Founded in 1882 by Jewish immigrants from theRussian Empire who were part of theFirst Aliyah, it was the first settlement founded in Israel by theNew Yishuv and the second Jewish farm settlement established inOttoman Syria in the 19th century, afterPetah Tikva. As of 2017, it was thefourth-largest city in Israel, with a population of 260,453.[2]
The city is a member of Forum 15, which is an association of fiscally autonomous cities in Israel that do not depend on national balancing or development grants.[3]
The name Rishon LeZion is derived from a verse from theTanakh: "First to Zion are they, and I shall give herald to Jerusalem"(Hebrew:ראשון לציון הנה הינם, ולירושלים מבשר אתן) (Isaiah 41:27) and literally translates as "First toZion".
Rishon LeZion was founded on 31 July 1882, by tenHovevei Zion pioneers fromKharkiv,Ukraine (then theRussian Empire) headed by Zalman David Levontin.Reuven Yudalevich was also a member of the group. The British vice-consul inJaffa, Haim Amzaleg, purchased 835 acres (337.91 ha) of land southeast of present-dayTel Aviv, the site of watering holes called ‘Uyūn Qārā (literally 'fountain of the crier') from Mustafa Abdallah ali Dajan.[4] According to Marom, ‘Uyūn Qārā offered "a convenient launching pad for early land purchase initiatives which shaped the pattern of Jewish settlement until the beginning of the British Mandate". Amzaleg signed a declaration to the settlers stating that none of the structures on this land would ever be his own.[5]
In addition to the problems posed by sandy soil and lack of water, the newcomers had no agricultural experience.Baron Rothschild brought in experts who drilled for water, finding the groundwater table uneven. Wells were built at a depth of 20–25 meters.[6]
After theBiluim arrived, the town slowly began to develop. On 23 February 1883, the settlers found water in the wells. To mark this occasion, the village emblem was inscribed with a verse from theTorah: "We have found water." (Genesis 26:32) Fani Belkind,Israel Belkind, Shimshon Belkind,Yoel Drubin, Haim Hissin, and David Yudilovich were among the Biluim who arrived in Rishon Lezion at this time.[7]
In 1883, Itzhak Leib Toporovski a blacksmith of the young village created the first ironplow in the land of Israel, and in 1885 the flag that would later become theflag of Israel was raised for the first time as part of the celebrations of the 3rd anniversary of the village.[8]
When BaronEdmond James de Rothschild took over, sending in his administrators and agricultural guide Shaul Helzner ofMikve Israel, major progress was made in the spheres of agriculture, citrus and viticulture. In November 1883 the first rows were planted, led by ten Russian farmers who were further trained atMikveh Israel agriculture school, also funded in part by Rothschild. The Great Synagogue, which became a major focus of life in Rishon LeZion, was built between 1885 and 1889. Under Rothschild's patronage, theCarmel-Mizrahi Winery was, established in 1886.[9] The BaronEdmond James de Rothschild and his wifeAdelheid von Rothschild came to visit the village a year later in 1887.[citation needed]
In 1886, as Rishon LeZion's population of around 300 included several dozen children who required proper education, theHaviv elementary school was established in Rishon LeZion as the first modern school to teach exclusively inHebrew. Dov Lubman Haviv taught there and Mordechai Lubman Haviv was an educational inspector.Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, the leading figure in the revival of Hebrew, was a teacher in Rishon LeZion, as was his colleagueDavid Yudilovitz. In 1898, the first Hebrew kindergarten in the world was established by Esther (Shapira) Ginzburg a former student of the Haviv school.
Naphtali Herz Imber, the later famed Hebrew language poet, lived in Rishon LeZion for a few years in the late 1880s. He recited his poem, Tikvahtenu, to eager ears. In 1887,Shmuel Cohen, a young resident of Rishon with a musical background, observed the emotional response of the local Jewish farmers to Imber's poem. Using his musical skill, he put the poem to music. Cohen's musical composition was an adaptation of a Moldavian/Romanian folk song, "Carul cu Boi" ("The Cart with Oxen"). The catalyst of Cohen's musical adaptation facilitated the quick, enthusiastic spread of Imber's poem throughout all the Zionist communities ofMandatory Palestine. Within a short few years, it spread globally to pro-Zionist communities and organizations becoming the unofficial Zionist National Anthem.
In 1933, at the 18th Zionist Congress in Prague, the Imber/Cohen Zionist National Anthem, formally adopted, was renamed the Hatikvah (The Hope). In November 2004, the State of Israel formally adoptedShmuel Cohen's 1887 musical adaptation to a newly shortened, modified version of Imber's poem, creating the modern Israeli National Anthem, theHatikvah.
In 1888, the medicine house, the baron's stables, and the baron's clerks house were built. In 1889 the building in which theCarmel-Mizrahi Winery is located was built. A telephone was added to the winery in 1891 and in 1898 electricity was installed. In 1890, a palm boulevard was planted in the location of the future city park. The Rishon LeZion orchestra was established in 1895. In 1898, the yearTheodor Herzl visited the settlement, the city park (then the village park) was established and a water tower was built next to the well.[8]
Great Synagogue, founders square, and village bell
A founder of Rishon LeZion was Joseph Feinberg[10] the father ofDora Bloch.
At the year of its founding in 1882, Rishon LeZion had a population of 150. In 1890, Rishon LeZion had a population of 359. Five years later, the figure had risen to 380, and by 1900, to 526.[11]
Village council and JCA administration (1900-1922)
In 1910, the village bell was constructed next to the medicine house, and in 1912 the first car ("First chariot without horses") appeared in the village.[8] In 1911, 4,000 dunams of land in Rishon LeZion were planted with grapes and 254 dunams with other fruit orchards.[6]
In 1913, the governor of Greater Syria,Djemal Pasha, annexed the sands around Rishon Lezion to their territory and in 1915 Rishon Lezion was expanded again and was given the territory between it and theMediterranean Sea. In 1913, Nahlat Yehuda, another Jewish settlement, was established north of Rishon Lezion. In 1915 Rishon Lezion and the surrounding area experienced aLocust attack.[8]
Ayun Kara was the scene of a bloodybattle between Turkish and New Zealand troops on 14 November 1917.[13] Local citizens carried the wounded to a medical facility in Rishon LeZion.[14] A stonecenotaph was erected by the people of Rishon LeZion to the memory of the New Zealanders who fell that day, but it has since been destroyed.[15][16]
In the wake of the battle, theNew Zealanders set up camp at Rishon Lezion, which was described by one officer as a "pretty little hamlet surrounded by vineyards and orange groves." Relations between the troops and villagers were good, and the troops brought the villagers the news of theBalfour Declaration.[17]
In 1919, the women of Rishon Lezion were givenvoting rights and in the same year, Nehama Pohatchevsky was elected chairman of the village council which marked the first time a woman was elected to the position.[8][18]
In 1924, the British Army contracted theJaffa Electric Company for wired electric power to the military installations inSarafand. The contract allowed the Electric Company to extend the grid beyond the original geographical limits that had been projected by the concession it was given. The high-tension line that exceeded the limits of the original concession ran along some major towns and agricultural settlements, offering extended connections to the Jewish settlements of Rishon Le-Zion,Nes-Ziona andRehovot (despite their proximity to the high-tension line, the Arab towns ofRamleh andLydda remained unconnected).[19] According to acensus conducted in 1922 by theBritish Mandate authorities, Rishon LeZion had a population of 1,396 inhabitants, consisting of 1,373 Jews and 23 Muslims,[20] increasing in 1931census to 2,525 inhabitants, in 648 houses.[21]
Rishon LeZion was declared a city in 1950, by which time it had a population of around 18,000. By 1983 it had a population of 103,000. In 2006, 222,300 people were living in the city. By 2020, the population is expected to reach 253,600.[22] In 2007, the Rishon LeZion Municipality was awarded theMinistry of Interior Prize for Proper Management.[23]
In 2016, the Israeli government approved the expansion of Rishon LeZion onto sand dunes west of the city, upon which one of the largest commercial and residential construction projects in the Central District will be built on 1,000dunams. Another industrial zone in the western part of the city is planned to be almost doubled in size.[24][25]
The 1922 Census conducted by the British Mandate authorities found 1,373 Jews living in Rishon LeZion and 23 Muslims.[26]
According to data from theIsrael Central Bureau of Statistics as of December 2022, the number of residents in Rishon LeZion is 260,453.[1] Rishon LeZion is one of the fastest-growing cities in Israel, and is the third-youngest city in the country, afterJerusalem andBnei Brak, with 31.1% of the population being children and teenagers, and 61.4% of all residents being aged 40 or under. In addition, the city has attracted significant immigration,[27] including from English-speaking countries.[28] The city is expected to have a population of around 270,000 by 2030.[22] Its population growth rate is about 5% per year.[29] The majority of the city's residents areJews.[citation needed]
Rishon LeZion's main industries today arewine,construction,services andcommerce. Factories and workshops are located in the old industrial zone, which has become a popular venue forpubs, dance clubs, and restaurants. Industry in the city is largely divided into two industrial centers: the old industrial zone in the north of the city and the new industrial zone in the west of the city.[23]
The three major malls in Rishon LeZion areRothschild Center in the old downtown center,Gold Mall (Kenyon HaZahav) in the New West district, and the newly constructedAzrieli Rishonim. Companies such asCoca-Cola,Gazit-Globe,Volvo, andFiat are expected to open in the Maayan Sorek area.[23] As part of the city's 5-year plan to be completely water-independent,[30] construction of adesalination plant is planned for Rishon, which will produce 3.7 million cubic meters of water per year. The city already hosts the large Shafdan recycling plant.[23]
Haviv School, the first all-Hebrew elementary schoolBoardwalk (Tayelet Hatnei Pras Nobel) with cenotaphs of Jewish Nobel Prize laureates in Rishon LeZion
Rishon LeZion has twenty-three elementary schools, nine middle schools, and twelve high schools. Rishon Lezion's College of Management has a student population of 10,000.[23] Sixty percent of twelve graders in the city qualify for a matriculation certificate.
Landmarks in Rishon LeZion include the history museum; theCarmel Winery; the administrative center ofEdmond James de Rothschild, now a soldiers' memorial; the Great Synagogue; the Well; the old water tower; and Beit Sefer Haviv, the first Hebrew School. "Open Doors" is a holocaust memorial which is a 7-meter-high (23-foot) sculpture designed by Filipino artist Luis Lee Jr. It was erected in honor and thanks toPresident Manuel Quezon and the Filipinos who saved over 1,200 Jews fromNazi Germany.[31][32]
Former mayor Meir Nitzan initiated the construction of a promenade honoringJewish Nobel Prize laureates in the neighborhood named Kiryat Hatanei Pras Nobel (קריית חתני פרס נובל). The promenade that was namedNobel Laureates Boulevard (in Hebrew טיילת חתני פרס נובל) starts at the beginning of Eli Wiesel St. and continues through Henry Kissinger and Rene Cassin Streets in Kiryat Hatanei Pras Nobel. The boulevard has a pedestal erected for each laureate. The circular medal on top of the pedestal includes the year of the award in the center of the medal; the name of the laureate, the country, and the prize field are shown in both Hebrew and English. The citation of the Prize is listed on an additional plaque on the side of the pedestal. The scientific advisor of the project was Rishon Lezion resident, Prof.Israel Hanukoglu.
Rishon LeZion is located on theIsraeli Mediterranean Coastal Plain and the northernShephelah. The city sees the majority of its annual 800 mm (31 in) of precipitation between October and March.
Rishon LeZion can be divided into four main quarters: the old city, the eastern housing projects, the northern (old) industrial zone, and Western Rishon LeZion. There is also an industrial zone on the southern tip of the city, next toGan Sorek.
The old city of Rishon includes the original neighborhoods, some buildings dating back to Rishon's founding in 1881. This quarter is located in the city center, between and around Herzl and Jabotinsky Streets. It includes the following neighborhoods:Nahalat Yehuda (on the northernmost tip of Rishon); Neve Hillel; Bnot Hayil; Abramovich; Katzenelson; Remez (Giv'at Levinson), on the southwestern tip of old Rishon; Rishonim (Gan Nahum), to the east of Remez
The Eastern Housing Projects (Hebrew:שיכוני המזרחShikunei HaMizrah) was Rishon's quick expansion to the east. It is dominated by the housing projects (shikunim) there, in theShikunei HaMizrah neighborhood itself. The eastern projects stopped developing when they reached the fences of theTzrifin military base. When and if Tzrifin is sold to private contractors as planned, this quarter is expected to expand significantly with new lucrative housing projects. Other smaller neighborhoods include Revivim, Kidmat Rishon, Ne'urim, Rambam, Neve Hadarim,HaShomer, Kfar Arye, Mishor HaNof and Kiryat Simha.
The industrial zones in Rishon LeZion are calledMabat, an abbreviation forMiskhar, Bilui VeTa'asiya (Commerce, Pastime and Industry). The northern zone is the oldest and original industrial zone, once full of light industry and glass factories. Today, it is known for its prolific nightlife.
West Rishon LeZion is the conglomeration of the new neighborhoods of the city, built in the 1980s and 90s. The west also has a higher land value because of its relative proximity to theMediterranean Sea. It includes the entire city west ofTzahal Road. The quarter includes the new industrial zone (WesternMabat), and several residential neighborhoods: Neve Eliyahu (or Ramat Eliyahu), Neot Shikma, Neve Dekalim, Neve Hof (or Pueblo Español), Neve Yam, Kiryat Rishon, Kiryat Cramim, Kiryat Ganim, Neot Ashalim, Kiryat Hatanei Pras Nobel (lit Nobel Prize Laureates' Town)
Rishon LeZion is known for its achievements inhandball andchess.[citation needed]In handball, Hapoel Rishon LeZion andMaccabi Rishon LeZion dominate the handball league. Hapoel has won more than seven domestic championships and cups in a row, with stars like goalkeeper Vladimir Zaikman and field-players Idan Maimon and Dudi Balsar. Its biggest rival, Maccabi took the championship title from Hapoel in 2005/06. Handball is also a dominant sport in Rishon LeZion high schools. TheAmit Amal high school handball team has won the world championship several times.[citation needed]
In chess, theRishon LeZion Chess Club, founded in 1939, is one of the leading clubs in Israel, in senior, women and youth leagues. Israeli grandmasters such asBoris Alterman play for Rishon. World championGarry Kasparov was a former member.
The main football stadium in Rishon LeZion is the 6,000-seatHaberfeld Stadium, which hosts matches ofHapoel Rishon LeZion. Other, smaller stadiums, are located in Shikun Hamizrah, in Nahlat Yehuda, and in the Superland amusement park complex.
TheMaccabi Rishon LeZion basketball team is a long-time member ofLigat HaAl, the top division. The team plays at Bet Maccabi Arena, which seats 2,500. Maccabi The team was a rival to Israel's top club and European champion,Maccabi Tel Aviv in the 1990s. It was a surpriseLigat HaAl champion in the 2015–16 season.
TheMaccabi Rishon LeZion handball team is a long-time member ofLigat Ha'Al, the top division. Maccabi Rishon LeZion is the Israeli club to win the greatesthandball national championships.
The city also is home to the new 3,000-seat Athletics Municipal Stadium, which was built between 2001 and 2013, with the intention to host international athletics competitions.[citation needed]
TheRishon LeZion Moshe Dayan Railway Station is in the western part of the city, situated on the new rail line from Tel Aviv toAshdod via Moshe Dayan station andYavne (West). There are future long-range plans for someday connecting the Rishonim station with Moshe Dayan station, while constructing a couple of additional railway stations in between them.
The bus companies serving intercity lines in Rishon LeZion are:Egged,Dan,Afikim,Metropoline, andKavim. Rishon LeZion has an intracity bus network operated by Egged and Dan. Most lines are metropolitan, continuing toBat Yam,Holon,Tel Aviv and Jaffa. The bus lines are augmented by share taxis operated by Moniyot HaIr.
During theGulf War in 1991, the mayor ofMünster, Germany, made a surprise visit to Rishon LeZion. According toHaaretz, he felt he could not sit quietly at home while missiles were falling on his sister city. Throughout the war, he stayed at the home of Rishon LeZion mayorMeir Nitzan and accompanied him on visits to sites hit by missiles.[50]
In 2009 a memorial was erected in Rishon LeZion to the 10,000 German and Austrian Jews who found refuge in the Philippines during theShoah.[51]
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