Kokhav Ya'ir

Infobox Israel municipality
name=Kokhav Ya'ir


imgsize=
caption=
hebname=כוכב יאיר
arname=
meaning=
founded=1940
type=lc
typefrom=
stdHeb=Koḫav Yaʼir
altOffSp=
altUnoSp=Kochav Yair
district=center
population=11,700
popyear=2006
area_dunam=3072

mayor=

Kokhav Ya'ir ( _he. כוכב יאיר (also Kochav Yair) is a town (local council) in the Center District of Israel . Kokhav Ya'ir and the neighboring town of Tzur Yigal merged in November 2003. Together, the population in 2006 was 11,700.

History

Kochav Ya'ir was established in 1981 by 15 families living in temporary quarters. Two years later, work began on infrastructure for a permanent town. In 1986, 550 families moved into permanent housing. Tzur Yigal was founded in 1991, with the first families moving into permanent homes in the summer of 1994.

Etymology

Kokhav Ya'ir (literally "Ya'ir's star") was named for Abraham Stern, who went by the alias Ya'ir, the founder and leader of the Lehi group, a militant Jewish underground active during the British Mandate of Palestine. "Stern" is also German for "star." Tzur Yigal (literally "Yigal's rock") was named for Israeli Knesset member Yigal Cohen.

Demography

Kokhav Ya'ir is predominantly Jewish, with a high income level. Kokhav Yair is a secular settlement with a religious minority. Religious tensions are virtually non-existent. Residents from English speaking countries comprise approximately 20% of the population.

Geography

Kochav Ya'ir is located at lat. 32° 00' N, long. 35° 00' E, approximately convert|7|km|mi north-north-east of the city of Kefar Sava. Neighboring the municipality on its south-west border is Kibbutz Eyal, approximately convert|2|km|mi north-west is the Israeli Arab city of Tira and approximately convert|1|km|mi south is the Palestinian city of Qalqilyah. Kochav Yair is located in central Israel within the Green Line in the southern Sharon region. Kochav Ya'ir is 95 meters above sea level.

The Sapir Lookout in Kokhav Ya'ir attracts bird watchers who come to observe the semi-annual migration of many species of birds.

Notable residents

*Ehud Barak
*Shaul Mofaz
*Michael Eitan
*Dani Yatom
*Gideon Ezra
*Michael Ratzon
*Yitzhak Mayer
*Uzi Dayan
*Nir Erlich
*Jason Friedman

References

External links

* [http://www.kokhav-yair.muni.il Kochav Ya'ir's municipality site] (in Hebrew)
* [http://proxy.maabarot.org.il/~kochav_yair/Current_Vantage_Pro.htm Current weather conditions in Kochav Ya'ir]