Ra'anana
Encyclopedia
Ra'anana is a city in the heart of the southern Sharon Plain
of the Central District of Israel
with a population of 68,300, . Ra'anana is bordered by Kfar Sava on the east and Herzliya
on the southwest. While the majority of its residents are native Israelis, a large part of the population are immigrants from English, French and Spanish speaking countries.
Ra'anana's high tech industrial park is home to many leading global companies and local start up companies. It has been named the city with the highest quality of life
in Israel and the safest city in the Middle East
.
carrying 4 "Ahuza" members, 3 laborers and 2 armed watchmen. After a 5 hour journey, they unloaded their baggage at the place destined to become Ra'anana.
In its early days, the settlement was called "Ahuza A – New York." The Arabs of the region called it "Little America" as most of its residents were English speakers and came from New York. Later it was renamed "Ra'anania" and finally the founding settlers chose "Ra'anana" as its official name. By the War of Independence, it was a village of 3,000 residents.
By the late 1960s, it had a population of 85,000 spanning an area of 15 square kilometres. In the 1980s Ra'anana was declared a city.
Ra'anana has both a large English-speaking population and a Spanish-speaking population, mainly from Argentina
. The number of French immigrants is also on the rise.
Jews, many of whom are Western immigrants, in particular from the U.S., U.K., South Africa and France. The integration of religious people into the general social, cultural and commercial life of the city has a distinctive affect on the character of the city. There are nearly 100 synagogues in Ra'anana, ranging from small minyanim to large edifices, and including a wide range of traditions, including Sefaradi, Ashkenazi, Yemenite and even Afghani, Libyan synagogues. Due to the large number of immigrants in the city, many of these synagogues often cater to specific immigrant groups. 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
.
Ra'anana has an industrial zone in the north of the city, which is home to Rananim shopping mall and many high-tech companies, including Emblaze, Hewlett-Packard
, NICE Systems
, OnTarget Communications, 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.
Due to Raanana's high concentration and proximity to high-tech companies in Israel, it frequently hosts international high tech conferences.
Educational programs for gifted students start in the third grade. A program for the encouragement of girls to study technological subjects has been developed as well as a technology-focused leadership development and information management program, the first of its kind in Israel. The program, created in conjunction with "Ness Technologies", uses advanced technology as a catalyst for developing skills.
Ra'anana has developed supplementary education programs for the afternoon and evening hours, which meet the needs of thousands of children, aged 5–18. These programs foster creativity, promote social involvement and cultivate leadership skills. The supplementary education projects include over 20 "Batei Talmid" citywide extracurricular programs, an afternoon daycare program, and music, dance, art and science centers. Other programs include summer camps and summer activities, university for youth, dance troupes, the Children’s Parliament, an acting school, a school for the performing arts, and gifted children programs, that serve as a model for many other cities.
Ra'anana is home to the Open University
and the Ra'anana College.
in the Sharon
region. It offers walking and bike paths, sports fields, a zoo and children's petting corner and a lake in a clover shape reminiscent of Ra'anana's coat of arms. 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 shaded walking paths. There is also a restaurant and small art gallery. The Founders Museum presents the story of Ra'anana's original settlers, from the arrival of the Ahuza Alef-New York Association until Ra'anana achieved local council status in 1936.
As a national rehabilitative center, patients are admitted from all parts of the country, all health funds, from the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Health, and from general hospitals and clinics, both from Israel and overseas.
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.
with:
Sharon, Israel
The Sharon Plain is the northern half of the coastal plain of Israel. Its largest city is Netanya.The Plain lies between the Mediterranean Sea to the west and the Samarian Hills, to the east. It stretches from Haifa and Mount Carmel in the north to the Yarkon River in the south, at the edge of...
of the Central District of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
with a population of 68,300, . Ra'anana is bordered by Kfar Sava on the east and 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...
on the southwest. While the majority of its residents are native Israelis, a large part of the population are immigrants from English, French and Spanish speaking countries.
Ra'anana's high tech industrial park is home to many leading global companies and local start up companies. It has been named the city with the highest quality of life
Quality of life
The term quality of life is used to evaluate the general well-being of individuals and societies. The term is used in a wide range of contexts, including the fields of international development, healthcare, and politics. Quality of life should not be confused with the concept of standard of...
in Israel and the safest city in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
.
History
In 1912, the Company for Jewish Settlement in Israel formed the "Ahuza A – New York" group to purchase land in Israel for agricultural settlement. The First World War delayed their plans but on April 2, 1922, two wagons left the corner of Lilienblum and Herzl Streets in Tel AvivTel 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...
carrying 4 "Ahuza" members, 3 laborers and 2 armed watchmen. After a 5 hour journey, they unloaded their baggage at the place destined to become Ra'anana.
In its early days, the settlement was called "Ahuza A – New York." The Arabs of the region called it "Little America" as most of its residents were English speakers and came from New York. Later it was renamed "Ra'anania" and finally the founding settlers chose "Ra'anana" as its official name. By the War of Independence, it was a village of 3,000 residents.
By the late 1960s, it had a population of 85,000 spanning an area of 15 square kilometres. In the 1980s Ra'anana was declared a city.
Demography
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. The number of French immigrants is also on the rise.
Religion
Though the majority of Ra'anana residents are secular, there is a sizable religious community, mainly consisting of Modern OrthodoxModern Orthodox Judaism
Modern Orthodox Judaism is a movement within Orthodox Judaism that attempts to synthesize Jewish values and the observance of Jewish law, with the secular, modern world....
Jews, many of whom are Western immigrants, in particular from the U.S., U.K., South Africa and France. The integration of religious people into the general social, cultural and commercial life of the city has a distinctive affect on the character of the city. There are nearly 100 synagogues in Ra'anana, ranging from small minyanim to large edifices, and including a wide range of traditions, including Sefaradi, Ashkenazi, Yemenite and even Afghani, Libyan synagogues. Due to the large number of immigrants in the city, many of these synagogues often cater to specific immigrant groups. There is also 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...
community of Clevelander
Cleveland (Hasidic dynasty)
There are two Hasidic Jewish dynasties known as Cleveland and both are considered to be a part of the Nadvorna dynasty.- History of the Clevelander New York dynasty:...
Hasidim, led by the Clevelander Rebbe of Ra'anana, Rabbi Yitzchok Rosenbaum. The chief rabbi of the city is Rabbi Yitzhak Peretz
Yitzhak Peretz (politician born 1938)
Rabbi Yitzhak Haim Peretz is a former Israeli politician who held several ministerial portfolios during the 1980s and early 1990s.-Biography:...
.
Notable residents
- Haim HeferHaim Hefer-Biography:Hefer was born in Sosnowiec, Poland in 1925 to Issachar Feiner, a chocolate salesman, and Rivka Herzberg, a housewife. He had a private Hebrew tutor....
(born 1925), Israeli songwriter, poet, and writer - Uzi LandauUzi LandauUzi Landau is an Israeli politician, member of the Knesset for Yisrael Beiteinu and Minister of National Infrastructure. Previously a Likud MK, he served as Minister of Internal Security between 2001 and 2003.-Biography:...
, Minister of National Infrastructure - Keren LeibovitchKeren LeibovitchKeren Or Leibovitch is an Israeli champion Paralympic swimmer.Leibovitch is a three-time world champion, a five-time European champion, a holder of three world records , and an eight-time Paralympic medal winner...
, champion Paralympic swimmer
Industry & commerce
Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...
, NICE Systems
NICE Systems
NICE Systems Ltd. , together with its subsidiaries, provides solutions that enable enterprises and security organizations to extract insight from interactions, transactions and surveillance....
, OnTarget Communications, SAP
SAP AG
SAP AG is a German software corporation that makes enterprise software to manage business operations and customer relations. Headquartered in Walldorf, Baden-Württemberg, with regional offices around the world, SAP is the market leader in enterprise application software...
and Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments Inc. , widely known as TI, is an American company based in Dallas, Texas, United States, which develops and commercializes semiconductor and computer technology...
. In addition, Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
's head office in Israel and Amdocs
Amdocs
Amdocs Limited is a provider of software and services for billing, customer relationship management , operations support systems...
are located in an office complex at the eastern edge of the city, close to Ra'anana Junction, where Highway 4
Highway 4 (Israel)
Highway 4 is an Israeli highway that runs along Israel's entire coastal plain of the Mediterranean Sea, its route in the north runs from the Rosh HaNikra border crossing with Lebanon until the Erez Border Crossing with the Gaza Strip...
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.
Due to Raanana's high concentration and proximity to high-tech companies in Israel, it frequently hosts international high tech conferences.
Education
Ra'anana has 12 elementary schools, 10 middle schools and 8 high-schools. It also has special educational frameworks for gifted students and students with disabilities. Ra'anana invests more than a third of the municipal budget for the construction of schools and classrooms and the expansion of social, community and cultural activities in the school framework. According to statistics from the Ministry of Education, Ra'anana is ranked in first place in the Sharon region and second nationally in this regard. At the schools, a zero-dropout policy has been adopted that enables every student in Ra'anana to complete 12 years of education. Ra'anana has developed various educational models which provide assistance and extra tutoring to students with difficulties, so that all students may maximize their personal potential and find a suitable place in the municipal educational frameworks.Ra'anana has developed supplementary education programs for the afternoon and evening hours, which meet the needs of thousands of children, aged 5–18. These programs foster creativity, promote social involvement and cultivate leadership skills. The supplementary education projects include over 20 "Batei Talmid" citywide extracurricular programs, an afternoon daycare program, and music, dance, art and science centers. Other programs include summer camps and summer activities, university for youth, dance troupes, the Children’s Parliament, an acting school, a school for the performing arts, and gifted children programs, that serve as a model for many other cities.
Ra'anana is home to the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
and the Ra'anana College.
Parks and museums
The park of Ra'anana is the largest urban parkUrban park
An urban park, is also known as a municipal park or a public park, public open space or municipal gardens , is a park in cities and other incorporated places to offer recreation and green space to residents of, and visitors to, the municipality...
in the Sharon
Sharon, Israel
The Sharon Plain is the northern half of the coastal plain of Israel. Its largest city is Netanya.The Plain lies between the Mediterranean Sea to the west and the Samarian Hills, to the east. It stretches from Haifa and Mount Carmel in the north to the Yarkon River in the south, at the edge of...
region. It offers walking and bike paths, sports fields, a zoo and children's petting corner and a lake in a clover shape reminiscent of Ra'anana's coat of arms. 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 shaded walking paths. There is also a restaurant and small art gallery. The Founders Museum presents the story of Ra'anana's original settlers, from the arrival of the Ahuza Alef-New York Association until Ra'anana achieved local council status in 1936.
Hospitals and medical facilities
Ra'anana is home to the Loewenstein Hospital Rehabilitation Center. Loewenstein was established in 1958 and is the only rehabilitation hospital operated by Clalit Health Services, Israel's largest health care provider. Its current multi-floor building is situated in a large gardened area and accommodates 240 rehabilitative beds for short and long term hospital care.As a national rehabilitative center, patients are admitted from all parts of the country, all health funds, from the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Health, and from general hospitals and clinics, both from Israel and overseas.
Sports
The main soccer club of the city is Hapoel Ra'anana. In basketball, the city is represented by Bnei HasharonBnei HaSharon
Bnei HaSharon/Herzliya is a professional basketball club based in Herzliya, in central Israel. The club currently plays in Ligat HaAl, the top division of Israeli basketball.The club was created by the merge of Maccabi Ra'anana and Bnei Herzliya in 2002...
who play at the MetroWest high school. With a large population of American expatriates, the Ra'anana Express
Ra'anana Express
The Ra'anana Express was an Israeli baseball team from Ra'anana in the now-defunct Israel Baseball League.The Express finished the inaugrual 2007 season in fifth place, 17-24 , and lost to the Netanya Tigers in the quarterfinals of the 2007 championship.-History:In 2007 the team was managed by...
are an inaugural team in 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...
.
The Ra'anana Roosters are the local rugby team, and the area is a centre of rugby union in Israel
Rugby union in Israel
Rugby union is a growing sport in Israel, with a history going back over seventy years and is most popular amongst people of South African origin.-Governing body:The Israel Rugby Union was founded in 1971, and joined the IRB in 1988...
, with the Israel Rugby Union
Israel Rugby Union
The Israel Rugby Union is the governing body for the sport of rugby union in Israel.The Israel Rugby Union was founded in 1971, and joined the IRB in 1988...
being based there.
Mayors
- Baruch OstrovskyBaruch OstrovskyBaruch Ostrovsky , the first mayor of Raanana, served as mayor for 28 years. He championed democracy, equality, education and organized Jewish labor.- Biography :...
(1931–1959) - Michael Pasweig
- Yitzhak Skolnik
- Benyamin Wolfovich
- Zeev BielskiZeev BielskiZe'ev Bielski is an Israeli politician who currently serves as a member of the Knesset for Kadima. He previously chaired the Jewish Agency and the World Zionist Organization...
(1989–2005) - Nahum HofreeNahum HofreeNahum Hofree is the current mayor of Ra'anana, Israel, and former headmaster of Ostrovsky High School in Ra'anana....
(2005–present)
Twin towns — Sister cities
Ra'anana 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:
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