Netivot

Netivot
Hebrew transcription(s)
- Hebrew	נְתִיבוֹת
Logo
Netivot
Coordinates: 31°25′N 34°35′E / 31.417°N 34.583°E / 31.417; 34.583Coordinates: 31°25′N 34°35′E / 31.417°N 34.583°E / 31.417; 34.583
District	South
Founded	1956
Government
- Type	City (from 1996)
- Mayor	Yehiel Zohar
Area
- Total	5,626 dunams (5.6 km2 / 2.2 sq mi)
Population (2009)[1]
- Total	26,700
Name meaning	Paths

Netivot (Hebrew: נְתִיבוֹת‎‎) is a city in the Southern District of Israel in Israel. At the end of 2009 the city had a total population of 26,700.^[1] It was founded in 1956 as a development town along with Sderot to the north, and Ofakim to the south. Netivot attracts a number of mainly Sephardi Jewish pilgrims, who come to pray at the tomb of Rabbi Yisrael Abuhatzeira, a Moroccan-born tzaddik and kabbalist known as the "Baba Sali" (died 1984) who is buried there.^[2]

Demographics

According to CBS, in 2001 the ethnic makeup of the city was 99.9% Jewish and other non-Arab, with no significant Arab population. There are 78 recent immigrants who are in their initial stages of absorption.

According to CBS, in 2001 there were 10,500 males and 10,600 females. The population of the city was spread out with 46.3% 19 years of age or younger, 16.2% between 20 and 29, 17.6% between 30 and 44, 10.4% from 45 to 59, 2.8% from 60 to 64, and 6.8% 65 years of age or older. The population growth rate in 2001 was 3.9%.

The city is ranked low in the socioeconomic index (3 out of 10)^[3]

Income

According to CBS, as of 2000, in the city there were 5,339 salaried workers and 382 are self-employed. The mean monthly wage in 2000 for a salaried worker in the city is ILS 3,410, a real change of 1.1% over the course of 2000. Salaried males have a mean monthly wage of ILS 4,482 (a real change of 6.5%) versus ILS 2,385 for females (a real change of -8.7%). The mean income for the self-employed is 5,764. There are 445 people who receive unemployment benefits and 2,843 people who receive an income guarantee.

Education

According to CBS, there are 22 schools and 4,243 students in the city. They are spread out as 16 elementary schools and 3,053 elementary school students, and 11 high schools and 1,190 high school students. 43.1% of 12th grade students were entitled to a matriculation certificate in 2001.

People

• Rabbi Yisrael Abuhatzeira, the "Baba Sali"

The Ethiopian Jewish Synagogue.

In popular culture

• "The Netivot Band" of Montreal, Canada is named after Netivot. They currently play Jewish pop culture music at events in Montreal, most notably the recent Israel Day celebration, in front of 12,000 people, at Phillips Square.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Table 3 - Population of Localities Numbering Above 2,000 Residents and Other Rural Population". Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. 2010-06-30. http://www.cbs.gov.il/population/new_2010/table3.pdf. Retrieved 2010-10-30. 
2. ^ "Negev town of Netivot transforms into South's nightlife hotspot". Haaretz. 2008-10-17. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1028967.html. Retrieved 2008-10-20. 
3. ^ http://www.cbs.gov.il/www/publications/local_authorities2003/pdf/t02.pdf

Netivot Science and Technology Center.

External links

• Municipal home page (Hebrew)