Gan Yavne

Infobox Israel municipality
name=Gan Yavne


imgsize=100
hebname=גן יבנה
arname=
meaning=Yavne Garden
founded=1931
type=lc
typefrom=
stdHeb=
altOffSp=
altUnoSp=
district=center
population=14,200
popyear=2006
area_dunam=10600
mayor=
latd=31
latm=47
latNS=N
longd=34
longm=43
longEW=E

Gan Yavne ( _he. גן יבנה) is a (local council) in the Center District of Israel, located near the city of Ashdod. It was founded in 1931 and declared a local council in 1950.

Gan Yavne lies east of the Tel-Aviv–Ashkelon highway (Highway No. 4). It is bordered to the west by Ashdod, to the east by Bnei Ayish, to the north by settlements of the Gederot Regional Council, and to the south by moshavim of Be'er Tuvia Regional Council.

Emblem

Gan Yavne’s emblem represents "Torah and work", depicting the tablets of the Ten Commandments enveloping an orange and a lemon. These symbolize the founders of Gan Yavne, who were working people with a creative spirit, planters of vineyards and orchards, and house builders, uplifted by the Zionist dream and love of Israel.

History

Gan Yavne was established in 1931 by the “Achuza Aleph” Company founded by several Jewish families from Russia and Poland, who had settled temporarily in the United States. The inspiration for its name “Gan Yavne”, comes from its proximity to the historical Yavne. In the late 70's it was known as "Tachshit Hashfela", or the "Low-Land Jewel".Fact|date=October 2008

In the 1950’s, Gan-Yavne absorbed Yemenite immigrants from the “Magic Carpet” operation, and in the 1960’s – immigrants from North Africa and Kurdistan. Over the years they were joined by thousands of residents from all over the country, among them new immigrants from Ethiopia, Tunisia and the former Soviet Union.

Gan Yavne today

Today, Gan Yavne is experiencing a building and development boom. Hundreds of housing units and pretty suburbs are being constructed. Alongside its rapid development, Gan Yavne preserves its unique village character. Today Gan-Yavne is the only township along Israel’s coastline that is based on private houses. Gan-Yavne’s uniqueness, good location, municipal services to young and old alike, as well as making education, culture and environmental cultivation its top priority, are what make Gan-Yavne so attractive to hundreds of young families, choosing to build their homes here.

In the 1990s and 2000s Gan Yavne more than doubled its population, and became a popular "sleeping town" for commuters. The developement of highway 4 ("the coastal road"), which is a freeway between Tel Aviv and Gan Yavne junction, and also the introduction of frequent rail service to the nearby Ashdod station, allows commuters to travel to Tel Aviv in 30-45 minutes.

Educational facilities

*23 kindergartens
*3 state elementary schools – “Ben Gurion”, “Maccabim” and "Ilan Ramon"
*State religious elementary school – “Sinai”
*Junior high and high school – “Ort Itzhak Rabin”
*Technological Secondary Yeshiva – “Achuzat Yaakov”
*“Beit Apel” Children’s Village

Community and youth facilities

*Community Culture Center and Library
*3 Pais Community Center extensions
*Pais Community Center for the elderly
*"Beney Akiva" & "Ha'Noar Ha'Oved Ve Ha'Lomed" Youth movements

Twin towns

* Puteaux, France (1973)