Herzliya ( ; , / ) is an affluent city in the central coast of Israel, at the northern part of the Tel Aviv District, known for its robust start‑up and entrepreneurial culture.
Named after Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism, Herzliya covers an area of . Its western, beachfront area is called Herzliya Pituah and is one of Israel's most affluent neighborhoods and home to numerous Embassy, ambassadors' residences, company headquarters, and houses of prominent Israeli business people.
History
Herzliya, named after
Theodor Herzl,
was founded in 1924 as a semi-cooperative farming community (
moshava) with a mixed population of new immigrants and veteran residents. During that year, 101 houses and 35 cowsheds were built there, and the village continued to grow. The 1931 census recorded a population of 1,217 inhabitants, in 306 houses.
[Mills, 1932, p. 13]
Upon the establishment of the state in 1948, Herzliya was a town of 5,300. Large numbers of immigrants settled there, and it had 12,000 residents within a few years. In 1960, when the population reached 25,000, Herzliya was declared a city.
Under current plans, the city's population will triple to around 290,000 by 2030, with 52,000 new homes and new industrial developments and hotels built, with more dense construction in the city center while expanding the city to the north and southwest.
File:הרצליה - בניה-JNF037754.jpeg|Herzliya under construction 1920
File:Herzliya 1942.jpg|Herzliya 1942 1:20,000
File:Herzliya 1945.jpg|Herzliya 1945 1:250,000
File:Herzliya Central Bus Station 1964.jpg|Herzliya in 1964, with the Central Bus Station in the foreground
Demographics
According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, residents of Herzliya are among the wealthiest in Israel. In 2003–2005, average monthly salaries were ILS 8,211, or about ILS 1,500 above average in a survey of Israel's 15 largest cities. However, there is a large gap between the city's seven working-class neighborhoods, among them Yad Tisha, Neve Yisrael and Neve Amal, and upscale Herzliya Pituah. The population is older than that of other cities in the Sharon region: 18% are under 14 years old, compared to a national average of 27.5%.
Education and culture
Investment in education was higher than all other cities in the survey and more high school students were eligible for a
bagrut matriculation certificate.
The Reichman University (previously known as The Herzliya Interdisciplinary Center) is a private university that was founded in 1994 by
Uriel Reichman, who serves as its president to this day. Reichman University is Israel's only private university, located in Herzliya, Tel Aviv District. It was rebranded in 2021.
Israel's largest television and film studio, Herzliya Studios ( Ulpanei Herzliya), is located in Herzliya, Also RGE studios that serviced the Kids channel and Sport 5 channel. The IDC television and radio center is located in the city with other local radio stations like Eco99fm and 103fm. The Herzliya Marina was built in the 1970s. The city has a small Herzliya airport, three shopping malls (Arena Mall, Seven Stars Mall and the Outlet), movie theaters, museums, cultural centers and a stadium. In 2008, the Herzliya Cinematheque
Local government
In a 2008 survey of 15 Israeli cities, Herzliya ranked second in fiscal management. The Herzliya municipality ended 2006 with a sizeable budget surplus.
Mayors
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Avraham Raphael Hirsch, 1937–38
-
Shmuel Zeev ("Shin-Zayin") Levin, 1938–43
-
Ben Zion Michaeli, 1943–60
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Pesah Yifhar, 1960–66
-
Interim council led by Natan Rosenthal, 1966–67
-
Yosef Nevo, 1969–83
-
Eli Landau, 1983–98 (Likud)
-
Yael German, 1998–2013 (Meretz, later independent)
-
Yehonatan Yas'ur, 2013
-
Moshe Fadlon, 2013–2024
-
Yariv Fisher 2024 -
Landmarks
One of the founders' homes has been turned into a museum Beit Rishonim
documenting the history of Herzliya. The Herzliya Museum of Art
is part of the
Yad Labanim memorial complex. West of Herzliya is Sidna Ali, a Muslim holy site. To the northwest is
Arsuf and the Apollonia National Park. Inhabited from the Persian period until the
Crusades, the site contains the remains of the Crusader town of
Arsuf, including a fortress surrounded by a moat.
Another archaeological site,
Tel Michal, lies on Herzliya's Mediterranean coast south of Arsuf.
The Herzliya Park. It was established on agricultural fields and open spaces and today it covers about 200 acers. The Herzliya Park is built on the grounds of a local swamp. In the processes of establishing the park, emphasis was placed on preserving the original structure of the area
Herzliya Conference
Since its inception in 2000, the Herzliya Conference has become an annual summit of the most influential Israeli and international leaders. The conference is attended by government ministers, Knesset members, senior defense officials, leaders of the Israeli business community, senior academicians, media representatives from Israel and abroad, delegates of world Jewish organizations, foreign dignitaries and Israeli diplomats.
Sports
The city has two football clubs, Maccabi Herzliya and Hapoel Herzliya, both of which are based at the 8,100-capacity Herzliya Municipal Stadium. The
Bnei Herzliya basketball club plays its games in the HaYovel high school arena. Herzliya is also one of the centers of rugby union in Israel.
Herzliya is also home to the City's swimming club - Bnei Herzelia, training children from a young age to adulthood. The Bnei Herzelia swimmers have had enormous success in professional events, especially in open-water swimming.
One of the city's main attractions is Sportek Herzliya, an outdoor, 30 acres, sports compound open for public usage.
Transportation
The city is served by the Herzliya railway station, which provides connections to
Tel Aviv,
Jerusalem,
Beersheva,
Haifa, as well as to Ben Gurion Airport. The station is located in the middle of Ayalon Highway.
The Israel Railways development plan for Herzliya Station focuses on doubling the size of the station, building a new passenger hall west of Ayalon, two bridges to connect the sides, a new parking lot, and a public transportation terminal. The project is designed to increase connectivity to the employment area, improve passenger flow, and cope with the expected increase in passenger and train traffic, with an opening target of 2026. In addition, further expansion is expected in the future, including the Green Line of the light rail and two metro lines.
Main features of the plan:
Doubling the size of the station: The station will double in size to serve the expected increase in the number of passengers and trains.
New passenger hall: A new passenger hall will be built on the western side of the Ayalon Highway.
Western connection: The station will be connected to the employment and commercial centers in Herzliya Pituach via bridges, which will allow direct and convenient access.
Platform extension: The platforms will be extended as part of the project.
Parking lot and public transportation terminal: A new parking lot for vehicles, bicycles and two-wheelers will be built, and a public transportation terminal will be built to centralize the bus lines.
Opening target: The new station is expected to open in 2026.
Future improvements:
Light rail:
The Green Line of the light rail is planned to pass through the station, which is expected to open in 2029.
Metro:
In the future, towards 2040, two metro lines of Gush Dan and the Sheflera are planned to pass through the station.
Herzliya Pituah
Herzliya Pituach is an affluent upscale neighborhood in the west of the city of Herzliya, bordering the Mediterranean Sea to the west and the coastal road to the east. It was established in 1925 on sand dunes and was formerly known as "Herzliya G". The neighborhood is characterized by villas and luxury homes, including expensive streets such as Galei Tekhelet, and serves as a center for luxury housing, hotels, commerce, offices and leisure. The area includes the Herzliya Marina, hotels, hospitals (such as Herzliya Medical Center) and leisure centers.
Main features
Location:
West of Herzliya, between the Mediterranean Sea to the west and the coastal road to the east.
Character:
A luxury neighborhood, known for the most expensive villas and cottages in Israel.
History:
Established in 1925 on sand dunes as Herzliya G, and expanded in the 1970s and 1980s.
Sites and Points of Interest
Residences: Luxury streets such as Galei Tekhelet, which serve as residences for the wealthy and the home of the former US ambassador.
Hotels: Many hotels along the coastline, including Dan Acadia, Daniel and the Sharon.
Marina: Herzliya's marina, which includes the Ritz-Carlton Hotel and vacation apartments.
Medical centers: Herzliya Medical Center.
Leisure: Cafes, restaurants, shopping centers and offices.
Demographics
Residents: Affluent population, investors, and many foreign residents.
Ambassadors: Many ambassadors live in the neighborhood.
Transportation and accessibility
Access routes:
The neighborhood is connected to the coastal road via the Kfar Shmaryahu interchange and the Hsira interchange.
Hsira interchange:
Provides easy access to the coastal road and the rest of the city.
Arab–Israeli conflict
A makeshift strip located around the current
Herzliya Airport was used as the main operating base of Israel's first true fighter aircraft (as opposed to makeshift use of light planes), Avia S-199, during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. The airfield was used as it was a bit back from the front lines and was clandestine since it was a purpose-built strip, that was constructed after the beginning of hostilities, between the orange orchards around Herzliya, and did not appear on published maps.
[ Herzliya Interdisciplinary Center: The base that made history, Walla!, 2003-05-08 ()]
On 11 March, 1978, a bus hijacking by Fatah led to the Coastal Road Massacre, in which 38 Israeli civilians were killed at the Glilot Junction near Herzliya.
On June 11, 2002, Hadar Hershkowitz (14) was killed in the 2002 Herzliya shawarma restaurant bombing.[ "A funeral instead of graduation," Tovah Lazaroff, June 13, 2002, Jerusalem Post.]
Twin towns – sister cities
Herzliya is
Sister city with:
-
Alicante, Spain
-
Banská Bystrica, Slovakia
-
Beverly Hills, United States
-
Columbus, United States
-
Dnipro, Ukraine
-
Funchal, Portugal
-
Hollywood, United States
-
Leipzig, Germany
-
Marl, Germany
-
Paphos, Cyprus
-
San Bernardino, United States
-
San Isidro, Argentina
Notable people
-
Adi Ashkenazi (born 1975), comedian and actress
-
Gilad Hochman (born 1982), new classical music composer
-
Tal Brody (born 1943), basketball player
-
Nochi Dankner (born 1954), businessman and billionaire
-
Maayan Davidovich (born 1988), Olympic windsurfer
-
Abba Eban (1915–2002), statesman, Foreign Affairs Minister, US and UN ambassador
-
Gadi Eizenkot (born 1960), IDF Chief of General Staff
-
Tal Flicker (born 1992), judoka
-
Carine Goren (born 1974), pastry chef, cookbook author, television baking show host
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Yaniv Green (born 1980), basketball player
-
Meir Har-Zion (1934–2014), military commando
-
Chaim Herzog (1918–1997), 6th Israeli President
-
Ágnes Keleti (born 1921), gymnast, winner of 10 Olympic medals
-
Amos Mansdorf (born 1965), tennis player
-
Roy Nissany (born 1994), racing driver
-
Mimi Reinhardt (1915–2022), Oskar Schindler's secretary, spent her last years here
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Matan Roditi (born 1998), Olympic marathon swimmer
-
Lonah Chemtai Salpeter (born 1988), Kenyan-born Israeli Olympic marathon runner
-
Alice Schlesinger (born 1988), Olympic judoka
-
Keren Siebner (born 1990), Olympic swimmer
-
Alona Tal (born 1983), actress and singer
-
Yehuda Weinstein (born 1944), lawyer and Attorney General of Israel
External links
