Kfar Yona כפר יונה | |
|---|---|
| Hebrew transcription(s) | |
| • Also spelled | Kefar Yona (official) |
 View of Kfar Yona | |
  Kfar Yona  Kfar Yona | |
| Coordinates:32°19′1.57″N34°56′8.74″E / 32.3171028°N 34.9357611°E /32.3171028; 34.9357611 | |
| Country |  Israel |
| District | Central |
| Subdistrict | HaSharon |
| Founded | 23 January 1932 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Albert Tayeb |
| Area | |
• Total | 11 km2 (4.2 sq mi) |
| Population (2023)[1] | |
• Total | 29,548 |
| • Density | 2,700/km2 (7,000/sq mi) |
| Ethnicity | |
| • Jews and others | 99.9% |
| • Arabs | 0.1% |
| Name meaning | Yona's Village |
| Website | kfar-yona.muni.il |
Kfar Yona (Hebrew:כפר יונה,lit. 'Yona's Village') is a city in theCentral District of Israel. It is located between the citiesNetanya andTulkarm in the West Bank, about 8 km east ofNetanya in the central junction betweenHighway 6 andHighway 4. The village was established in 1932 byMaurice Fischer and was declared a local council in the year 1940. Following developments in the fields of construction, industry, and education, the local council received city status on February 11, 2014. With a jurisdiction of 11,550dunams (~11.55 km2), in 2023 the city had a population of 29,548.[1]
Before the 20th century, Kfar Yona formed part of the Forest ofSharon, a hallmark of the region's historical landscape. It was an openwoodland dominated by Mount Tabor Oak (Quercus ithaburensis), which extended from Kfar Yona in the north toRa’ananna in the south. The local inhabitants used the area forpasture,firewood and intermittentcultivation. The intensification of settlement and agriculture in thecoastal plain during the 19th century led todeforestation and subsequentenvironmental degradation known fromHebrew sources.[2]
Kfar Yona was established on lands in the Sharon plain purchased legally in 1932 from Mustafa Bushnaq and the Shanti family and named for Jean (Yona) Fischer, a BelgianZionist.[3] It was founded onTu Bishvat, January 23, 1932 by Morris Fischer, Yona's son, a member of theWorld Jewish Congress, and was originally named Gan Yona (Yona's Garden).
In the1948 Arab-Israeli War, Kfar Yona was on the front lines, and its defenders faced theIraqi Army, which sought to reachNetanya and cut the Jewish forces in Israel in half. The newIsrael Defense Forces repelled the Iraqi attacks and forced them back into theSamarian mountains, although Kfar Yona remained the easternmost Jewish settlement in the area. As a result of the1949 Armistice Agreements, the border moved from Kfar Yona 8 km eastward, to just west ofTulkarm.[3]
Kfar Yona was surrounded by orchards and its main income was from selling oranges. Most of these orchards are now the site of new neighborhoods.
Next to Kfar Yona is the Area 21 military base, named forMota Gur, which includesparatroopers,Nahal,military police, and other small bases. In addition, Kfar Yona bordersPardesiya and theLev HaSharon Regional Council.
The firstPalestinian masshunger strike occurred in a prison in Kfar Yona on February 14, 1969, in conjecture with another hunger strike at a prison inRamla. The Palestinian prisoners protested against poor quality food and meagre portions, against the ban on writing stationery.
The original ten homes and the first community building. The homes are small, one-story, private structures, with an average of three rooms each. The community building stands today empty and is falling into ruin, though the town council is interested in maintaining it for its sentimental and historical value. Alef also includes a new neighborhood accessed from the western entrance to the village, with recently built family homes and more under construction. The main avenue of this section of Alef is a street where residents of the village can be found walking or jogging at any hour. For the past year, the west entrance has had a gate and guard that operates from 11 pm to 6 am. The whole village is policed by a volunteer guard force, supervised by a small professional security team, for which the town residents pay a small municipal tax.
Cheaper apartment buildings, which are the first site of the village for visitors who enter from the eastern entrance. (Both entrances are on Highway 57, the eastern entrance is about 2 km further down the road than the western entrance, when driving from Highway 2, Israel's main Coastal Road). The east entrance is completely shut and locked from 11 pm to 6 am. Bet also includes the New Project, which are lower apartment buildings, with bigger homes. The New Project on Menachem Begin Street faces the City Council building, the Community Center (funded byJewish Federation of GreaterVancouver sister-city fundraising activities), the community basketball courts and water park (also a gift from Vancouver), and the Hadar Elementary School (Grades 1–6). Beyond the New Project, Bet includes more expensive townhouses and private homes. It also includes the Betzali Park.
Down Menachem Begin Street is Heftziba named for the construction company that built it.Across Highway 57 is the new neighborhood of Alonim, also known as Kfar Yona Gimel. This neighborhood includes single-family homes, wide streets and several parks
The community center operates a music conservatory and holds public concerts. In 2006, 250 grade-school students participated in a basketball program. The older student's league has won championships. The community center holds classes in photography, ceramics, pottery and cooking.
In 2010, Kfar Yona had 3 state schools, Hadar, Rimon and Amal, and a state-religious school, Bar Ilan. The town also has a junior high and high school, Ish Shalom.[4]
Highway 57 is the main traffic artery connecting Kfar Yona to other localities and the national road system—Netanya to the west andHighway 6 to the east.
The city has no railway connection and since 2014 has been served by theKavim bus company, which replacedNateev Express.
Oranienburg, Brandenburg, Germany[5]| International | |
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