Gedera
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) 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, and borders the moshav Kidron.
History
Gedera was founded in 1884 by members of the Bilu group, near the ruins of a biblical Israelite city with a similar name.
Name origin
The Bilu settlers settled near a village called Qatra, which was built by the Arabs over the ruins of an ancient 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 that Qatra was built on were the ruins of an even greater biblical city, Ekron.
Geography and demographics
Gedera is built on 7 hills, 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 2004 survey by Haaretz was 46,744 NIS, or around $11,000 US Dollars.
It is famous for its pastoral countryside view. Surrounded by 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.
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 is informally know as 'New Gedera'.
This major development, funded and built by the Azzura Company, is a large agglomeration of new neighborhoods and low-rise apartment buildings. The development has expanded inhabited Gedera by over 3 kilometers and established a second downtown zone that contains the new Gedera Mall. 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 could grow to an estimated 40,000 people over the next several years.
The major road Highway Highway 7 was recently constructed alongside the border of Gedera, and so its presence next to Gedera will soon link the town directly to Israel's under-construction cross-country highway, Highway 6.
