City's History

Rosh-Ha'Ayin was established after the "Independence War", on the territory of a deserted British military base.

The first immigrants who came from Yemen on behalf of the "Eagles Wings" operation, on the years 1949-1950, have settled in Rosh-Ha'Ayin and decided to build their homes there.

Rosh-Ha'Ayin is named after the Yarkon Springs which results in city's western outskirts.  { Rosh = Head,   Ayin(Ma'ayan) = Water Spring }.

Its ancient roots are related to the history of the Israeli People, and its strategic location between Jaffa and Jerusalem has granted Rosh-Ha'Ayin its significant importance back at ancient times. King Solomon transferred the Cedars of Lebanon through the area of Rosh-Ha'Ayin in order to build the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. (The Cedars came from "Zor" in Lebanon, through the sea, to Jaffa port and from there via the Yarkon River to Yarkon Springs and then to Jerusalem). The big battle between the Israeli People, as the conquering power, and the Philistims, had taken place at the area of the biblical "Aid-Stone" = ("Even-Ha'Ezer" or "EbenEzer")  which is located on Rosh-Ha'Ayin's eastern hills. Inscriptions in the 4000 years old Hebrew language were revealed a few years ago during excavations in the area.  King Hordus (who built the "Antipatrus" fortress - on the name of his father) and later the Crusaders and the Turkish (who built the "Migdal-Tsedek" fortress) attached first class importance to Rosh-Ha'Ayin.

The City Today

Rosh-Ha'Ayin is located 20 km (12.5 miles) east to Tel-Aviv. Its jurisdiction sprawls upon 30,000 dunams (approximately 7400 acres) - "Anitipatrus" fortress and Yarkon Springs in the west, "Migdal-Tsedek" fortress in the south-eastern side and the southern kibutzes which surround Rosh-Ha'Ayin in north and south.

The agricultural fields around and the mountain's slopes in the east, grant Rosh-Ha'Ayin its convenient climate and its green views which characterize it as a unique village city at "Dan" metropolitan.

Rosh-Ha'Ayin is located in a central junction in Israel. At the west, there is the Hi-way No.6 north-south (Trans-Israel Road)  and at the north of Rosh-Ha'Ayin there is the Hi-way No.5 going east-west from Tel-Aviv to Ariel and Jordan Valley.

The City is going these days through an unprecedented development momentum; there are 40,000 inhabitants in Rosh-Ha'Ayin. About 10,000 accommodations units planned to be built during the next few years along with one of the largest employment and trade centers in country. The infrastructures in the old part of the city are rapidly being improved, new sports facilities, youth centers and community centers are built and new green parks that were only recently established are full of life and activities.

The Migdal Tsedek site will become an activity & leisure culture center, in cooperation with the national nature and gardens authority, for the use of the whole "Dan" metropolitan population.

The educational system is going through some considerable changes in several aspects, such as the infrastructure & facilities helping to raise pedagogic success in the national level.

Culture & sports institutions were expended and renovated; an educational campus of junior high schools (Ha'Yovel & Gvanim), a new gymnasium,

and soon the "Urban Culture, Youth & Sports Center" will be renovated and become the "Hall of Culture". Plans for "Vadi Raba", becoming an urban promenade, which will connect all parts in city, will be completed soon.