Kiryat Ekron
Encyclopedia
Kiryat Ekron or Qiryath Eqron is an Israel
i town located on the coastal plain in the Central Region of Israel. Kiryat Ekron is named after the biblical Ekron
, a major Philistine city that once existed at nearby Tel Mikne.
Kiryat Ekron was founded in 1948, as Kfar Ekron, at the site of the Arab village Aqir
, that was destroyed during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. After the war, new immigrants from Bulgaria
and Yemen
settled in the remaining houses. In November 1948, two ma'abarot were established on the village's lands; the Aqir ma'abara, and the Givat Brenner
ma'abara. In 1953, the Aqir ma'abara was officially made part of Kfar Ekron, followed by the Givat Brenner ma'abara in 1955. From 1954 to 1963, Kfar Ekron belonged to the Givat Brenner regional council. In 1963, the name of the town was changed to Kiryat Ekron, and it became an independent local municipality.
According to the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics the population of Kiryat Ekron was 9800 in 2004. The average monthly wage in the year 2000 according to the bureau of statistics was ₪4296 (Israeli new sheqel
s) with the national average being ₪6835. The population was 99% Jewish and had a 1:1 male to female ratio.
Kiryat Ekron is situated immediately south of the city of Rehovot
on Highway 411 next to the Bilu Junction. The largest commercial centre in Israel - "Bilu Centre" is located in Kiryat Ekron. The centre was built up in the late 1990s on land that was formerly agricultural, particularly citrus groves. Attempts to unite Kiryat Ekron with the much larger municipality of Rehovot in 2003 failed after popular protest from the Ekronites, as did similar attempts to unite Kiryat Ekron's municipality with that of the town of Mazkeret Batya due to opposition from the smaller town's residents the same year.
(Mazkeret Batya
was originally called Ekron, when founded in 1880's. Its name was changed to Mazkeret Batya
in 1887).
A small suburban town, Kiryat Ekron is a 10-20 minute drive from the Trans Israel Highway
and Highway 1
and located approximately 23 kilometres South East from Tel Aviv
and 40 km West of Jerusalem.
, as designated by the Sister Cities International
:
a famous Israeli music artist, Aharon grew up and learnt to sing in the town.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i town located on the coastal plain in the Central Region of Israel. Kiryat Ekron is named after the biblical Ekron
Ekron
The city of Ekron , was one of the five cities of the famed Philistine pentapolis, located in southwestern Canaan. Ekron lies 35 kilometers west of Jerusalem, and 18 kilometers north of ancient Gath, on the eastern edge of Israel's coastal plain.-History:...
, a major Philistine city that once existed at nearby Tel Mikne.
Kiryat Ekron was founded in 1948, as Kfar Ekron, at the site of the Arab village Aqir
Aqir
Aqir was a Palestinian Arab village in the District of Ramle located 9 km southwest of Ramla and 1 km north of Wadi al-Nasufiyya .-History:...
, that was destroyed during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. After the war, new immigrants from Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
and Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
settled in the remaining houses. In November 1948, two ma'abarot were established on the village's lands; the Aqir ma'abara, and the Givat Brenner
Givat Brenner
Givat Brenner , also written Giv'at Brener, is a kibbutz in the Center District of Israel. Located around two kilometres south of Rehovot, it falls under the jurisdiction of Brenner Regional Council...
ma'abara. In 1953, the Aqir ma'abara was officially made part of Kfar Ekron, followed by the Givat Brenner ma'abara in 1955. From 1954 to 1963, Kfar Ekron belonged to the Givat Brenner regional council. In 1963, the name of the town was changed to Kiryat Ekron, and it became an independent local municipality.
According to the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics the population of Kiryat Ekron was 9800 in 2004. The average monthly wage in the year 2000 according to the bureau of statistics was ₪4296 (Israeli new sheqel
Israeli new sheqel
The Israeli New Shekel is the currency of the State of Israel. The shekel is divided into 100 agorot...
s) with the national average being ₪6835. The population was 99% Jewish and had a 1:1 male to female ratio.
Kiryat Ekron is situated immediately south of the city of 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,...
on Highway 411 next to the Bilu Junction. The largest commercial centre in Israel - "Bilu Centre" is located in Kiryat Ekron. The centre was built up in the late 1990s on land that was formerly agricultural, particularly citrus groves. Attempts to unite Kiryat Ekron with the much larger municipality of Rehovot in 2003 failed after popular protest from the Ekronites, as did similar attempts to unite Kiryat Ekron's municipality with that of the town of Mazkeret Batya due to opposition from the smaller town's residents the same year.
(Mazkeret Batya
Mazkeret Batya
Mazkeret Batya is a town in the center of Israel located southeast of Rehovot and from Tel-Aviv. Mazkeret Batya spans an area of 7,440 dunams . In December 2008, it had a population of 9,900. The mayor of Mazkeret Batya is Meir Dahan.-History:Mazkeret Batya was established on November 7, 1883 by...
was originally called Ekron, when founded in 1880's. Its name was changed to Mazkeret Batya
Mazkeret Batya
Mazkeret Batya is a town in the center of Israel located southeast of Rehovot and from Tel-Aviv. Mazkeret Batya spans an area of 7,440 dunams . In December 2008, it had a population of 9,900. The mayor of Mazkeret Batya is Meir Dahan.-History:Mazkeret Batya was established on November 7, 1883 by...
in 1887).
A small suburban town, Kiryat Ekron is a 10-20 minute drive from the Trans Israel Highway
Highway 6 (Israel)
Highway 6 , widely known as the Trans-Israel Highway or Cross-Israel Highway , is a major electronic toll highway in Israel. The highway was officially dedicated as the Yitzhak Rabin Highway , though this name is not commonly used. It started operating in the early 2000s and is being lengthened as...
and Highway 1
Highway 1 (Israel)
Highway 1 , is the main highway connecting Tel Aviv with Jerusalem.-History:The section between Latrun and Jerusalem roughly follows an ancient path connecting Jaffa and Jerusalem...
and located approximately 23 kilometres South East from 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 40 km West of Jerusalem.
Sister cities
Kiryat Ekron has a sister cityTown 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 :...
, as designated by the Sister Cities International
Sister Cities International
Sister Cities International is a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network that creates and strengthens partnerships between United States and international communities. More than 2,000 cities, states and counties are partnered in 136 countries around the world...
:
| - Akron Akron, Ohio Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan... (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 United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... ) |
Famous residents
Kiryat Ekron was home to Dudu AharonDudu Aharon
Dudu Aharon is a singer song writer, musician, and composer from Israel.Aharon is considered one of Israel's most prominent singers of Mizrahi Music in modern times . He is admired both as a singer and for the songs he writes for others . Aharon released his first album "First Love", in 2007...
a famous Israeli music artist, Aharon grew up and learnt to sing in the town.