Kiryat Ekron
Kiryat Ekron
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| Hebrew transcription(s) | |
| • ISO 259 | Qiryat ʕeqron |
| • Also spelled | Qiryath Eqron (official) |
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 Kiryat Ekron
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| District | Central |
| Founded | 1948 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Local council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2,313 dunams (2.313 km2 or 572 acres) |
| Population (2009) | |
| • Total | 10,100 |
Kiryat Ekron or Qiryath Eqron (Hebrew: <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />קִרְיַת עֶקְרוֹן) is an Israeli town located on the coastal plain in the Central Region of Israel. Kiryat Ekron is named after the biblical Ekron, a major Philistine city that once existed at nearby Tel Mikne.[1]
Kiryat Ekron was founded in 1948, as Kfar Ekron, on the site of the Arab-village, Aqir. After the war, new immigrants from Yemen and Bulgaria settled in the remaining houses. In November 1948, two ma'abarot were established on the village's lands; the Aqir ma'abara, and the Givat Brenner ma'abara. In 1953, the Aqir ma'abara was officially made part of Kfar Ekron, followed by the Givat Brenner ma'abara in 1955. From 1954 to 1963, Kfar Ekron belonged to the Givat Brenner regional council. In 1963, the name of the town was changed to Kiryat Ekron, and it became an independent local municipality.[2]
According to the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics the population of Kiryat Ekron was 9800 in 2004. The average monthly wage in the year 2000 according to the bureau of statistics was ₪4296 (Israeli new sheqels) with the national average being ₪6835. The population was 99% Jewish and had a 1:1 male to female ratio.
Kiryat Ekron is situated immediately south of the city of Rehovot on Highway 411 next to the Bilu Junction. The largest commercial centre in Israel - "Bilu Centre" is located in Kiryat Ekron. The centre was built up in the late 1990s on land that was formerly agricultural, particularly citrus groves. Attempts to unite Kiryat Ekron with the much larger municipality of Rehovot in 2003 failed after popular protest from the Ekronites, as did similar attempts to unite Kiryat Ekron's municipality with that of the town of Mazkeret Batya due to opposition from the smaller town's residents the same year. (Mazkeret Batya was originally called Ekron, when founded in 1880's. Its name was changed to Mazkeret Batya in 1887).
A small suburban town, Kiryat Ekron is a 10-20 minute drive from the Trans Israel Highway and Highway 1 and located approximately 23 kilometres (14 miles) South East from Tel Aviv and 40 km (25 mi) West of Jerusalem.
Famous residents
Kiryat Ekron was home to Dudu Aharon, an Israeli music artist. Aharon grew up and learnt to sing in the town.
Twin towns – Sister cities
Kiryat Ekron is twinned with:
External links
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References
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