Ramat HaSharon

Ramat HaSharon רָמַת הַשָּׁרוֹן‎‎ رامات هاشارون‎
Hebrew transcription(s)
• ISO 259	Ramat ha Šaron
Aerial view of Ramat HaSharon
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Ramat HaSharon
Coordinates: 32°09′N 34°50′E / 32.150°N 34.833°ECoordinates: 32°09′N 34°50′E / 32.150°N 34.833°E
Country	Israel
District	Tel Aviv
Founded	1923
Government
• Type	City
• Mayor	Avi Gruber
Area
• Total	16,792 dunams (16.792 km^2 or 6.483 sq mi)
Population (2015)[1]
• Total	44,427
Name meaning	Sharon Height
Website	ramat-hasharon.muni.il

Ramat HaSharon (Hebrew: רָמַת הַשָּׁרוֹן‎, lit. Height of the Sharon) is a city located on Israel's central coastal strip in the south of the Sharon region, bordering Tel Aviv to the south, Hod HaSharon to the east and Herzliya and Kibbutz Glil Yam to the north. It is part of the Tel Aviv District, within Gush Dan metropolitan area. In 2015 it had a population of 44,427.

History

Yad LaBanim Memorial and municipal library

Ramat HaSharon, originally Ir Shalom, was a moshava established in 1923 (Hebrew: עִיר שָׁלוֹם‎, lit. City of Peace) by olim from Poland.^[2] It was built on 2,000 dunams (2 square kilometres (0.77 sq mi)) of land purchased for 5 Egyptian pounds per dunam. In the 1931 census, the village had a population of 312.^[3]

In 1932, the community was renamed Kfar Ramat HaSharon (Heights of Sharon Village).^[4] By 1950, the population was up to 900. Rapid population growth in the 1960s and 70s led to construction of many new roadways, schools and parks. Several distinct neighborhood evolved in the 1970s, including Morasha on the southern edge, one with many military and air force personnel in the eastern edge, and many successful professionals moved into the developing city. Ramat HaSharon became a highly desirable place to live in the 1980s as a very safe place, containing many gardens and wide boulevards, and attracting many upper middle class suburban families.

Ramat HaSharon was granted city status in 2002.

Economy

Neighborhood in Ramat Hasharon

Until the 1960s, it was primarily a farming community, known for its strawberry fields and citrus groves. Ramat HaSharon is also home to Israel Military Industries, the manufacturer of weapons and small arms for the Israel Defense Forces and the world market.

Education

Ramat Hasharon has seven elementary schools,^[5] two middle schools (Alumim, and Kelman), and two high schools (Rothberg, and Alon) . Midrasha LoOmanut, an art teachers training college, and Rimon School of Jazz and Contemporary Music are located in the city.^[6] The Geology Museum is located in a Bauhaus style building built in 1945.

Sports

Ramat HaSharon is home to the Israel Tennis Center, founded in 1975, which hosts and organizes international, national and regional tennis tournaments. The courts are also widely used during the Maccabiah Games.^[7] The ATP World Tour, which had been in Israel from 1987 to 1996,^[8] was scheduled to return to the Israel Tennis Center in September 2014 with the Negev Israel Open,^[9] but the event was cancelled because of the military conflict in the region.^[10] Along with tennis facilities, which include 24 illuminated courts, and stands which seat up to 4,500 spectators, the central management of the organization, which manages 13 other tennis centers around the country, is located in the town. It also is home to Canada Stadium, where most Davis Cup and other significant Israeli matches have been played since the mid-1970s.

"Herbalife Ramat HaSharon" is the city's women basketball team, one of the leading teams in the Israeli league and a former European champion. The city's football team, Hapoel Ramat HaSharon, plays in Ligat Ha'al, the premiere league of Israeli football. "Alumim", one of the city's junior high schools, has won many trophies in sports, especially for achievements in track and field.

Canada Stadium

Notable residents

• Chava Alberstein, singer, lyricist, composer, and musical arranger^[11]
• Haim Bar-Lev, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff and government minister^[12]
• Mike Burstyn, American actor
• Shay Doron, WNBA basketball guard (New York Liberty)^[13]
• Yehoram Gaon, singer, actor, director, producer, and TV and radio host^[14]
• Gidi Gov, singer, TV host, entertainer, and actor^[15]
• Rami Kleinstein, singer and composer^[16]
• Gigi Levy-Weiss, businessman
• Amos Mansdorf, tennis player
• Gal Mekel, plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA, former NCAA basketball player at Wichita State, 2-time (2011, 2013) Israeli Basketball Super League MVP
• Haim Moshe, singer^[17]
• Yael Naim, French-born singer^[18]
• Orna Ostfeld, basketball player and coach
• Svika Pick, singer and composer
• Haim Ramon, member of the Knesset and Vice Prime Minister^[19]
• Rita, singer and actress^[20]
• Anna Smashnova, tennis player
• Dudu Topaz, comedian, actor, author, and TV and radio host
• Ezer Weizman, commander of the Israeli Air Force, Minister of Defense, and President of Israel^[21]
• Eli Yatzpan, TV host and comedian^[21]
• Rehavam Zeevi, general, politician, and historian^[22]
• Naor Zion, comedian, actor, writer and director

Twin towns — sister cities

Ramat HaSharon is twinned with:

• Dunkirk, France (since 15 September 1997)^[23]
• Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, France ^[24]
• Georgsmarienhütte, Germany^[25]
• Tallahassee, Florida, United States

References

1. "List of localities, in Alphabetical order" (PDF). Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
2. HaReuveni, Immanuel (1999). Lexicon of the Land of Israel (in Hebrew). Miskal – Yedioth Ahronoth Books and Chemed Books. ISBN 978-965-448-413-8.
3. Vilnai, Ze'ev (1980). "Ramat HaSharon". Ariel Encyclopedia (in Hebrew). Volume 7. Tel Aviv, Israel: Am Oved. p. 7582.
4. "Ramat HaSharon-Timeline". Ramat HaSharon History website. Archived from the original on 2013-09-29. Retrieved 2012-07-24.(Hebrew)
5. http://ramat-hasharon.muni.il/מדור-בתי-ספר-יסודיים/
6. "Rimon School of Jazz and Contemporary Music". Archived from the original on 2013-10-23.
7. The Jewish Olympics: The History of the Maccabiah Games
8. "Tennis: Israel to host ATP Tour event at Ramat Hasharon". The Jerusalem Post - JPost.com.
9. http://www.atpworldtour.com/Tennis/Tournaments/Tel-Aviv.aspx
10. "ATP World Tour". ATP World Tour.
11. Ben-Tal, Daniel (February 22, 2004). ".". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
12. Israel. Merkaz ha-hasbarah; Israel (1990). Israel government year book. Central Office of Information, Prime Minister's Office. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
13. Livnat, Arie (March 15, 2011). "Shay Doron, a candidate for FIBA Player of the Year, takes the accolades in stride". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 2012-11-03. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
14. פרסום ראשון: 28/12/09, 21:05ירעם נתניהו, "בשבע". "קולו של אבא – יהורם גאון חוגג 70 – חינוך ותרבות – חדשות – ערוץ 7". Inn.co.il. Archived from the original on 2014-05-02. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
15. "Gidi Gov, still groovin' at 60".
16. "A reflection of their love". Jerusalem Post. June 14, 2007. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
17. "kan-nam.co.il כאן נעים: רמת השרון". Kan-naim.co.il. Archived from the original on 2014-05-02. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
18. "YouTube – Din Din Aviv and Yael Naim – Mashmauyot".
19. Rodan, Steve (December 31, 1993). ".". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
20. http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/week-s-end/up-close-and-personal-1.209873. Retrieved March 29, 2011. Missing or empty |title= (help)
21. Weizman, Ezer (August 26, 2008). The battle for peace. Bantam Books. ISBN 978-0-553-05002-8. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
22. Rice, Oren; Shalev, Oded (October 17, 2001). "We Lost a Great Person, a Friend, a Commander and Warrior" (in Hebrew). Ynet. Archived from the original on 2014-06-11. Retrieved July 25, 2010.
23. "Dunkirk International" (in French). Archived from the original on November 9, 2007. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
24. "Jumelage Ramat Hasharon – Saint Maur des fossés".
25. "Ramat HaSharon (Israel)". Georgsmarienhütte Municipality. Retrieved December 17, 2007. (German)

External links

• Ramat HaSharon Municipality