Wikipedia

Holon

(Redirected from חולון)
For other uses, see Holon (disambiguation).

Holon (Hebrew: חוֹלוֹן [χoˈlon] ⓘ) is a city in the Tel Aviv District of Israel, located south of Tel Aviv. Holon is part of the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. In 2022 it had a population of 197,957,[1] making it the tenth most populous city in Israel. Holon has the second-largest industrial zone in Israel, after Haifa.[2] Its jurisdiction is 19,200 dunams and its population is about 194,273 residents as of 2018 according to CBS data.[3]

Holon
חוֹלוֹן‎
City (from 1950)
Hebrew transcription(s)
 • ISO 259Ḥolon
Flag of Holon
Flag
Official logo of Holon
Coat of Arms
Holon is located in Central Israel
Holon
Holon
Holon is located in Israel
Holon
Holon
Coordinates: 32°01′N 34°46′E / 32.017°N 34.767°E / 32.017; 34.767
Country Israel
District Tel Aviv
Founded1936
Government
 • MayorShay Keinan (Likud)
Area
 • Total18,927 dunams (18.927 km2 or 7.308 sq mi)
Population
 (2022)[1]
 • Total197,957
 • Density10,000/km2 (27,000/sq mi)
Ethnicity
[1]
 • Jews and others99.8%
 • Arabs0.2%
Name meaning(Little) sand
Websitewww.holon.muni.il

Etymology

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The name of the city comes from the Hebrew word חוֹלוֹן‎ holon, meaning "(little) sand". The name Holon also appears in the Bible: "And Holon with its suburbs, and Debir with its suburbs" (Book of Joshua 21:15).[4]

History

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Kiryat Avoda, Holon, 1938

Holon was founded in 1935 on sand dunes six kilometers (3.7 miles) from Tel Aviv.[5] The Łódzia textile factory was established there by Jewish immigrants from Łódź, Poland, along with many other industrial enterprises.[5] In February 1936, the cornerstone was laid for Kiryat Avoda, a Modernist building complex designed by architect Joseph Neufeld to solve the shortage of housing for municipal workers.[6]

 
Location of Holon in the Tel Aviv District

In the early months of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, Holon was on the front line, with constant shooting taking place on the border with the village of Tel A-Rish to its northwest—a suburb of Arab Jaffa—and clashes also in the direction of the town of Yazur to the east. An attack by the Holon-based Haganah militia units on Tel A-Rish was repulsed with considerable losses.

After the establishment of the state, Holon expanded to include Tel A-Rish (renamed Tel Giborim, "The Mound of the Heroes") and the orange groves of Yazur.

In February 2001, a Palestinian attack at a crowded bus stop in Holon killed eight Israelis and injured twenty-five.[7] The image of Holon as a working-class dormitory community has changed over the years.

 
Holon Mall

Through municipal efforts, the city has been rebranded as a child-friendly city. It offers family attractions such as the Yamit Water Park, the Israeli Children's Museum, and the Israel Museum of Caricature and Comics.[8]

 
Peres Park

Historic landmarks in Holon slated for preservation include Derech Habitachon ("Safe Road"), paved during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War; water towers in the Moledet and Azor neighborhoods; Hosmasa, a building used by the Haganah; the pillbox guard post; Stroma Square, Mansbach health clinic, Hameshakem building, the Agrobank neighborhood and two schools – Bialik and Shenkar.[9] A new neighborhood, Migdalim Bashdera, is under construction,[when?] with plans for 23 upscale residential towers, a new city hall, several cultural and commercial centers, some of them already built. A French urban planner was commissioned to design a north-south boulevard with pedestrian walks, bicycle paths, sports fields, parks and waterfalls.[8] The last undeveloped land reserve remaining in Holon is the H-500 Holon plan, that consists of approximately 4,080 dunams in the south of the city, and is intended to consist of 13,700 dwelling units in total.[10]

Local government

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Mayors

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Culture

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Park in Holon

Holon hosts a variety of springtime events, including the Yemay Zemer (Days of Song) Festival during Passover and a Women's Festival in March, both at the Holon Theater. Holon is also one of the host cities for the Rhythmic Gymnastics Grand Prix Series in March.[14] Israeli violinist Pinchas Zukerman runs a summer music camp in the city for young violinists.[15] Since the election of Mayor Moti Sasson in 1993, many cultural projects have been inaugurated. Billing itself as a "children's city," Holon is home to the Holon Children's Museum and the Mediatheque youth theater.[16] Holon also plays host each year to a street carnival in celebration of the Jewish holiday of Purim, the Adloyada. Thousands of children dress up in costumes and the streets close down for a parade featuring colorful floats.[17]

In October 2013, Holon hosted major international designers who arrived for Holon Fashion Week (known as HoF13), among them milliner Stephen Jones and BioCouture founder Suzanne Lee.[18] Cinematheque Holon hosts the only digital arts and media arts festival in Israel, Print Screen Festival.[19] The festival was established 2010.

Museums and Arts Centers

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Design Museum Holon
  • Design Museum Holon - the first Israeli museum of design. opened in 2010 near the "Médiathèque" and the Faculty of Design of Holon Institute of Technology.
  • Holon Children's Museum - inaugurated in 2001, located in Peres Park in the southeast of the city.
  • Israeli Center for Digital Art - inaugurated in 2001, promotes digital art in Israel.
  • Israeli Museum of Caricature and Comics - inaugurated in 2007, a museum that presents works by Israeli artists on the subjects of comics and cartoons.
  • Médiathèque (Holon) - inaugurated in 2004, one part of it is the largest and most sophisticated public library in Israel. The second part is a theater for young people.
  • Historical Vehicle Museum - contains a rare collection of "Egged" historical buses, some of them from before the establishment of the state. All buses are restored to their authentic condition and are roadworthy. The museum is located on the grounds of the "Egged" Holon parking lot in the south of the city, in Kiryat Ben-Gurion.
  • The Puppet Theater Center- The center contains the Museum of the Art of Puppetry, a performance hall and the School of the Art of Puppetry.[20] The International Festival of Puppet Theater and Film, featuring puppet makers and artists from Israel and around the world, has been held annually in July since 1995 at the Puppet Theater Center in Holon.[21]

Samaritan community

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Holon's Samaritan synagogue

In 1954, the president of Israel, Yitzhak Ben-Zvi, helped to establish a Samaritan quarter on the outskirts of Holon. The quarter was named Neve Pinchas after Pinhas Ben-Abraham, the high priest of the Samaritan community.[22]

Holon is one of only two cities in the world to have a Samaritan community, the other being the village of Kiryat Luza on Mount Gerizim above Nablus on the West Bank.

Transportation

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Holon is served by Holon–Wolfson railway station and Holon Junction railway station of Israel Railways.

Education

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The Collège-Lycée franco-israélien Raymond Leven is located in Mikve, Holon.[23]

The Holon Institute of Technology was founded in 1969.

Sports

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Notable people

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Omri Casspi, with the NBA's Houston Rockets
 
David D'Or

Twin towns – sister cities

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Sister city shields at the city entrance
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Israel

Holon is twinned with:[24][25]

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Character Rahamim Ben-Salomon, from Abie Rotenberg's song "Sfashkenaz" is originally from Holon.

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Regional Statistics". Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  2. ^ Mandic, Asja; Roberts, Patrick (2012). Museum Education in Times of Radical Social Change: Journal of Museum Education 37:3 Thematic Issue. Taylor & Francis Group. p. 58. ISBN 978-1-61132-821-9. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  3. ^ ""יישובים/חולון"". Archived from the original on May 29, 2021. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
  4. ^ "The Story of Holon:Making Sand Dunes Sophisticated". Isrealli.org. Archived from the original on February 28, 2011. Retrieved January 20, 2011.
  5. ^ a b The Guide to Israel, Zeev Vilnay, Hamakor Press, Jerusalem, 1972, p.239
  6. ^ Back to the future, The tree is still standing
  7. ^ "Victims of Palestinian Violence and Terrorism since September 2000". Mfa.gov.il. Archived from the original on April 3, 2007. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  8. ^ a b Bassok, Moti (November 29, 2013). "Working class Holon aims to attract affluent home buyers". Haaretz. Archived from the original on March 18, 2014. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  9. ^ Aderet, Ofer (June 9, 2011). "Holon seeking to preserve 18 historic sites". Haaretz. Archived from the original on May 19, 2014. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  10. ^ "The Holon H-500 Information Arena". Joseph Raiten. Archived from the original on December 28, 2016. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
  11. ^ a b "Haim Kugel". Holon City. Archived from the original on October 30, 2017. Retrieved June 8, 2015.
  12. ^ "Pinhas Eylon". Holon City. Archived from the original on October 30, 2017. Retrieved June 8, 2015.
  13. ^ "תוצאות הבחירות המקומיות 2024". TheMarker (in Hebrew). March 3, 2024. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  14. ^ "Festivals". Holon Municipality. Archived from the original on February 11, 2018. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
  15. ^ "Israeli cultural scene explodes with dynamic music, fiction, art". J. Jweekly. June 5, 1998. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  16. ^ "Post-championship Holon dreams of prosperity, tourism – Haaretz – Israel News". Haaretz. Archived from the original on February 21, 2009. Retrieved May 5, 2009.
  17. ^ Purim parade in Holon Archived March 4, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Jerusalem Post
  18. ^ Handwerker, Haim (September 10, 2013). "Holon Fashion Week attracts big industry names". Haaretz. Archived from the original on April 25, 2014. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  19. ^ "Print Screen 2019". printscreen2019. Archived from the original on November 30, 2020. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  20. ^ "Israel Puppet Center Holon". Archived from the original on February 6, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  21. ^ "The Festival of Puppet Theater and Film". Archived from the original on February 6, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  22. ^ "Samaritans". Jewishmag.com. Archived from the original on October 3, 2009. Retrieved May 5, 2009.
  23. ^ "La localisation Archived January 22, 2015, at the Wayback Machine." Collège-Lycée franco-israélien Raymond Leven. Retrieved on January 22, 2015. "Agricultural School Mikve Israel Mikve israel street 1 5891000 Holon – ISRAEL" – Address in Hebrew Archived January 22, 2015, at the Wayback Machine: "בה"ס חקלאי מקווה ישראל 5891000 חולון"
  24. ^ "International relations". holon.muni.il. Holon. Archived from the original on September 26, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  25. ^ "Cleveland's Sister Cities". city.cleveland.oh.us. City of Cleveland. Archived from the original on June 15, 2015. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Holon.
 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Holon Cemetery.
 
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Holon.
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