Kokhav Ya'ir

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Kokhav Ya'ir (Hebrew כוכב יאיר Koḫav Yaʼir, unofficially also spelled Kochav Yair) is a town (local council) in the Center District of Israel. The municipality merged with the neighboring town of Zur Yigal in November 2003. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), November 2003 Kokhav Ya'ir and Zur Yigal together had a total population of 11,000, predominantly Jewish. It has achieved a very high socio-economic status with average wages of 18,035 NIS.

History

Kokhav Ya'ir was established in 1981 by 15 families living in temporary structures. Two years later work began on the infrastructure for a permanent settlement. In 1986 phase one of the permanent settlement began with 550 families. Zur Yigal's ground breaking began 1991 and the first families began to enter their homes in summer of 1994.

Kokhav Ya'ir (literally "Ya'ir's star") was named for Abraham Stern, alias Ya'ir, the founder and leader of the Lehi group, a militant jewish underground organization active during the British Mandate of Palestine.
Zur Yigal (literally "Yigal's rock) was named for the former member of Knesset, Yigal Cohen.

Some famous residents (past and present) include

Former Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces and former Prime Minster Ehud Barak.
Former Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces and current Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz.
Member of Knesset Michael Eitan.
Member of Knesset Dani Yatom.
Member of Knesset Gideon Ezra.
Member of Knesset Michael Ratzon.
Former Israeli Ambassador to Belgium and Switzerland Yitzhak Mayer
Former chairman of Israel's National Security Council, Major General (res.) Uzi Dayan

Geography

Kokhav Ya'ir is located latitude 32° 00' N, longitude 35° 00' E, approximately 7 km north-north-east of the city of Kefar Sava. Neighboring the municipality on its south-west border is Kibbutz Eyal, approximately 2 km north-west is the Israeli Arab city of Tira and approximately 1 km south is the Palestinian city of Qalqilyah. Kokhav Ya'ir is 95 meters above sea level.

External links

[Kokhav Ya'ir's municipality site] (in Hebrew)
[Current weather conditions in Kokhav Ya'ir]

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