (עדלאידע). Thousands of children dress up in costumes and the streets close down for a parade featuring colorful floats.

The city has many parks and lush greenery. The park on the corner of Rehovot HaHistadrut and Eilat is famed for the backgammon or "shesh besh" tournaments which take place daily.

[edit] Samaritans

In 1954, the president of Israel, Yitzhak Ben-Zvi helped to establish a Samaritan quarter on the outskirts of Holon. The quarter was named Neve Pinchas after Pinhas Ben-Abraham, the high priest of the Samaritan community.[4]

[edit] Sports

[edit] Notable residents

[edit] Mayors

  • Haim Kugel - 1940 to 1953
  • Pinhas Eylon - 1953 to 1987
  • Haim Sharon - 1987 to 1988
  • Moshe Rom - 1988 to 1993
  • Moti Sasson - 1993 to present

[edit] Twin cities

Sister city shields at the city entrance
Sister city shields at the city entrance
See also: Town twinning.

Partnership of kindness with:

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Guide to Israel, Zeev Vilnay, Hamakor Press, Jerusalem , 1972, p.239
  2. ^ The Guide to Israel, Zeev Vilnay, Hamakor Press, Jerusalem , 1972, p.239
  3. ^ http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/988802.html
  4. ^ http://www.jewishmag.com/78mag/samaritans/samaritans.htm

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 32°01′N, 34°46′E

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