Ra'anana

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Ra'anana
רעננה‎‎
City
Hebrew transcription(s)
 • ISO 259Raʿanana
View of Ra'anana
View of Ra'anana
Template:Infobox settlement/columns
Template:Location map
Coordinates: 32°11′N 34°52′E / 32.183°N 34.867°E / 32.183; 34.867Coordinates: 32°11′N 34°52′E / 32.183°N 34.867°E / 32.183; 34.867
Country Israel
DistrictCentral
FoundedApril 2, 1922
Government
 • MayorChaim Broyde
Population
 (Template:Israel populations)Template:Israel populations
 • TotalTemplate:Israel populations
 • DensityTemplate:Infobox settlement/densdisp
Ethnicity
Template:Israel populations
 • Jews and others99.9%
 • Arabs0.1%
Name meaningFresh
Websitehttps://www.raanana.muni.il/Pages/default.aspx
File:Lehi memorial in Raanana.JPG
Memorial for Lehi youth a (Militant Group) killed by British in Raanana (1947)

Ra'anana (Template:Langx) is an affluent city in the southern Sharon Plain of the Central District of Israel. It was founded in 1922 as an American-Jewish settlement, c.1 km south of the village of Tabsur, where an important World War I battle had taken place four years previously.[1][2]

Bordered by Kfar Saba and Hod HaSharon on the east and Herzliya on the southwest, it had a population of Template:Israel populations in Template:Israel populations.Template:Israel populations While the majority of its residents are Israeli-born Jews, a large part of the population consists of Jewish immigrants from the Americas, Europe and South Africa.

Ra'anana's industrial park is home to global and local start-up companies. It was designated a "Green City" by the World Health Organization in 2005.[3]

History

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File:PikiWiki Israel 930 Achuza street רחוב אחוזה.jpg
Ahuza Street, Raanana (1927)

Template:Expand Hebrew

Before the 20th century, the location of Ra'anana formed part of the Forest of Sharon, a hallmark of the region's historical landscape. It was an open woodland dominated by Mount Tabor Oak (Quercus ithaburensis), which extended from Kfar Yona in the north to Ra’anana in the south. The local Arab inhabitants traditionally used the area for pasture, firewood and intermittent cultivation. The intensification of settlement and agriculture in the coastal plain during the 19th century led to deforestation and subsequent environmental degradation known from Hebrew sources.[4]

In 1912 the Company for Jewish Settlement in Israel formed the "Ahuza A – New York" group to purchase land in Palestine for agricultural settlement. World War I delayed their plans. On April 2, 1922, four settlers, three laborers and two armed watchmen arrived at the site that became Ra'anana. In its early days, the settlement was called Ahuza A – New York. Local Arabs called it Little America as most of its residents were English speakers and came from New York. Later it was renamed Ra'anania and then Ra'anana.[5]

The settlement was built along a main street, Ahuza Street, and six other streets, three to the north of Ahuza Street and three to the south. Between 1925 and 1927, the Community House, which would house a variety of public institutions, including the secretariat, clinic, synagogue, meeting place for local committee meetings, assembly hall, culture room, school, kindergarten, and post office, was built.[6] According to a census conducted in 1931 by the British Mandate authorities, Ra'anana had a population of 615 inhabitants in 182 houses.[7]

In 1936, it was given local council status. In November 1947 British soldiers attacked a house in Raanana where a Lehi training course for young people was being held and murdered four trainees aged 16–18 and their 19-year-old instructor.[8] In 2000 the city created a memorial called the "Raanana Children's Square" and a monument was erected in 2020.

By 1948, the year of Israel's formation, Ra'anana was a town of 3,000 residents. By the late 1960s, Raanana had a population of 8,500 spanning an area of 15 square kilometres (6 sq mi).[9]

Eitan Ginzburg, acting mayor of Ra'anana in 2018, was Israel's first openly gay mayor.[10]

Car-ramming attack

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The Ra'anana car-ramming attack was an attack against civilians in Israel that occurred on 15 January 2024 in Ra'anana. The police arrested two Palestinian men from Bani Na'im in connection with carrying out the attack.[11][12]

The attack began when one of the perpetrators stabbed a woman and took possession of her car. They then began ramming pedestrians with the vehicle, eventually losing control and crashing. The perpetrators took control of another vehicle and continued the attack until finally being stopped.[12][13]

One individual was killed and 17 injured.[14]

Local government

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Mayors

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File:MunicipalityRaanana.jpg
Ra'anana city hall

Mayors have included:

Demographics

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File:WikiAir Flight IL-14-02 - Raanana (2).JPG
Aerial view of the western neighborhoods of Ra'anana

Ra'anana's population consists mainly of native-born Israelis, but about 22% of the city's residents are immigrants to Israel (Ra'anana is ranked second in immigrant absorption in Israel, after Netanya). It is home to a large number of immigrants from English-speaking countries, a significant number of immigrants from Latin America, mainly Argentina, and also absorbed large numbers of immigrants from the former Soviet Union. In recent years the number of French immigrants is also on the rise.[16][17]

File:WikiAir IL-13-02 129.JPG
Aerial view of Ra'anana

Though the majority of Ra'anana residents are secular, there is a sizeable religious community, mainly consisting of Modern Orthodox Jews, many of whom are immigrants from the US, UK, South Africa and France. The religious community generally lives on the north side and the secular community on the southern side. There are nearly 100 synagogues in Ra'anana, ranging from small minyanim to large edifices, and including a wide range of traditions, including Reform, Sefaradi, Ashkenazi, Yemenite, Afghani and Libyan synagogues. Many of these synagogues 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 orthodox chief rabbi of the city is Rabbi Yitzhak Peretz.[18]

Education

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Ra'anana is home to the Open University of Israel and Ra'anana College.

Parks and museums

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File:PikiWiki Israel 14253 Raanana Park.JPG
Ra'anana park

Ra'anana Park is the largest urban park 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 a 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.[19]

Transportation

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The town is served by Ra'anana South railway station and Ra'anana West railway station.

Sports

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The main soccer club of the city is Hapoel Ra'anana. In basketball, the city is represented by Maccabi Ra'anana who play in the National League.[20]

The Ra'anana Roosters are the local rugby team, and the area is a center of rugby union in Israel, with Rugby Israel being based there. With a large population of American expatriates, the Ra'anana Express are an inaugural team in the Israel Baseball League.[needs update]

Notable people

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File:1 Noa Kirel.jpg
Noa Kirel

Sister cities

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File:PikiWiki Israel 14264 Raananas twin cities.JPG
Sign commemorating Ra'anana's twin-sister cities

Ra'anana has sister city agreements with:[21]

References

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  1. ↑ Joseph B. Glass (February 5, 2018). From New Zion to Old Zion: American Jewish Immigration and Settlement in Palestine, 1917–1939. Wayne State University Press. pp. 198–. ISBN 978-0-8143-4422-4.
  2. ↑ "S Jaishankar Unveils Plaque In Memory Of Indian Soldiers In Israel". NDTV.com. June 21, 2022. Retrieved 2022-06-30.
  3. ↑ Sinai, Ruth (September 29, 2005). "Ra'anana receives WHO safety award". Haaretz. Archived from the original on November 19, 2010. Retrieved 2013-03-12.
  4. ↑ Marom, Roy (December 1, 2022). "יער‬ ‫השרון (אל-ע'אבה) בתקופה העות'מאנית:‬ ‫בתקופה‬ ‫מהמחקר‬ ‫חדשות‬ ‫תובנות‬ ‫הגיאוגרפי-היסטורי The Oak Forest of the Sharon (al-Ghaba) in the Ottoman Period: New Insights from Historical- Geographical Studies". Muse. 5: 90–107.
  5. ↑ https://www.jpost.com/metro/lifestyle/five-score-and-two-years-ago-345966
  6. ↑ "Historical buildings – Ra'anana". Archived from the original on 2017-08-13. Retrieved 2017-08-12.
  7. ↑ Mills, 1932, p. 15
  8. ↑ Eichner, Itamar (2021-04-16). "Revealed: How UK covered up killings of Jews in pre-state Palestine". Ynetglobal. Retrieved 2025-12-03.
  9. ↑ Patai, Raphael, ed. (1971). "Ahuza". Encyclopedia of Zionism and Israel. 1. New York: Herzl Press/McGraw-Hill. p. 17.
  10. ↑ staff, T. O. I. "Ra'anana gets Israel's first openly gay mayor". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2022-09-04.
  11. ↑ Breiner, J., Yahia, D. H., Shimoni, R. (January 16, 2024). "Woman killed, 17 wounded in terror attack in central Israeli city of Ra'anana". Haaretz. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Fabian, E., Ghert-Zand, R. "Woman killed, 17 wounded in car-ramming, stabbing spree by 2 terrorists in Ra'anana". Times of Israel. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  13. ↑ "One killed, 17 wounded in Israel car-ramming attacks". Al Jazeera. January 15, 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  14. ↑ "Woman killed and 17 injured after suspected car-ramming attack in Israel". The Guardian. AFP. 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  15. ↑ "Ra’anana gets Israel's first openly gay mayor", Times of Israel, March 16, 2018. https://www.timesofisrael.com/raanana-gets-israels-first-openly-gay-mayor/
  16. ↑ Hoffman, Carl (September 7, 2006). "Ra'anana's French revolution". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2009-05-06.[permanent dead link]
  17. ↑ "Residents and Services". Archived from the original on August 25, 2017. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
  18. ↑ "המשרד לשירותי דת". GOV.IL.
  19. ↑ "Yad Labanim". Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved March 11, 2008.
  20. ↑ "Basketball News, Scores, Stats, Analysis, Standings – eurobasket". Eurobasket LLC.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 21.5 21.6 21.7 21.8 "Ra'anana Twin towns & Sister cities – Friends around the World". raanana.muni.il. Archived from the original on April 30, 2010. Retrieved March 24, 2010.
  22. ↑ "Stedenband Opsterland-Ra'anana" [City Connection Opsterland-Ra'anana]. Stedenbanden.nl. Archived from the original on July 24, 2011. 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.
  23. ↑ Being the first to twin, a central street in the Ra'anana is named "Opsterland"
  24. ↑ "Comune di Verona – Grandi Eventi – Gemellaggi e Patti d'Amicizia" (in Italian). City of Verona. September 5, 2019. Archived from the original on August 16, 2014. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
    "Verona twinning" (in Hebrew). City of Ra'anana. Archived from the original on November 10, 2019. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  25. ↑ "Poznań – Miasta partnerskie". 1998–2013 Urząd Miasta Poznania (in Polish). City of Poznań. Archived from the original on September 23, 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
  26. ↑ Gilban, Marcus M. (February 24, 2021). "Rio designated as sister city of Israel's Brazilian immigrant capital". The Times of Israel. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
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Template:Center District (Israel) Template:Largest Israeli cities

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