Rishon LeZion

Rishon LeZion (“First to Zion”), is Israel’s fourth-largest city. It is situated along the central Israeli coastal plain, 12 kilometers south of Tel Aviv, part of the Gush Dan metropolitan area. Founded in 1882 by a group of Zionist pioneers from Ukraine, Moldova, and Poland, Rishon was declared a city in 1950. Today, its diverse, population numbers 233,000. The city has consistently earned awards for outstanding municipal management and city services, as well as for its high quality of life. Over the last two decades, the city has undergone substantial growth of new residential neighborhoods, commercial centers, and sports facilities. Rishon has nearly 30 different neighborhoods, each with its own distinct look and feel, with a mixture of secular and traditional Jews. According to Israeli government records, nearly 1,000 English-speaking Olim have settled in Rishon over the last decade. Seventy percent of the city’s population is under the age of 40.