100 Facts About Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv 100 Facts for 100 Years 1. Tel Aviv is the second-largest city in Israel, with a population of 390,100 at the end of 2007. 2. The city is situated on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline, with a land area of 51.8 square kilometers. 3. Tel Aviv was founded in 1909 on the outskirts of the ancient port city of Jaffa. 4. Tel Aviv's “White City,” designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003, comprises the world's largest concentration of Modernist-style buildings. The “White City also includes a large collection of Bauhaus-style buildings constructed in the 1920s and 1930s. 5. Tel Aviv's urban area is the Middle East's second biggest city economy, and is ranked 42nd by Foreign Policy's 2008 Global Cities Index. 6. Tel Aviv is the most expensive city in the region, and 14th most expensive city in the world. 7. The name Tel Aviv (literally "Hill of Spring") was chosen in 1910 from among many suggestions, including "Herzliya," and is the Hebrew title of Theodor Herzl's book Altneuland ("Old New Land") 8. Tel Aviv was the temporary government center of the State of Israel until the government moved to Jerusalem in December 1949. 9. In April 1949, Tel Aviv and Jaffa were united in the single municipality of Tel Aviv-Yafo 10. On November 4, 1995, Israel's Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin, was assassinated at a rally in Tel Aviv’s Kikar Malchi Yisrael (Kings of Israel Square) in support of the Oslo peace accord. The square was subsequently renamed Kikar Rabin (Rabin Square) in his memory. 11. Tel Aviv is divided into nine districts that have formed naturally over the city's short history. 12. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), as of June 2006 Tel Aviv's population is growing at an annual rate of 0.9%. It consists of 91.8% Jews, 4.2% Arabs and 4.0% others. 13. The city is relatively multicultural, and many languages such as Russian, French, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, Arabic, Amharic and English are often spoken alongside Hebrew. 14. One of Tel Aviv's famous landmarks is the Hassan Bek Mosque, on the beachfront. 15. Tel Aviv is home to 40% of Israel’s finance jobs and 25 percent of the country’s employment in business services.

16. The city has been described as a flourishing technological center by Newsweek (1998) and a "miniature Los Angeles" by The Economist (2008). 17. In 1998, the city was described by Newsweek as one of the top 10 most technologically influential cities in the world. 18. The Tel Aviv metropolitan area is Israel's center of high-tech and is sometimes referred to as Silicon Wadi. 19. Tel Aviv is home to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE), Israel's only stock exchange, which lists 660 companies, about 60 of which are also listed on stock exchanges in other countries. 20. Tel Aviv has been described as a top international destination by Los Angeles Times and the New York Times. 21. The city’s thriving nightlife and 24-hour culture have given Tel Aviv the nickname, "The City that Never Sleeps." 22. According to city statistics, 2,189 acres of the city are devoted to green space, comprising 17% of Tel Aviv’s area. 23. Dizengoff Center is named after Meir Dizengoff, who served as the first mayor of Tel Aviv from 1911 until his death in 1936. He was described as a man who could reminisce about the future, and helped realize the vision of a modern Tel Aviv. 24. Tel Aviv has branches of some of the world's leading hotels, among them the Crowne Plaza, Sheraton, Dan, Isrotel and Hilton. 25. Pronto, an Italian restaurant in Tel Aviv, was named the best Italian restaurant outside of Italy by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture. 26. Tel Aviv is very accepting of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender-transsexuals and has the best-established LGBT community in the region, respected for its incomparable style, party scene, and excellent bars and clubs. 27. The city hosts an annual pride parade, attracting thousands of goers. 28. Over the past several years, Tel Aviv has become an international capital of fashion and design. 29. Tel Aviv is Israel’s cultural capital, too. Eighteen of Israel's 35 major centers for the performing arts are located in the city. 30. The Tel Aviv Performing Arts Center is the home of the Israeli Opera, where Plácido Domingo was house tenor between 1962 and 1965, as well as the Cameri Theater.

31. Tel Aviv's center for modern and classical dance is the Suzanne Dellal Center in Neve Tzedek. 32. Tel Aviv is home to a number of established dance centers and companies including the Batsheva Dance Company, a contemporary dance troupe, Bat Dor, and the Israel Ballet. 33. Israel is said to have the highest number of museums per capita of any country. Three of the largest in Israel are in Tel Aviv. 34. Tel Aviv is the only Israeli city with three clubs in Israeli Premier League, the country's top football league: Maccabi Tel Aviv, Hapoel Tel Aviv, and Bnei Yehuda. 35. Maccabi Tel Aviv Sports Club was founded in 1906 and competes in more than 10 sports, including football and basketball. 36. Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball team holds 47 Israeli titles, has won 36 editions of the Israel cup, and has won five European Championships.

37. The Tel Aviv Rowing Club was established in 1935 and is the largest rowing club in Israel. 38. Tel Aviv has an annual half-marathon, run in 2008 by 10,000 athletes from around the world. 39. Tel Aviv is governed by a 31-member city council elected for a four-year term in direct proportional elections. 40. The Tel Aviv City Hall is located at Rabin Square. 41. Ron Huldai is currently mayor of Tel Aviv, and has been in office since 1998.

42. Gymnasia (Hebrew High School) Herzliya is one of Israel’s most historic schools. Founded in 1905, it has many notable alumni including Moshe Sharett (Israel’s second Prime Minister). 43. Tel Aviv's major institution for higher education is Tel Aviv University. Founded in 1953, the university is now the largest in Israel, with nine faculties, 106 departments, and 90 research institutes. The University is known internationally for its physics, computer science, chemistry, and linguistics departments. 44. The three largest newspapers in Israel (Yedioth Aharonoth, Maariv, and Haaretz) are all headquartered in Tel Aviv. 45. Three major Israeli television networks, Keshet, Reshet, and Channel 10, are based in the city. 46. Tel Aviv is twinned with 27 cities around the world, including, New York City, Milan, and Gaza City.

47. Azrieli Center is a complex of three skyscrapers—one circular, one square, and one triangular—in Tel Aviv. Among other things, it includes a large shopping mall, offices, and a hotel. 48. Tel Aviv has a Mediterranean climate with hot, humid summers, pleasant springs and autumns, and typically cool, wet winters. 49. Neve Tzedek was established in 1887, 22 years before the 1909 founding of the City of Tel Aviv, by a group of Jewish families seeking a more peaceful life outside of overpopulated Jaffa. 50. The early architecture of Tel Aviv consisted largely of Eastern European-style single-story houses with red-tiled roofs. 51. A few years ago, Tel Aviv’s municipality transformed a derelict power station into a garden and pedestrian walkway. Today the Gan HaHashmal (Electric Garden) area is one of the city’s trendiest areas, where you can find the latest in fashion from local designers. 52. The influx of Jewish immigrants from Europe in the years 1924-1939 boosted Tel Aviv as a major city, and gave the city its yuppie and outgoing character, which it retains to this day. 53. The "Yemenite Vineyard" quarter of Tel Aviv is named the after its founders and first inhabitants, Yemenite Jews who settled in the area. 54. The Carmel Market is Tel Aviv's largest food and vegetable market.

55. Tel Aviv presents a lively combination of entertainment venues, shopping malls, exotic markets, nonstop active nightlife, gorgeous golden beaches and wonderful restaurants of all kinds. 56. April 2009 will mark the 100th anniversary of the city of Tel Aviv. The city was originally named Ahuzat Bait and was founded by 60 families in 1909 as a Jewish neighborhood near Jaffa. 57. Tel Aviv was the principal target of Iraqi missiles during the Persian Gulf War (1991). 58. Habima National Theatre, located in Tel Aviv, is Israel's national theatre and one of the first Hebrew language theatres. 59. Shenkin (Sheinkin) St. has been considered a local attraction for over 20 years, and one of the most popular Tel Aviv tourist attractions. 60. The port of Old Jaffa has a 5000-year history and is mentioned in the Bible. 61. Tel Aviv has an extremely active club scene that rivals the best in Europe. 62. Tel Aviv fuses contemporary Western and Middle Eastern sensibilities in its character. 63. Tel Aviv has 44 hotels, with a total of 5,200 rooms. 64. Tel Aviv is located 60 kilometers north-west of Jerusalem. 65. David Ben Gurion was Israel's first Prime Minister and one of the most important people in politics for many years after. The little Tel Aviv house where he lived with his wife Paula (on the street bearing his name) offers an insight into the humble life he led. 66. Tel Aviv’s population grew from only 3,600 in 1914 to 120,000 in 1936. The main reason for the growth in population was the great mass of Jewish immigrants fleeing from Europe between the years 1924-1939, before the beginning of WWII. By the time Israel declared independence on May 14, 1948, the population of Tel Aviv had risen to more than 200,000.

67. Since 1958 Habima has been officially considered the national theater of Israel.

68. Kikar Hamedina (the State’s square) is the most posh and expensive shopping area in Tel Aviv. The top names, the top quality and over the top price tags. 69. The Jewish Diaspora Museum in Tel Aviv is one of the biggest museums in the world specialising in the history of the Jewish People. 70. Located at the Yemenite Quarter, one of the city's first neighborhoods, Nachalat Binyamin Pedestrian Mall is a colorful open-air bazaar of unique handicrafts, street performances, pantomime and musicians. 71. Basel Square, located in the heart of northern Tel Aviv, is the hip place to sit down for a drink of coffee and croissant in the morning or afternoon. 72. Shalom Meir Tower was Israel’s first skyscraper, completed in 1965. At the time it rivaled the tallest buildings in Europe in height, and was the tallest in the Middle East, and was Israel’s tallest building until 1999.

73. Along with its thriving classical music and opera offerings, Tel Aviv can also claim one of the most innovative pop music scenes in the Europe/Middle Eastern region. From world music practitioners like Idan Raichal, to hip hop innovators like Hadag Nachash, to national "classic" rockers such as Shalom Hanoch and Yehudah Poliker, to "indie" masters like Ivry Lider or Hayehudim (The Jews), Tel Aviv pulses with an endless array of contemporary music acts and concerts. 74. Unlike New York or London, however, thank to Tel Aviv's compact size - a mere 33 square miles - all of the city's best bets are within easy reach. 75. Chen Boulevard is named after Chaim Nachman. Bialik, Israel’s poet laureate. The initial letters of his first two names from the Hebrew acronym Chen, which also means charm. 76. Carlebach St. is named after Azriel Carlebach, the founding editor of Maariv newspaper. The Maariv building still stands in its original location. 77. The distance between Tel-Aviv and Jerusalem is about 70 km (about 43 miles). It takes about 30-45 minutes by car. 78. Chich Beach in Tel Aviv is named after Mayor Shlomo Lahat known as Chich. 79. The Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center is the main hospital serving Tel Aviv, Israel, and its metropolitan area. It is the third-largest hospital complex in the country. 80. During the 2006 local parliament elections, held on March 28th, the City Hall building’s main facade was turned into the country's largest screen, showing the elections edition of the Israeli Channel 10 news. 81. The City Hall's plaza, Rabin Square, is the largest plaza in Tel Aviv and the city's main square for large rallies, demonstrations and open-fairs. 82. On October 15th 2004, as part of the city's 95th anniversary, the main facade of the building was turned into a giant, 3,200-square meter presentation wall for the Tel Aviv Profile exhibition, displaying portraits of 240 VIPs from the city's history, designed by 200 local artists. The presentation was removed in late December.

83. Tel Aviv is Israel’s transportation hub, and the city’s Central Bus Station is the largest of its kind in the world. 84. It is amusing today to think that Tel Aviv's founders once banned commercial enterprise in the city. That ban, of course, did not last long; after the First World War (during which the settlers of Tel Aviv were dispersed), the town took enormous commercial strides. In 1921 it became a separate township and the first modern Jewish city in the world. By 1924 Tel Aviv had a respectable population of 35,000, which was to grow to over 200,000 by 1948. 85. Tel Aviv is home to buildings by many famous architects, including Philippe Starck, I.M. Pei, and Richard Meier. 86. The city of Tel Aviv has 24 municipal libraries, holding nearly 1 million books and which service about 30,000 readers per month. 87. You can travel around the city by bicycle as well on 45 kilometers of paths. 88. While the Port of Tel Aviv no longer serves commercial ships, it has become a top spot for culture, fine dining, and some of the city’s top nightclubs. 89. Dizengoff Center was Israel’s first shopping mall, built in the 1970s. Though other malls have surpassed it in size and elegance, Dizengoff hosts an international food fair on Fridays. 90. Ali Karavan (Abu Hassan’s), located in Old Jaffa, is considered by many to have the best hummus in Israel. 91. In the 1947 Partition Plan, Tel Aviv was to be part of Israel, while Jaffa was slated to be part of an Arab country. After skirmishes between the two cities, Etzel forces took over Jaffa two days before Independence was declared. 92. The Yarkon River in the middle of Tel Aviv is the largest river flowing into the Mediterranean Sea, and its banks have been settled since ancient times. 93. During World War II, Tel Aviv was bombed twice—on 9 September 1940 by the Italian Air Force and on 12 June 1941 by Vichy France. 94. The first international Maccabia Games were held in Tel Aviv in 1932. Though the Games are still held every four years, they are now held just outside the city, in Ramat Gan. 95. Hayarkon Park is Tel Aviv's green sanctuary in the midst of the big city. The park attracts families, youngsters, joggers and almost anyone who feels like a breath of fresh air. 96. Tel Aviv actually began as a suburb of Jaffa, the adjoining city with which it melded in 1950. Jaffa (meaning "beautiful") is an ancient and venerable town which is mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments. 97. The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra appointed Mehta its Music Advisor in 1969, Music Director in 1977, and made him its Music Director for Life in 1981. 98. The Batsheva Dance Company is an honored dance company based in Tel Aviv, Israel. It was founded by Martha Graham and Baroness Batsheva De Rothschild, after whom it was named, in 1964. 99. Tel Aviv has been ranked as one of the world's top 50 centers of commerce by the new MasterCard Worldwide Center of Commerce research index of leading cities that influence the global economy and drive global commerce. 100. Tel Aviv's most significant moment in modern history came when David Ben-Gurion proclaimed the state of Israel on 14 May 1948, in the home of mayor Meir Dizengoff.