Petah Tikva, Petah Tikva

Petah Tikva's jurisdiction covers 35,868 dunams (~35.9 km or 15 sq mi). The population density is . According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, at the end of 2007, the city's population stood at 188,900, growing at an annual rate of 2.5%.

The plow symbolizes Petah Tikva's origins as an agricultural settlement, the field symbolizes the drying of the Yarkon River swamps and cultivation of the land, and the orange tree symbolizes Petah Tikva's citrus industry, starting with the first tree planted by Rabbi Arye Leib Frumkin.

D. Gordon who lived in Petah Tikva before moving to Degania in the Galilee.

The industry is divided into three zones - Kiryat Arye, Kiryat Matalon, and Segula, and includes textiles, metalwork, carpentry, plastics, processed foods, tires and other rubber products, and soap. In the last few years many high-tech companies and start-ups have moved into the Petah Tikva industrial zone, which now house the Israeli headquarters for the Oracle Corporation, IBM, Intel, SanDisk, ECI Telecom, and GlaxoSmithKline Pharmecuticals. Furthermore, the Israeli Teva company, the world's largest generic drug manufacturer is headquartered in Petah Tikva, whilst one of Israel's leading food processing corporations, Osem opened in Petah Tikva in 1976 and has since been joined by the company's administrative offices, distribution center and sauce factory.

The headquarters of Internet Gold Internet Service Provider is located in the Segula industrial zone whilst those of Tadiran Telecom are in the Ramat Siv industrial zone. Arutz Sheva, the right wing Religious Zionist Israeli media network operates an internet radio studio in Petah Tikva, where Arutz Sheva internet TV is located as well as the printing press for its B'Sheva newspaper.

A rapid transit/light rail system is in the works which will connect Petah Tikva to Bnei Brak, Ramat Gan, Tel Aviv and Bat Yam.

This governing body was declared a local council in 1921, and Petah Tikva became a city in 1937. Kadima, the political party founded by former Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon and now headed by Tzipi Livni, has its headquarters in Petah Tikva.

There are over 43,000 students enrolled in these schools, which are staffed by some 2,400 teachers.In 2006, five schools participated in the nationwide Mofet program, which promotes academic excellence.Petah Tikva has nine public libraries, the main one located in the city hall building.

Yeshivat Hesder Petah Tikva, a modern-orthodox Hesder Yeshiva affiliated with the Religious Zionist movement, directed by Rabbi Yuval Cherlow, is also located in Petah Tikva.

The Rabin Medical Center Beilinson complex includes the Beilinson Medical Center, the Davidoff Oncologic Center, the Geha Psychiatric Hospital, the Schneider Pediatric Hospital and Tel Aviv University's Faculty of Medical Research. Other medical facilities in Petah Tikva are HaSharon Hospital, the Beit Rivka Geriatric Center, the Kupat Holim Medical Research Center and a private hospital, Ramat Marpeh, affiliated with Assuta Hospital. The Schneider Pediatric Center is one of the largest and most modern children's hospitals in the Middle East. In addition, there are many family health clinics in Petah Tikva as well as Kupat Holim clinics operated by Israel's Health maintenance organizations.

Source: Wikipedia > Petah Tikva