See soorce fer Ofakim

'''Ofakim''' ({{lang-he-n|אֳפָקִים}}), (''lit.'' "horizons")  is a ceety in [[Soothren Destrict (Israel)|soothren]] [[Israel]], 20&nbsp;kilometers wast o [[Beersheba]]. It wis foondit as a [[development toun]] on Aprile 19, 1955. In 2008, Ofakim haed a population o 24,800. The mayor is [[Zvika Greengold]].<ref name="haaretz" />

==History==
[[File:PikiWiki Israel 10746 Settlements in Israel.JPG|thumb|left|Street in Ofakim]]
Ofakim wis established as a regional center for the rural communities in the aurie. The early residents wir [[olim|Jewish immigrants]] frae [[North Africae]] an [[Indie]].<ref name="haaretz" />

== Demographics ==
[[File:Ofakim Israel.jpg|thumb|left|Apartments in Ofakim]]

In 2001, the ethnic makeup o the ceety wis 99.7% [[Jew]]ish an ither non-Arab, wi nae significant [[Arab]] population. There wur 11,200 males an 11,800 females – 41.8% 19 years o age or younger, 14.5% atween 20 an 29, 18.5% atween 30 an 44, 12.5% frae 45 tae 59, 3.6% frae 60 tae 64, an 9.1% 65 years o age or aulder. The population growth rate in 2001 wis 0.6%.

Aboot 30 percent o the residents are [[ultra-Orthodox]], mony o them [[Baal teshuva|newly observant]]. Anither 30 percent are immigrants, maistly frae the umwhile Soviet Union. The rest are descendants o the foondin generation, immigrants frae North Africae an Indie who arrived in the toun in the 1950s an 1960s. Ofakim an aa haes a sma community o [[Beta Israel|Ethiopian Jews]].<ref name="haaretz" />

==Economy ==
In 2000, there wur 5,655 salaried wirkers an 300 sel-employed. The mean monthly wage for a salaried wirker wis [[New Israeli Shekel|NIS]] 3,728, a real chynge o 7.5% ower the course o 2000. Salaried males haed a mean monthly wage o NIS 4,761 (a real chynge o 10.1%) versus NIS 2,744 for females (a real chynge of 2.2%). The mean income for the sel-employed wis 4,776. There wur 526 fowk receivin unemployment benefits an 3,538 receivin an income supplement.

As in ither [[development toun]]s, the industrial sector haes historically played an important pairt in Ofakim's economy, but less so than in maist ither development touns. In 1972, 32% o the salaried wirkers (754 fowk) wur in this sector, an in 1983—924 fowk (23%). Durin this period, the textile industries consistently employed bi far the maist wirkers, rangin frae 72% (1982–83) tae 82% (1972). The Of–Ar (short for Ofakim–[[History o the Jews in Argentinae|Argentinae]]) textile factory wis a major employer.<ref name="schwarz160" />

== Education ==
There are 19 schuils an 4,704 students in the ceety – 13 elementary schuils (3,079 students), an 8 heich schuils (1,625 students). 43.3% o 12t grade students wur entitled tae a matriculation certificate in 2001.

== Sports==
Ane o Israel's 14 tennis centers is locatit in Ofakim.<ref>[http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Israel%20beyond%20politics/Tennis_doubles_coexistence_program_Israel_2-May-2010.htm Tennis doubles coexistence program]</ref> It opened in 1990 an haes sax courts. The ceety an aa haes a soccer stadium.

==Development plans==
[[File:PikiWiki Israel 10642 Industry in Israel.jpg|thumb|200px|Industrial center in Ofakim]]
A train station opened in 2010 wi a caur pairk for 1,000 caurs, an an auld industrial biggin is being convertit intae an airt museum.<ref name="haaretz" /> The Nahal Shomriya [[cyclin]] route aroond Ofakim wis inauguratit in 2010. The 60-centimeter-wide single route winds through 1,500 dunams (approx 375 acres) in Ofakim Forest, passin through Nahal Shomriya an Nahal Patish, an loopin aroond aicht local [[moshav]]im.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.jpost.com/GreenIsrael/TOURSANDEVENTSINNATURE/Article.aspx?id=169361 |title=Riding and Building New Ofakim - Shomriya Cycling Route |access-date=2011-09-01 |archive-date=2011-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110304192152/http://www.jpost.com/GreenIsrael/TOURSANDEVENTSINNATURE/Article.aspx?id=169361 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==References==
{{Commonscat|Ofakim}}
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name="haaretz">[http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1033359.html New Horizons for Ofakim]</ref>
<ref name="schwarz160">{{cite book|author=Schwarz, Dafna|year=2009|title=The Development Towns|chapter=Industrialization Attempts in Three Development Towns: Ofakim, Migdal HaEmek and Ma'alot|series=Idan Series Vol. 24|publisher=Yad Yitzhak Ben Zvi|editor=Halamish, Aviva; Meir-Glitzenstein, Esther; Tzameret, Zvi|isbn=978-965-217-298-3|pages=160–162}} {{he icon}}</ref>
}}
==Freemit airtins==
*[http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/business/go-south-young-men-and-women-1.313477 Go south, young men (and women), Haaretz]
{{Sooth Destrict (Israel)}}

[[Category:Ceeties in Israel]]
[[Category:Development touns]]