Holon

Location o Holon in the Tel Aviv Destrict

Holon (Ebreu: חוֹלוֹן‎‎ (audio)^?) is a ceety in Israel, on the central coastal strip sooth o Tel Aviv. Holon is pairt o the metropolitan aurie kent as Gush Dan in the Tel Aviv Destrict. In 2009, it haed a population o 184,700.^[1] Holon haes the seicont lairgest industrial zone in Israel, efter Haifa.

[edit] Etymology

The name o the ceety comes frae the Ebreu wird holon, meanin "(Little) sand". The name Holon an aa appears in the Bible: "And Holon wi its suburbs, an Debir wi its suburbs" (Beuk o Joshua, 21:15).^[2]

[edit] History

Holon wis foondit on sand dunes sax kilometers frae Tel Aviv in 1935.^[3] The Łódzia textile factory was established there by Jewish immigrants from Łódź, Poland, alang wi mony ither industrial enterprises.^[3]In the early months o the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, Holon wis on the front line, wi constant shootin goin on the border wi the veelage o Tel A-Rish tae its northwast—a suburb o Arab Jaffa—an clashes an aa in the direction o the toun o Yazur tae the east. An attack bi the Holon-based Hagana militia units on Tel A-Rish wis repulsed wi considerable losses. Housomeivver, the fall o Jaffa—center o the Palestinian Arab forces in this region—tae an attack launcht frae Tel Aviv precipitatit the fall o baith Tel A-Rish. Efter the establishment o the state, Holon expandit tae include Tel A-Rish (renamed "Tel Giborim", "The Mound o the Heroes") an the orange groves o Yazur. In the 1950s, the ceety wis populatit bi Jewish immigrants frae Arab kintras.

[edit] Urban development

New neighborhood in Holon

Holon, an important pairt o the Tel Aviv metropolitan aurie, is experiencin a new burst o biggin on the remainin sand dunes tae its sooth, creatin a continuum wi Rishon Lezion. Environmentalist groups hae been campaignin tae preserve some o the sand dunes, wi their unique flora an fauna, an prevent them frae aw being engulfed bi the real estate boom.

[edit] Local govrenment

Yanshul, seembol o the Holon Children's Museum

[edit] Mayors

Haim Kugel – 1940 tae 1953
Pinhas Eylon – 1953 tae 1987
Haim Sharon – 1987 tae 1988
Moshe Rom – 1988 tae 1993
Moti Sasson – 1993 tae present

[edit] Cultur

Mediatheque cultural center

Holon uised tae host the annual Storytellers Festival, nouw held in Giv'atayim. It an aa hosts the annual Yemay Zemer sang festival an a spring festival devotit tae women. Daniel Barenboim organizes an annual simmer muisic camp in the ceety. Synee the election o Moti Sasson as the mayor o Holon in 1993, mony cultural projects hae been inauguratit. Billin itsel as a "children's ceety," Holon is hame tae the Holon Children's Museum an the Mediatheque youth theater.^[4] Holon an aa plays host each year to a street carnival in celebration o the Jewish holiday o Purim, the Adloyada. Thoosans o children dress up in costumes an the streets close doun for a parade featurin colorful floats. The ceety haes mony pairks an lush greenery. The pairk on the corner o streets HaHistadrut an Eilat is famed for the backgammon or "shesh besh" tournaments which take place daily. The Holon cemetery contains memorials for Jewish communities wiped oot in the Holocaust.

[edit] Transportation

Holon is surroondit bi a few interceety roads. The main road servin the ceety is the Ayalon Expressway, passin alangside Holon's wastern border. Road 44 passes bi on the northeastren side o the ceety, connectin it wi Lod an Ramle. Road 4 passes bi on the eastren border. Holon's public transport is based solely on bus service, operatit bi baith Egged an Dan transport companies. The majority o the bus routes are regional, connectin the ceety tae neighborin ceeties in the metropolitan aurie, but there are an aa a few local routes. Train service tae the ceety is planned tae be established in 2011, wi the openin o the "Tel Aviv—Wast Rishon Le Zion" suburban line. Fower stations wad serve the ceety: "Sha'ar Holon" at the northren main entrance tae the ceety, an "Wolfson", "Yoseftal" an "Komemiyut" alang the wastren side.

[edit] Samaritan community

Holon's Samaritan synagogue

In 1954, the preses o Israel, Yitzhak Ben-Zvi helped tae establish a Samaritan quarter on the ootskirts o Holon. The quarter wis named Neve Pinchas efter Pinhas Ben-Abraham, the heich priest o the Samaritan community.^[5] Holon is ane o ae twa ceeties in the warld tae hae a Samaritan community, the ither being the veelage o Kiryat Luza on Munt Gerizim abuin Nablus on the Wast Bank. That community fled Nablus for Kiryat Luza follaein the ootbreak o the First Intifada (1987–1993).

[edit] Sports

Hapoel Tzafririm Holon F.C. (fitbaa) – Liga Alef [3rd tier]
Hapoel Holon (basketbaw) – premier league, naitional champion in 2008 an state cup haulder in 2009
Maccabi Kiryat-Sharett Holon (handbaw) – Liga Leumit [1st tier]
Hapoel Holon chess (chess) – Liga Leumit [1st tier]