City of Netanya
Created: 1929
Jurisdiction: 29,300 dunams (about 730 acres)
Population: 200,640 residents according to the Central Bureau of Statistics for 2007
201,542 residents according to the Ministry of Interior Affairs for 2007
Projected population: about 320,000 residents by year 2020
Origin of the name: “Netanya” was the name chosen to commemorate the Zionist American philanthropist, Nathan Strauss.
Brief History: In the year 1928 two of the sons of Benjamin, Oved Ben-Ami and Itamar Ben-Avi, travelled to the United States to raise money for the establishment of a settlement in the Sharon region. They learned of the generousity of Nathan Straus, and of his many contributions to settlements in Israel. They hoped that by naming the settlement after him he would be motivated to contribute generously.
On June 2nd of that year, they sent Strauss a telegram for his 80th birthday informing him of their decision to name the settlement Netanya in his honor. They also realized that the name Netanya had additional significance, one which implied gratitude to the Creator. Netan-Yah, in that sense, means given by G-d. The pioneers of Netanya were indeed thankful for the privilage of continuing the lineage of the 12 tribes which inhabited the country, and especially the small tribe of Menasha that settled in the area.
For the pioneers of Netanya, it was as if G-d gave them this desert land, and commanded them to turn it into a flowering garden
The Crest of Netanya: The crest of the city of Netanya City was designed by Jacob Zimberknopf in 1951. It includes various components, each representing a characteristic of the city: Netanya's official plant is the Sharon lily, which flowers along the coastal cliffs; the background is a shield, a symbol for defending Netanya; the chimneys on the upper portion symbolize Netanya's thriving industry. The rolling waves in the right and left of the lily indicate that Netanya is a city on the beach, and therefore enjoys the country's largest influx of tourists. The diamond, which is presented in the form of a polished Star of David, represents the city's strong diamond industry which earned Netanya the nickname of the “Diamond City.” While the colors of the crest are blue and white the flag of Netanya is orange, symbolizing the oranges that grow in the abundant orchards of the Sharon.
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