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Revision as of 00:47, 8 February 2008
Gedera
גדרה | |
|---|---|
 Gedera | |
| Country | Israel |
| District | Center |
| Founded | 1884 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 14,500 dunams (14.5 km2 or 5.6 sq mi) |
| Population (2006) | |
| • Total | 12,500 |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (IST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (IDT) |
| Website | Town's community website Template:He icon |
Gedera, or Gdera (Template:Lang-he-n) is a town (local council) in the Center District of Israel. It is located between the cities of Rehovot to the north, Ashdod to the west.
History
Gedera was founded in 1884 by members of the Bilu group, near the ruins of a biblical Israelite city. Those ruins were thought to have been the ruins of a biblical city called HaGdera (The fenced city) or another biblical city called Gderot (fences), and therefore the name Gedera (Fenced city) was chosen. Today, it is believed that Ha'Gdera and Gderot were further to the east, near the slopes of the Judean mountains, and that the ruins are of an even greater biblical city, Ekron.
Geography and demographics
Gedera is built on 7 hills in the Shephelah, which rise to the height of 80 meters above sea level. It has an area of 14,500 dunams (14.5 km²) and a population of 13,600 (end of 2004 estimate). Gedera's Per Capita GDP as of a 2005 was 35,573 NIS, or 9,321 US Dollars.
It is famous for its pastoral countryside view. Surrounded by green hills and agricultural lands, on the west it is possible to see all the way to the coastal city of Ashdod, and on the east there is a clear view of the Judean Mountains and Jerusalem Mountains.
Gedera is often considered to be the southern edge of central Israel, while Hadera is considered the northern edge, hence the Israeli expression "from Hadera to Gedera" to describe the most populated area in Israel.
Gedera has a very large population of Yemenite Jews, and has maintained one since the 1950s. Most estimates put their population at 50% of Gedera, making it one of the few primarily Mizrahi towns in the center district of Israel.
Over the past 15 years, Ethiopian Jews have steadily moved to Gedera, now making up a substantial part of the population.
Recent expansion and development
Gedera's position near the large south-central cities of Israel (Rehovot, Ashdod and Kiryat Gat), low prices for private homes and the fact that it's a green and quiet town yet it's in the central district near Tel-Aviv and Jerusalem make it very attractive to Israelis. Gedera is one of the faster-growing towns in Israel, with a 7.9% growth rate. Recently, major developments have taken place in one section, creating a housing development for well-to-do and middle class residents, which has been nicknamed 'New Gedera'.
This major development, funded and built by the Azorim Company (אזורים), is a large agglomeration of new neighborhoods and low-rise apartment buildings. The development has expanded inhabited Gedera by over 10 kilometers and established a new downtown zone that will contain the new Gedera Mall by 2010. In total, the development is three-quarters completed, and of the completed sections, 70% inhabited. Once completed, the new section will contain 8,000 homes, and Gedera's population will stand at an estimated 40,000 people.
The major road Highway 7 was recently constructed alongside the border of Gedera, linking Gedera directly to Israel's cross-country highway, Highway 6.
