Haifa
View from Carmel across the Shrine of the Báb, city of Haifa and Haifa Bay
Emblem of Haifa
Hebrew	חֵיפָה
Arabic	حَيْفَا
Government	City
District	Haifa
Population	266,300 (city) 1,039,000 (metropolitan area)
Jurisdiction	63,666 dunams (63. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language The following list of Israeli cities is based on the current index of the There are six main administrative districts of Israel, known in Hebrew as mehozot (מחוזות singular mahoz) and fifteen Haifa District (מחוז חיפה Mehoz Ḥeifa) is an administrative district surrounding the city of Haifa, Israel. A dunam or dönüm, dunum, donum is a unit of Area used in the Ottoman Empire and still used in various standardized versions 7 km²)
Mayor	Yona Yahav
Website	www.haifa.muni.il/cultures/en-US

Haifa (Hebrew: חֵיפָה‎ Ḥefa (help·info); Arabic: حَيْفَا‎ Ḥayfā (help·info)^[1]) is the largest city in Northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of about 266,300. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. ^[2][3] Haifa has a mixed population of Jews and Arabs. It is also home to the Bahá'í World Centre^[4]. The Bahá'í World Centre is the name given to the administrative centre of the Bahá'í Faith.

Haifa, built on the slopes of Mount Carmel, has a history dating back to Biblical times. Mount Carmel (הר הכרמל Karem El/Har Ha'Karmel; Arabic Kurmul/Jabal Mar Elyas) is a coastal Mountain range in northern Israel The earliest known settlement in the vicinity was Tell Abu Hawam, a small port city established in the Late Bronze Age (14th century BCE). The term Bronze Age refers to a period in human cultural development when the most advanced Metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use included techniques for ^[5]In the 3rd century CE, Haifa was known as a dye-making center. Over the centuries, the city has changed hands: It has been conquered and ruled by the Byzantines, Arabs, Crusaders, Ottomans, Egyptians, and the British. The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish The Muhammad Ali Dynasty (أسرة محمد علي Usrat Muhammad 'Ali) was the ruling dynasty of The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, the city has been governed by the Haifa Municipality. Haifa's Old City remains, today in a state of neglect, are some of the most ancient in the region.

Today, the city is a major seaport located on Israel's Mediterranean coastline in the Bay of Haifa covering 63. The Port of Haifa is the largest of Israel 's three major international Seaports which include the Port of Ashdod, and the Port of Eilat. The Israeli Coastal Plain (מישור החוף Mishor HaHof) is the narrow Coastal plain along Israel's Mediterranean Sea coast which houses 70% of Haifa Bay (מפרץ חיפה Mifratz Haifa) is a small bay along the Mediterranean coast of Northern Israel. 7 square kilometres (24. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 6 sq mi). The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. It is located about 90 kilometres (56 mi) north of Tel Aviv and is the major regional center of northern Israel. Tel Aviv-Yafo (תֵּל ־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ تل أبيب Tal ʾAbīb) (usually Tel Aviv) is the second-largest city in Israel Two respected academic institutions, the University of Haifa and the Technion, are located in Haifa, and the city plays an important role in Israel's economy. The University of Haifa (אוניברסיטת חיפה is a University in Haifa, Israel. The Technion &ndash Israel Institute of Technology (הטכניון &ndash מכון טכנולוגי לישראל is an internationally-acclaimed Institute of technology in The economy of Israel is diversified with substantial government ownership and a rapidly developing high-tech sector It has several high-tech parks, among them the oldest and largest in the country, ^[6] an industrial port and an oil refinery.

Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 2.1 Early history 2.2 Byzantine, Arab and Crusader rule 2.3 Mamluk, Ottoman and Egyptian rule 2.4 British Mandate transition period and the 1948 Arab-Israeli War 2.5 Establishment of the State of Israel 3 Demographics 3.1 Religious communities 4 Geography 4.1 Climate 5 Neighborhoods 5.1 Development plans 6 Economy 6.1 Tourism 7 Arts and culture 7.1 Museums 8 Sports 9 Government 9.1 Mayors of Haifa 10 Medical facilities 11 Education 12 Transportation 13 Sister cities 14 See also 15 References 16 Further reading 17 External links 17.1 City and universities 17.2 Bahá'í 17.3 Monastery 17.4 Travel

Etymology

The origin of the name "Haifa" is unclear. According to historian Alex Carmel, it may come from the Hebrew verb root חפה (hafa), meaning 'to cover or hide', i. e. Mount Carmel covers Haifa. ^[7] Another possible origin of the name is the Arabic word حفَّ ("haffa") which means "beach", or the word حيفة meaning the "suburb" or "side of the city". Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language ^[8] In turn some see resemblance to the Hebrew word חוֹף (hof), derived from the Arabic, also meaning beach, or חוֹף יָפֶה (hof yafe), meaning beautiful beach. ^[9] Some Christians believe that the town was named after the high priest Caiaphas, or Saint Peter (Keiphah [in Aramaic]). A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Yosef Bar Kayafa ( Hebrew יוסף בַּר קַיָּפָא joˑsef bar qayːɔfɔʔ (which translates as Joseph son of Caiaphas) also known simply as Aramaic is a Semitic language with ^[7]

History

Early history

A small port city, Tell Abu Hawam, existed in the Haifa region in the Late Bronze Age (14th century BCE). The term Bronze Age refers to a period in human cultural development when the most advanced Metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use included techniques for ^[10]. The geographer Scylax describes a city "between the bay and the Promontory of Zeus" (i. Scylax of Caryanda was an ancient Greek explorer from Caria. He lived during the 6th century BC e. , the Carmel) which may be a reference to Haifa in the Persian period. ^[11]. The city moved to a new site south of what is now Bat Galim, in Hellenistic times, after the old port became blocked with sand. Bat Galim ( Hebrew: בת גלים(lit "Daughter of the Waves" is a neighborhood of Haifa, Israel, located at the foot of Mt ^[12]. The city is first mentioned in Talmudic literature around the 3rd century CE, as a small fishing village and the home of Rabbi Avdimos and other Jewish scholars. The Talmud ( Hebrew: he תַּלְמוּד is a record of Rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs and history ^[13]. ^[14][15] A Greek population living along the coast at this time was engaged in commerce. ^[16]Haifa was located near the town of Shikmona, a center for making the traditional Tekhelet dye used in making the garments of the high priests in the Temple. Shikmona is an ancient Tell (mound situated near the seacoast on the southern entrance to the modern city of Haifa, Israel. Tzitzit or tzitzis ( Hebrew: Biblical   ציצת Modern   ציצית) are "fringes" The archaeological site of Shikmona lies southwest of Bat Galim. ^[17] Mount Carmel and the Kishon River are also mentioned in the Bible. ^[18][19] A grotto on the top of Mount Carmel is known as the "Cave of Elijah", traditionally linked to the Prophet Elijah and his apprentice, Elisha. Elijah or Elias ( was a Prophet in Israel in the 9th century BC ^[18] In Arabic, the highest peak of the Carmel range is called El-Muhrrakah, meaning the burning, named for Elijah's confrontation with the priests of Baal, probably Melqart. Ba'al (pronounced; Hebrew בעל (ordinarily spelled Baal in English is a Northwest Semitic title and honorific meaning "master" or "lord" Melqart, properly Phoenician Milk-Qart "King of the City" less accurately Melkart, Melkarth ^[20]

Early Haifa is believed to have been located in an area that extends from the present-day Rambam Hospital to the Jewish Cemetery on Yafo Street. ^[21] The inhabitants engaged in fishing and agriculture. ^[21]

Byzantine, Arab and Crusader rule

Under Byzantine rule, Haifa continued to flourish, although never assumed major importance. ^[22] In the 7th century, the city was conquered by the Arabs. The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding Arab Islamic rule of Haifa brought about developments in the city and in the 9th century it established sea trade relations with Egypt and contained several shipyards. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. With its Arabs in control of government and civil administration and its Jews engaged in trade and shipping Haifa was prospering by the 11th century. Glass production and dye-making from marine snails were the city's most lucrative industries. ^[23]

Prosperity ended in 1100, when it was besieged and blockaded by the Crusaders and then conquered after a fierce battle with its Jewish and Muslim inhabitants. The First Crusade was launched in 1095 by Pope Urban II with the dual goals of conquering the sacred city of Jerusalem and the Holy Land and freeing PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion ^[23][7] Under the Crusaders, Haifa was reduced to a small fishing and agricultural village,^[23] and a part of the Principality of Galilee. The Principality of Galilee was one of the four major seigneuries of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem, according to 13th-century commentator John of Ibelin In 1265, it was captured by the Mamluks. ^[24]

The Carmelites established a church on Mount Carmel in the 12th century. The Order of the Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel or Carmelites (sometimes simply Carmel by Synecdoche; Latin: Ordo fratrum Beatæ ^[25] Under Arab rule, the building was turned into a mosque. Later it became a hospital. In the 19th century it was restored as a Carmelite monastery, over a cave associated with Elijah the prophet. Elijah or Elias ( was a Prophet in Israel in the 9th century BC ^[26]

Mamluk, Ottoman and Egyptian rule

The city's Crusader fortress was destroyed in 1187 by Saladin. Salahadin Ayyubi ( Arabic:صلاح الدين يوسف بن أيوب Kurdish: سه‌لاحه‌دین ئه‌یوبی Selah'edînê Eyubî; c ^[27]. In 1265, the army of Baibars the Mamluk captured Haifa, destroying its fortifications, which had been rebuilt by King Louis of France, as well as the majority of the city's homes in order to prevent the return of European Crusdaders from re-invading. Baibars, or al-Malik al-Zahir Rukn al-Din Baybars al-Bunduqdari ( Arabic ar الملك‭ ‬الظاهر‭ ‬ركن‭ ‬الدين‭ ‬بيبرس‭ ‬البندقداري ^[24] As such, for much of their rule, the city was desolate for much of the Mamluk period of governance between the 13th and 16th centuries. ^[28] Information from this period is very scarce. ^[28]

In 1761 Dhaher al-Omar, a Bedouin ruler of Acre and Galilee, destroyed and rebuilt Haifa in a new location, fortifying it with a wall. Dhaher al-Omar (also Dahar Daher (Arabic ظاهر العمر الزيداني zāhir al-`umar az-zaydānī, born ca The Bedouin, (from the Arabic (ar بدوي pl badū) are a desert-dwelling Arab Nomadic pastoralist, or previously "Galil" redirects here For the weapon see IMI Galil. Galilee (הגליל ha-Galil, lit the province, ^[28] This event is marked as the beginning of the town's modern era. After al-Omar's death in 1775, the town remained under Ottoman rule until 1918, except for two brief periods: in 1799, Napoleon Bonaparte conquered Haifa as part of his unsuccessful campaign to conquer Palestine and Syria, but withdrew in the same year; and between 1831 and 1840, the Egyptian viceroy Muhammad Ali governed, after his son Ibrahim Pasha wrested control from the Ottomans. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. Palestine is a name which has been widely used since Roman times to refer to the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. This article is about the leader of Egypt For other people named Muhammad Ali or Mehmet Ali see Muhammad Ali (disambiguation and Mehemet Ali (disambiguation ^[29][30]

In the years following the Egyptian occupation, Haifa grew in population and importance while Acre suffered a decline. The arrival of the German Templers in 1868, who settled in what is now known as the German Colony of Haifa, was a turning point in Haifa's development. Templers are members of the Temple Society (Tempelgesellschaft The German Colony ( Hamoshava Hagermanit) (המושבה הגרמנית was established in Haifa in 1868 by the German Templers. ^[30] The Templers built and operated a steam-based power station, opened factories and inaugurated carriage service to Acre, Nazareth and Tiberias, playing a key role in modernizing the city. Nazareth (ˈnæzərəθ (נָצְרַת Hebrew Natz'rat or Natzeret, الناصرة an-Nāṣira or an-Naseriyye) is the capital and largest Tiberias ( British English: /taɪˈbɪəriæs -əs/ American English: /taɪˈbɪriəs/ טְבֶרְיָה Tverya; طبرية Ṭabariyyah ^[31]

British Mandate transition period and the 1948 Arab-Israeli War

At the beginning of the 20th century, Haifa emerged as an industrial port city and growing population center. The Hejaz railway and the Technion were built at this time. History A railway had been suggested in 1864 to relieve the suffering of the hajis on their forty day journey through the wilderness of Midian the Nafud and the Hejaz Mountains ^[30] Haifa District was home to approximately 20,000 inhabitants, of which 82% were Muslim Arab, 14% Christian Arab, and 4% Jewish. Haifa District (מחוז חיפה Mehoz Ḥeifa) is an administrative district surrounding the city of Haifa, Israel. The number of Jews steadily increased due to immigration, especially from Europe. Aliyah ( refers to Jewish Immigration to the Land of Israel (and since its establishment in 1948 the State of Israel) By 1945 the population had shifted to 33% Muslim, 20% Christian and 47% Jewish. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ ^[32] In 1947 some 41,000 Muslims, 29,910 Christians and 74,230 Jews were living in Haifa. ^[33] The Christian community was composed mostly of Greek Orthodox Church (Arab Orthodox). The Greek Orthodox Church ( Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία Hellēnorthódoxē Ekklēsía) is formed by several autocephalous churches The Arab Orthodox are Arab Greek Orthodox Christian communities which have existed in Palestine, Jordan, Syria and

Haifa became central to the Bahá'í Faith in 1909, when the remains of the Báb were moved to Acre and a shrine was built on Mount Carmel by `Abdu'l-Bahá. The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind Siyyid `Alí Muḥammad ( ( October 20, 1819 – July 9, 1850) was the founder of Bábism, and one of three central figures of the Haifa remains an important site of worship, pilgrimage and administration for the members of the religion. A Bahá'í pilgrimage currently consists of visiting the holy places in Haifa, Akká, and Bahjí at the Bahá'í World Centre in Northwest The Bahá'í World Centre (comprising the Shrine of the Báb, terraced gardens and administrative buildings) are all on Mount Carmel's northern slope. The Bahá'í World Centre is the name given to the administrative centre of the Bahá'í Faith. The Shrine of the Báb is a structure in Haifa, Israel where the remains of the Báb, founder of Bábism and forerunner of Bahá'u'lláh The Terraces of the Bahá'í Faith, also known as the Hanging Gardens of Haifa, are garden terraces that form nine above and nine below the Shrine of the The Arc, in a Bahá'í context is a number of administrative buildings at the Bahá'í World Centre on Mount Carmel located at Haifa, Mount Carmel (הר הכרמל Karem El/Har Ha'Karmel; Arabic Kurmul/Jabal Mar Elyas) is a coastal Mountain range in northern Israel Haifa is important to the Bahá'ís because the founder of the religion, Bahá'u'lláh, was imprisoned there by the Ottomans. Bahá'u'lláh ( ba-haa-ol-laa "Glory of God" ( November 12, 1817 – May 29, 1892) born Mírzá Ḥusayn-`Alí Nuri The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish ^[34] The Bahá'í shrine and gardens have become one of Haifa's most visited tourist attractions. ^[35]

The 1947 UN Partition Plan designated Haifa part of the proposed Jewish state. The United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine or United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181 was a plan approved by the General Assembly on November 29 When the Arab leadership rejected the plan, Haifa did not escape the violence that spread throughout the country. On December 30, 1947, members of the Irgun, the pre-state Jewish underground, threw bombs into a crowd of Arabs outside the gates of the Consolidated Refineries in Haifa, killing 6 and injuring 42. Events 1460 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Wakefield. 1816 - The Treaty of St Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Irgun (ארגון shorthand for HaIrgun HaTzva'i HaLe'umi BeEretz Yisra'el, he הארגון הצבאי הלאומי בארץ ישראל "National Military Organization In response, the the Arab employees killed 39 Jewish employees in what has become known as the Haifa Oil Refinery massacre. The Haifa Oil Refinery Massacre of 39 Jewish workers occurred on December 30 1947 at the Oil refinery complex in Haifa, during a period ^[36] Jewish forces retaliated with a raid on the Arab village of Balad al-Shaykh the following day. Balad al-Shaykh, was an Arab village in Palestine, now part of the Israeli town of Nesher where a massacre was perpetrated on the night of Control of Haifa was deemed a critical objective in the ensuing 1948 Arab-Israeli War, as it was the major industrial and oil refinery port in Palestine. An oil refinery is an industrial Process plant where Crude oil is processed and refined into more useful Petroleum products, such as Gasoline Palestine is a name which has been widely used since Roman times to refer to the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. ^[36] The British withdrew from Haifa on April 21, 1948. Events 753 BC - Romulus and Remus found Rome ( traditional date) Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The city was captured on April 23, 1948 by the Carmeli Brigade of the Haganah commanded by Mordechai Maklef after three months of unsuccessful attacks by Arab forces. Events 215 BC - A temple is built on the Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The 188th "Barak"/"Lightning" Armor Brigade is an Israeli regular armor brigade under command of the Northern Command. Haganah ( Hebrew: "The Defense" ההגנה was a Jewish Paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine ^[36]

The conflicts occasioned massive displacement of the Arab population of Haifa. The Economist reported on October 2, 1948: “Of the 62,000 Arabs who formerly lived in Haifa not more than 5,000 or 6,000 remained. ”^[37] Prominent Israeli historians have shown that Palestinians from Haifa left partially as a result of a combination of a campaign of threats from the Zionist leadership and encouragement by Arab leaders in the region to leave, but mostly were forced out by the shelling of Arab villages and neighborhoods by Jewish soldiers. ^[38][39]

Establishment of the State of Israel

Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the city played an important role as the gateway for Jewish immigration. The Sail Tower (בית המפרש Beit HaMifras) officially District Government Center - Building B (קרית הממשלה המחוזית חיפה - בניין ב Thousands of immigrants were resettled in houses abandoned by the Arab inhabitants during the war, and housing projects were hastily built to accommodate the newcomers in neighborhoods such as Kiryat Hayim, Ramot Remez, Ramat Shaul, Kiryat Sprinzak, and Kiryat Eliezer. Bnei Zion Hospital and the Central Synagogue date from this period. In 1953, a master plan was created for transportation and the future architectural layout. ^[30]

In 1959, a group of Mizrahi Jews, mostly Moroccans, rioted in Wadi Salib. Mizrahi Jews or Mizrahim, ( also referred to as Edot HaMizrach (Communities of the East are Jews descended Wadi Salib (وادي صليب ואדי סאליב is a neighbourhood located on the lower northeastern slope of Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel, between The rebels, members of a social activist group known as the Black Panthers, many of them living in “absentee” properties formerly belonging to Haifa Arabs, claimed the state was discriminating against them. Their demand for “bread and work” was directed at the state institutions and what they perceived was an Ashkenazi elite in the Labor Party and the Histadrut. Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim ( Hebrew: אַשְׁכֲּנָזִים, ˌaʃkəˈnazim sing Template talkInfobox Union for usage -->The Histadrut ("Federation" labour or HaHistadrut HaKlalit shel ^[40] During the disturbances, Israeli police shot and killed several rioters.

By the early 1970s, Haifa's population reached 200,000. Mass immigration to Israel from the former Soviet Union boosted the population by 35,000. ^[30]

Many of Wadi Salib's historic Ottoman buildings have been demolished throughout the course of Israeli rule, and in the 1990s a major section of the Old City was destroyed to make way for the municipal center. ^[30][40]

In 2006, Haifa was hit by 93 Hezbollah rockets during the conflict with Lebanon killing eleven civilians in the city, and leading to half of the city's population fleeing after the first week of the war. Background See also Israel-Lebanon conflict The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO had engaged in cross-border attacks from Southern Lebanon ^[41] The oil refinery complex was also struck by a rocket. ^[42]

Demographics

Today, Haifa has a population of 266,300. Ninety percent of the population are defined as Israeli Jews. Immigrants from the former Soviet Union constitute 25% of Haifa's population. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 ^[43] According to the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics, Arabs constitute 9% of Haifa's population, the majority living in Wadi Nisnas, Abbas and Khalisa neighborhoods. The Israel Central Bureau of Statistics (הלשכה המרכזית לסטטיסטיקה HaLishka HaMerkazit LeStatistika) abbreviated CBS, is an Israeli Arab citizens of Israel refers to Arabs or Arabic -speaking people who are Citizens of Israel who are not Jewish. Wadi Nisnas (وادي النسناس is an Arab neighborhood in the city of Haifa in northern Israel. ^[44]

The city is commonly referred to as a model for co-existence between Arabs and Jews in Israel. Comparatively speaking, this is the case, and the demographics of the city facilitate a rich cultural mix; however, tensions and hostility exist here as elsewhere in Israel. Haifa has birthed a number of Palestinian organizations working to highlight the atmosphere of demographic competitition in relation to other issues such as the discrimination in the allocation of resources to Arab citizens of Israel, the displacement of Haifa Arabs from homes now occupied by Jewish residents, and the continued destruction of Arab cultural property in the Haifa region. (See Ittijah)^[45]

City of Haifa Population by year[46][47]
1800	1,000
1840	2,000
1880	6,000
1914	20,000
1922	24,600
1947	145,140
1961	183,021
1972	219,559
1983	225,775
1995	255,914
2005	267,800

Haifa is Israel's third-largest city, consisting of 103,000 households. Ittijah or "Union of Arab Community-Based Associations" is a network for Palestinian Non-governmental organizations (NGOs founded in 1995 in ^[2] Haifa has an aging population compared to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem as young people have moved to the center of the country for schooling and jobs, and young families have migrated to bedroom communities in the Haifa vicinity. Tel Aviv-Yafo (תֵּל ־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ تل أبيب Tal ʾAbīb) (usually Tel Aviv) is the second-largest city in Israel Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the ^[48]

Religious communities

The population of Haifa is 82% Jewish, 4% Muslim, and 14% Christian (both Arab and non-Arab). PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding ^[48] The relatively large Christian population of Haifa is derived from a combination of Arab Christians and immigrants from the former Soviet Union.

In general, as the Jewish residents age and as youth leave the city, the number of Christians and Muslims is growing. ^[48] In 2006, 27% of the Arab population was age 0-14 compared to 17% in the Jewish and other population groups. This trend continues with 27% of Arabs aged 15-29, and 23% 30-44. The population of Jewish and other groups in these age groups are 22% and 18% respectively. 19% of the city's Jewish and other population is between 45 and 59 compared to 14% in the Arab population. This trend continues with 14% of Jews and others aged 60-74 and 10% over age 75, in comparison to 7% and just 2% respectively in the Arab population. ^[46]

By national standards, Haifa's Jewish population is relatively secular. In 2006, 2. 9% of the Jews in the city were ultra-Orthodox, compared to 7. Haredi or Chareidi Judaism is the most theologically conservative form of Orthodox Judaism. 5% on a national scale. ^[46] 66. 6% were secular, compared to a national average of 43. 7%. ^[46] A small portion of the immigrants from the former Soviet Union lack official religious-ethnic classification of any kind as they are a product of mixed-marriage families of Jewish origin. ^[49]

Geography

Haifa is situated on the Israeli Mediterranean Coastal Plain, the historic land bridge between Europe, Africa, and Asia. The Israeli Coastal Plain (מישור החוף Mishor HaHof) is the narrow Coastal plain along Israel's Mediterranean Sea coast which houses 70% of Via Maris is the modern name for an ancient Trade route, dating from the early Bronze Age, linking Egypt with the northern empires of Syria, ^[50] Located on Mount Carmel around Haifa Bay, the city is split over three tiers. Mount Carmel (הר הכרמל Karem El/Har Ha'Karmel; Arabic Kurmul/Jabal Mar Elyas) is a coastal Mountain range in northern Israel Haifa Bay (מפרץ חיפה Mifratz Haifa) is a small bay along the Mediterranean coast of Northern Israel. ^[51] The lowest is the center of commerce and industry including the Port of Haifa. The Port of Haifa is the largest of Israel 's three major international Seaports which include the Port of Ashdod, and the Port of Eilat. ^[51] The middle level is on the slopes of Mount Carmel and consists of older residential neighborhoods, while the upper level consists of modern neighborhoods looking over the lower tiers. ^[51] From here views can be had across the Western Galilee region of Israel towards Rosh HaNikra and the Lebanese border. "Galil" redirects here For the weapon see IMI Galil. Galilee (הגליל ha-Galil, lit the province, ^[51] Haifa is about 90 kilometers (55. 9 mi) north of the city of Tel Aviv, and has a large number of beaches on the Mediterranean. Tel Aviv-Yafo (תֵּל ־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ تل أبيب Tal ʾAbīb) (usually Tel Aviv) is the second-largest city in Israel ^[52]

Climate

Haifa has a mediterranean climate with hot, humid summers and cool, rainy winters (Köppen climate classification Csa). A Mediterranean climate is one that resembles the Climate of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, which includes over half of the area with this climate type world-wide The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems It was developed by Wladimir Köppen, a German climatologist ^[53] Spring arrives in March when temperatures begin to increase. Spring is one of the four Temperate Seasons Spring marks the transition from Winter into Summer. By late May, the temperature has warmed up considerably to herald warm summer days. The average temperature in summer is 26 °C (79 °F) and in winter, 12 °C (54 °F). Snow is rare in Haifa, but temperatures around 6 °C (43 °F) can sometimes occur, usually in the early morning. Humidity tends to be high all year round, and rain usually occurs between October and April. Annual precipitation is approximately 524 millimeters (21 in).

Weather averages for Haifa Bay
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	18. 0 (64. 4)	17. 9 (64. 2)	21. 1 (67. 0)	25. 3 (77. 5)	25. 4 (77. 7)	28. 5 (83. 3)	31. 5 (88. 7)	31. 1 (88. 0)	30. 3 (86. 5)	26. 9 (80. 4)	23. 5 (74. 3)	20. 8 (69. 4)
Average low °C (°F)	10. 7 (51. 3)	10. 5 (50. 9)	12. 3 (54. 2)	15. 2 (59. 4)	17. 4 (63. 3)	21. 8 (71. 2)	24. 3 (75. 7)	25. 6 (78. 1)	22. 9 (73. 2)	NA	15. 3 (59. 5)	12. 7 (54. 9)
Precipitation mm (inches)	175 (6. In Meteorology, precipitation (also known as one class of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric 9)	109 (4. 3)	41 (1. 6)	25 (1. 0)	5 (0. 2)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	3 (0. 1)	25 (1. 0)	94 (3. 7)	185 (7. 3)	524. 0
Source: Temperature - Israel Central Bureau of Statistics[54][55]
Source #2: Precipitation - BBC News[56]

Neighborhoods

Main article: Neighborhoods of Haifa

Haifa has developed in tiers, from the lower to the upper city on the Carmel. The Israel Central Bureau of Statistics (הלשכה המרכזית לסטטיסטיקה HaLishka HaMerkazit LeStatistika) abbreviated CBS, is an Israeli This is a list of neighborhoods of the Israeli city of Haifa. The oldest neighborhood is Wadi Salib, the Old City center near the port, which has been bisected by a major road and razed in part to make way for government buildings. Wadi Salib (وادي صليب ואדי סאליב is a neighbourhood located on the lower northeastern slope of Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel, between Wadi Salib stretches across to Wadi Nisnas, the center of Arab life in Haifa today. Wadi Nisnas (وادي النسناس is an Arab neighborhood in the city of Haifa in northern Israel. In the 19th century, under Ottoman rule, the German Colony was built, providing the first model of urban planning in Haifa. The German Colony ( Hamoshava Hagermanit) (המושבה הגרמנית was established in Haifa in 1868 by the German Templers. Some of the buildings have been restored and the colony turned into a center of Haifa nightlife. ^[51]

The first buildings in Hadar were constructed at the start of the 20th century. Hadar was Haifa's cultural center and marketplace throughout the 1920s and into the 1980s, nestled above and around the Haifa's Arab neighborhoods. Today Hadar stretches from the port area near the bay, approximately halfway up Mount Carmel, around the German Colony, Wadi Nisnas and Wadi Salib. ^[57] Hadar houses two commercial centers (one in the port area, and one midway up the mountain) surrounded by some of the city's older neighborhoods.

Above Hadar, Neve Sha'anan, a neighborhood located on the second tier of Mount Carmel, is home to a largely observant Jewish population as well as a sizeable Russian immigrant population. Orthodox Judaism is the formulation of Judaism that adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonized Founded in the 1920s, almost all single-story houses here have been replaced with newer 4-story apartment buildings built starting in the 1950s.

Below, on the edges of Haifa from the port, westward, are the predominantly Jewish neighborhoods of Bat Galim, Shikmona Beach, and Kiryat Eliezer, and the Arab neighborhoods of Abbas and Khalisa, built in the 1960s and 70s. ^[58]

Above Hadar and Neve Sha'anan, on the third tier at the top of Mount Carmel, is the newest neighborhood of Haifa, the affluent, predominantly Jewish neighborhood of Carmel Tzarfati (French Carmel), built in the 1970s through the 90s. French Carmel is a neighbourhood of Haifa ( Israel) located on the western slopes of Mount Carmel. Whilst there are general divisions between Arab and Jewish neighborhoods, there is an increasing trend for wealthy Arabs to move into affluent Jewish neighborhoods such as Carmel. ^[48] At the edges of the neighborhood of Carmel is Kababir, home of Israel’s only Ahmadi Muslim community;^[58]Kababir tops Mount Carmel, overlooking Haifa's stretch of beach. Kababir is a mixed neighbourhood of Jews and Ahmadi Arabs in Haifa. Ahmadiyya ( احمدیہ Ahmadiyya) is a movement that arose out of mainstream Islam towards the end of the 19th century

Development plans

Recently, residential construction has been concentrated around Kiryat Hayyim and Kiryat Shmuel, with 75,000 sq m. of new residential construction between 2002-2004, the Carmel, with 70,000 sq m, and Ramot Neve Sha'anan with approximately 70,000 sq m. ^[59] Non-residential construction was highest in the Lower Town, (90,000 sq m ), Haifa Bay (72,000 sq m)) and Ramot Neve Sha'anan (54,000 sq m). ^[59] In 2004, 80% of construction in the city was private. ^[59]

In Wadi Salib today, the original interiors of the Palace of the Pasha, a Turkish bathhouse, and a Middle Eastern music and dance club have been largely gutted and are now in use as dance clubs, theaters, and offices. Wadi Salib (وادي صليب ואדי סאליב is a neighbourhood located on the lower northeastern slope of Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel, between The Turkish bath (hamam from حمّام) is the Middle Eastern variant of a steam bath, which can be categorized as a wet relative of the ^[40] The Haifa Economic Corporation Ltd. ^[60] is implementing plans to develop two 1,000 square meter lots for office and commercial use which will include Turkish and Arab "construction elements," and service a new government center planned for downtown Haifa. ^[61] Another government center built in the same area in the early 1990s failed to boost the economy as expected. The current project is controversial due to the eviction of families from the neighborhood, and the planned demolition of more historic buildings, including the former home of Palestinian intellectual Emil Touma. Emile Toma (1919-1985 was a political historian and philosopher and thinker ^[40]

Economy

The phrase "Haifa works, Jerusalem prays, and Tel Aviv plays" refers to Haifa's reputation as a city of workers. ^[62] The industrial region of Haifa is north of the city, near the Kishon River. Haifa is home to one of the two oil refineries in Israel (the other located in Ashdod). An oil refinery is an industrial Process plant where Crude oil is processed and refined into more useful Petroleum products, such as Gasoline Ashdod (אַשְׁדּוֹד اشدود إسدود Isdud) located in the South District of Israel, on the Mediterranean Sea coast The Haifa refinery produces 9 million tons (66 million barrels) of crude oil a year. Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, lit ^[63] Its twin 80-meter high cooling towers, built in the 1930s, were the tallest buildings built in the British Mandate period. ^[64] Each year, the refinery processes 66 million barrels of crude oil. ^[65]

Mat'am (short for Merkaz Ta'asiya UMeida - Scientific Industries Center), the largest and oldest business park in Israel, is at the southern entrance to the city, hosting manufacturing and R&D facilities for a large number of Israeli and international hi-tech companies, such as Intel, IBM, Microsoft, Motorola, Google, Elbit, Zoran, Philips, and Amdocs. A business park or business estate is an area of land in which many Office buildings are grouped together The phrase research and development (also R and D or more often R&D) according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, refers Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational Computer technology Corporation, which rose to dominate the Home computer Motorola Inc ( is an American, multinational Fortune 100, Telecommunications company based in Schaumburg Illinois. Google Inc is an American public corporation, earning revenue from advertising related to its Internet search, e-mail, online Elbit Systems Ltd is one of Israel 's largest defense electronics manufacturers and integrators Zoran Corporation is a Multinational Digital Technology company headquartered in Silicon Valley. Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV ( Royal Philips Electronics Inc. Amdocs is a provider of software and services for Billing, Customer relationship management (CRM Operations support systems (OSS and Web Portal ^[66] The campus of the University of Haifa is also home to IBM Haifa Labs. The University of Haifa (אוניברסיטת חיפה is a University in Haifa, Israel. ^[67]

The Port of Haifa is the leader in passenger traffic among Israeli ports, and is also a major cargo harbor, although deregulation has seen its dominance challenged by the port of Ashdod. The Port of Haifa is the largest of Israel 's three major international Seaports which include the Port of Ashdod, and the Port of Eilat. A harbor or harbour (see spelling differences) or haven, is a place where ships may shelter from the Weather or are stored The Port of Ashdod is Israel 's main cargo Port, processing approximately 60% of Israeli marine cargo. ^[68]

Haifa has many malls and shopping centers, among them Hutsot Hamifratz, Horev Center Mall, Panorama Center, Castra Center, Colony Center (Lev HaMoshava), Hanevi'im Tower Mall, Kenyon Haifa, Lev Hamifratz Mall and Grand Kenyon. ^[69]

Tourism

In 2005, Haifa had 13 hotels with a total of 1,462 rooms. ^[70] The city has 17 kilometres (11 mi) of beaches, 5 kilometres (3 mi). ^[71] Haifa's main tourist attraction is the Bahá'í World Centre, with the golden Shrine of the Báb and the surrounding gardens. The Bahá'í World Centre is the name given to the administrative centre of the Bahá'í Faith. The Shrine of the Báb is a structure in Haifa, Israel where the remains of the Báb, founder of Bábism and forerunner of Bahá'u'lláh Between 2005 and 2006, 86,037 visited the shrine. ^[70] The restored German Colony, founded by the Templers, Stella Maris and Elijah's Cave also draw many tourists. Templers are members of the Temple Society (Tempelgesellschaft The Stella Maris Carmelite Monastery in Haifa, Israel is a 19th-century monastery located on the slopes of Mount Carmel. ^[72]

Located in the Haifa district are the Ein Hod artists' colony, where over 90 artists and craftsmen have studios and exhibitions, ^[73] and the Mount Carmel national park, with caves where Neanderthal and early Homo Sapiens remains were found. Ein Hod (עין הוד is a communal settlement in northern Israel Mount Carmel (הר הכרמל Karem El/Har Ha'Karmel; Arabic Kurmul/Jabal Mar Elyas) is a coastal Mountain range in northern Israel The Neanderthal (neɪˈændərtɑːl also with /niː-/ and /-θɔːl/ or Neandertal, is an extinct member of the Homo genus that is known from Human beings, humans or man (Origin 1590–1600 L homō man OL hemō the earthly one (see Humus ^[74]

A 2007 report commissioned by the Haifa Municipality calls for the construction of more hotels, a ferry line between Haifa, Acre and Caesarea, development of the western anchorage of the port as a recreation and entertainment area, and an expansion of the local airport and port to accommodate international travel and cruise ships. Caesarea (קיסריה Qesarya قيسارية pronounced Kaysaria) is a town in Israel on the outskirts of Caesarea Maritima, the ancient port ^[75]

Arts and culture

Despite its image as a port and industrial city, Haifa is the cultural hub of northern Israel. During the 1950s, mayor Abba Hushi made a special effort to encourage authors and poets to move to the city, and founded the Haifa Theatre, a repertory theater, the first municipal theater founded in the country. Abba Hushi (אבא חושי (1898 – March 24, 1969) was the mayor of Haifa, Israel for eighteen years from 1951 to 1969 The Haifa Theatre (תיאטרון חיפה is the municipal theater company of the city of Haifa, Israel and the first municipal theatre founded in that country ^[76] The principal Arabic theater servicing the northern Arab population is the al-Midan Theater. Other theaters in the city include the Krieger Centre for the Performing Arts and the Rappaport Art and Culture Center. ^[76] The Congress Center hosts exhibitions, concerts and special events. ^[77]

The New Haifa Symphony Orchestra, established in 1950, has more than 5,000 subscribers. In 2004, 49,000 people attended its concerts. ^[78][71] The Haifa Cinematheque, founded in 1975, hosts the annual Haifa International Film Festival during the intermediate days of the Sukkot holiday. The Haifa International Film Festival is held each year during the holiday of Sukkot on the ridge of Mount Carmel overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Sukkot ( also known as Succoth, Sukkos, Feast of Booths or Feast of Tabernacles) is a Biblical Pilgrimage Haifa has 29 movie theaters. ^[71] The city publishes a local newspaper, Yediot Haifa,^[79] and has its own radio station, Radio Haifa. ^[80]

Museums

Haifa has over a dozen museums. ^[81][71] The most popular museum is the Israel National Museum of Science, Technology, and Space, which recorded almost 150,000 visitors in 2004. The MadaTech Israel National Museum of Science Technology and Space is a Science and Technology Museum in the city of Haifa, Israel The museum is located in the historic Technion building in the Hadar neighborhood. ^[82] The Haifa Museum of Art houses a collection of modern and classical art, as well as displays on the history of Haifa. The Haifa Museum established in 1949, houses the Museum of Ancient Art which specializes in archeological finds discovered in Israel and the Mediterranean basin and the Museum ^[83] The Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art is the only museum in the Middle East dedicated solely to Japanese art. The Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art, which is located in Haifa, Israel, is devoted entirely to displaying and conserving Japanese art works, and The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. ^[84] Other museums in Haifa include the Museum of Prehistory, the National Maritime Museum and Haifa City Museum, the Hecht Museum, the Dagon Archeological Museum, the Railway Museum, the Clandestine Immigration and Navy Museum, the Israeli Oil Industry Museum, and Chagall Artists' House. Israel Railway Museum (מוזיאון רכבת ישראל is the national Railway Museum of Israel, located in Haifa. ^[71] As part of his campaign to bring culture to Haifa, Mayor Abba Hushi provided the artist Mane-Katz with a building on Mount Carmel to house his collection of Judaica, which is now a museum. Emmanuel Mané-Katz, ( Hebrew: מאנה‏ כץ ‏) born Mane Leyzerovich Kats (1962-1894 was a Jewish Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut ^[85]

Sports

Haifa has eight football (soccer) clubs, two of which, Maccabi Haifa, Hapoel Haifa are in the major leagues in Israel. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Maccabi Haifa Football Club (מועדון הכדורגל מכבי חיפה Moadon HaKaduregel Maccabi Haifa) is an Israeli football club and one of the leading football Hapoel Haifa Football Club is an Israeli Football club located in Haifa. Other clubs include Beitar Haifa, Akhva Haifa, Hapoel Spartak Haifa, Sportek Haifa, Bnei Kababir and Hapoel Neve Sha'anan. ^[86] Maccabi Haifa has won 10 championships, 5 cups and 3 League cups. The State Cup (גביע המדינה Gvia HaMedina) is the second most important tournament in Israeli football after Ligat ha'Al the top division The Toto Cup (גביע הטוטו is a minor cup competition in Israeli football but nevertheless carries the highest annual prize ^[87][88][89] Both Hapoel and Maccabi Haifa operate football schools in Haifa suburbs and other villages (including Arab villages) in northern Israel.

In 1996, the city hosted the World Windsurfing Championship. Windsurfing is a surface water sport using a windsurf board also commonly called a sailboard usually two to five meters long and powered by a single sail ^[65] The Haifa Tennis Club, near the southwest entrance to the city, is one of the largest in Israel. ^[90]

The main stadiums in Haifa are the 14,000-seat Kiryat Eliezer Stadium and Thomas D'Alesandro Stadium. The Haifa Municipal Stadium (אצטדיון העירוני חיפה Etztadion HaIroni Haifa) more commonly known as Kiryat Eliezer (קריית אליעזר The Thomas D'Alesandro Stadium, more commonly known as Kiryat Haim, is a multi-use Stadium in Kiryat Haim, Israel. In addition, the Romema Basketball Arena seats 2,000 and the Neve Sha'anan Athletic Stadium seats 1,000. A UEFA-approved stadium to seat 30,000 is planned for south-west Haifa, due to be completed in 2009. The Union of European Football Associations (Union des associations européennes de football is the administrative and controlling body for European football. ^[91]

Government

As an industrial port city, Haifa has traditionally been a Labor party stronghold. The strong presence of dock workers and trade unions earned it the nickname 'Red Haifa. ' In addition, many prominent Arabs in the Israeli Communist Party, among them Tawfik Toubi, Emile Habibi, Zahi Karkabi, Bulus Farah and Emile Toma, were all from Haifa. Tawfik Toubi (توقيق طوبي תופיק טובי born 11 May 1922) is a retired Israeli Arab communist politician Imil (Emile Shukri Habibi (إميل حبيبي אמיל חביבי 21 January 1922 – 2 May 1996) was a Palestinian - Bulus Farah was a Palestinian Trade unionist who founded the Federation of Arab Trade Unions and Labor Societies in 1942 Emile Toma (1919-1985 was a political historian and philosopher and thinker In recent years, there has been a drift toward the center. ^[92][93][94] This was best signified by, in the 2006 legislative elections, the Kadima party receiving about 28. The Elections for the 17th Knesset were held in Israel on 28 March 2006. Kadima (קדימה lit Forward) is a political party in Israel. 9% of the votes in Haifa, and Labor lagging behind with 16. 9%. ^[95]

Before 1948, Haifa's Municipality was fairly unique as it developed cooperation between the mixed Arab and Jewish community in the city, with representatives of both groups involved in the city's management. Under mayor al-Haj, between 1920 and 1927, the city council had six Arab and two Jewish representatives, with the city run as a mixed municipality with overall Arab control. The city changed towards more of a mixed society under mayor Hasan Bey Shukri's second term (1927–40) in which cooperation between Jews and Arabs in the running of the city was encouraged. Whilst the two groups were treated differently in terms of needs, with Arabs coming before Jews, greater coexistence was fostered. The major change in the leadership of the city occurred in 1940, when the first Jewish mayor of the city, Shabtai Levy, was elected. Shabtai Levy (1876-1956 was the first Jewish Mayor of Haifa. He held office from 1941 to 1951 Instantly, the Jews in the city were no longer treated behind the Arabs. Levy's two deputies were Arab (one Muslim, the other Christian), with the remainder of the council made up of four Jews and six Arabs. ^[96]

Today, Haifa is governed by its 12th city council, headed by the mayor Yona Yahav. Yona Yahav (יונה יהב born June 19, 1944) is an Israeli lawyer and politician The results of municipal elections decide on the makeup of the council, similarly to the Knesset elections. For Beit Knesset a Jewish Place of worship, see Synagogue. The Knesset (כנסת lit The city council is the legislative council in the city, and has the authority to pass auxiliary laws. ^[97] The 12th council, which was elected in 2003, has 31 members, with the liberal Shinui-Greens ticket holding the most seats (6), and Likud coming second with 5. Shinui (שינוי lit Change) is a Zionist, Secular and anti-clerical Free market liberal party in Israel The Greens (הירוקים HaYerukim) is a minor political party in Israel currently headed by Pe'er Visner. Likud (ליכוד lit Consolidation) is the major centre-right political party in Israel. ^[98] Many of the decisions passed by the city council are results of recommendation made by the various municipal committees, which are committees where non-municipal organs meet with representatives from the city council. Some committees are spontaneous, but some are mandatory, such as the security committee, tender committee and financial committee. ^[99]

Mayors of Haifa

Najib Effendi al-Yasin (1873–77) Ahmad Effendi Jalabi (1878–81) Mustafa Bey al-Salih (1881–84) Mustafa Pasha al-Khalil (1885–1903) Jamil Sadiq (1904–10) Rif'at al-Salah (1910–11) Ibrahim al-Khalil (1911–13) Abd al-Rahman al-Haj (1920–27) Hasan Bey Shukri (1914–20, 1927–40)

Shabtai Levy (1940–51) Abba Hushi (1951–1969) Moshe Flimann (1969–1973) Yosef Almogi (1974–1975) Yeruham Zeisel (1975–1978) Arie Gur'el (1978–1993) Amram Mitzna (1993–2003) Giora Fisher (interim mayor, 2003) Yona Yahav (2003–)

Medical facilities

Haifa medical facilities have a total of 4,000 hospital beds. Shabtai Levy (1876-1956 was the first Jewish Mayor of Haifa. He held office from 1941 to 1951 Abba Hushi (אבא חושי (1898 – March 24, 1969) was the mayor of Haifa, Israel for eighteen years from 1951 to 1969 Moshe Flimann (משה פלימן 1905-1973 served as the Mayor of Haifa from 1969 to 1973 Yosef Aharon Almogi (יוסף אהרון אלמוגי born 5 May 1910 died 2 November 1991 was an Israeli politician Yeruham Zeisel (1909-1987 was the mayor of Haifa from 1975 to 1978 Amram Mitzna (עמרם מצנע born 20 February 1945) is an Israeli politician Yona Yahav (יונה יהב born June 19, 1944) is an Israeli lawyer and politician The largest hospital is the government-operated Rambam Medical Center with 900 beds and 78,000 admissions in 2004. Bnai Zion Hospital and Carmel Hospital each have 400 beds. Other hospitals in the city include the Italian Hospital, Elisha Hospital (100 beds), Horev Medical Center (36 beds) and Ramat Marpe (18 beds). ^[100] Haifa has 20 family health centers. ^[100] In 2004, there were a total of 177,478 hospital admissions. ^[100]

Rambam Medical Center was in the direct line of fire during the Second Lebanon War in 2006 and was forced to take special precautions to protect its patients. Background See also Israel-Lebanon conflict The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO had engaged in cross-border attacks from Southern Lebanon ^[101] Whole wings of the hospital were moved to large underground shelters. ^[102]

Education

Haifa is home to two internationally acclaimed universities and several colleges. The Technion &ndash Israel Institute of Technology (הטכניון &ndash מכון טכנולוגי לישראל is an internationally-acclaimed Institute of technology in The University of Haifa, founded in 1963, is at the top of Mt. The University of Haifa (אוניברסיטת חיפה is a University in Haifa, Israel. Carmel. The campus was designed by the architect of Brasilia and United Nations Headquarters in New York, Oscar Niemeyer. Brasília (bɾaˈziliɐ is the Capital of Brazil. The city and its District are located in the Central-West region of the country along a Plateau The United Nations Headquarters is a distinctive complex in New York City that has served as the headquarters of the United Nations since its completion in 1950 New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares Filho (born December 15, 1907) is a Brazilian Architect who is considered one of the most important The top floor of the 30-story Eshkol Tower provides a panoramic view of northern Israel. The Hecht Museum, with important archeology and art collections, is on the campus of Haifa University. The Reuben and Edith Hecht Museum at the University of Haifa was inaugurated in 1984 The Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, described as Israel's MIT, was founded in 1924. The Technion &ndash Israel Institute of Technology (הטכניון &ndash מכון טכנולוגי לישראל is an internationally-acclaimed Institute of technology in It has 18 faculties and 42 research institutes. The original building now houses Haifa's science museum. The first technological high school in Israel, Basmat, was established in Haifa in 1933. ^[103]

Other academic institutions in Haifa are the Gordon College of Education and Sha'anan Religious Teachers' College, the WIZO Design Academy and Tiltan College of Design. Gordon College of Education was established in Haifa in 1953 merging the Teacher’s Seminary of the Labor Movement with the Teacher’s Seminary of the well-known Hebrew The Michlala Leminhal College of Management and the Open University of Israel have branches in Haifa. The Open University of Israel (האוניברסיטה הפתוחה HaUniversita HaPtukha) is a distance-education University in Israel The city also has a nursing college and the P. E. T Practical Engineering School. ^[104]

As of 2006–07, Haifa had 70 elementary schools, 23 middle schools, 28 academic high schools and 8 vocational high schools. There were 5,133 pupils in municipal kindergartens, 20,081 in elementary schools, 7,911 in middle schools, 8,072 in academic high schools, 2,646 in vocational high schools, and 2,068 in comprehensive district high schools. 86% of the students attended Hebrew-speaking schools and 14% attended Arab schools. 5% were in special education. ^[104] In 2004, Haifa had 16 municipal libraries stocking 367,323 books. ^[71]

Transportation

Transportation is good both within Haifa and between Haifa and other cities in Israel and internationally. Buses run throughout the city, and Haifa is the home to Israel's only subway system. A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway or metro(politan system is an electric passenger railway The Carmelit (Hebrew: כרמלית‎) is actually a funicular, running from downtown Paris Square to Gan HaEm (Mother's Park) on Mount Carmel. The Carmelit is an underground funicular railway in Haifa, Israel. A funicular, also known as a funicular railway, incline, inclined railway, inclined plane, or cliff railway, is a type of self-contained Mount Carmel (הר הכרמל Karem El/Har Ha'Karmel; Arabic Kurmul/Jabal Mar Elyas) is a coastal Mountain range in northern Israel ^[105] With a single track, six stations and two trains, it is listed in the Guinness World Records as the world's shortest metro line. Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records (and in previous U Furthermore, the Stella Maris gondola lift cable car, consists of six cabins and connects Bat Galim on the coast to the Stella Maris observation deck and monastery atop Mount Carmel; although mainly for tourism purposes. A gondola lift is a type of Aerial lift, often called a cable car, which consists of a loop of Steel cable that is strung between two stations ^[106] Proposals have also been made for a light rail between Haifa and Nazareth although it is unclear if these will ever materialise. For specific light rail systems many of which use the words "light rail" as part of their name see List of light-rail transit systems. Nazareth (ˈnæzərəθ (נָצְרַת Hebrew Natz'rat or Natzeret, الناصرة an-Nāṣira or an-Naseriyye) is the capital and largest ^[107]

Haifa is the only city in Israel where buses operate on Shabbat. Shabbat or Shabbos ( Hebrew: שַׁבָּת, shabbāt, shabbes, "rest/inactivity" is the Weekly Sabbath ^[108] The bus stations, from the south northwards, are Hof HaCarmel, Bat Galim, and Merkazit HaMifratz. Haifa Hof HaCarmel Central Bus Station is the main Bus station in Haifa, Israel, replacing the Haifa Bat Galim Central Bus Station. The Haifa Bat Galim Central Bus Station was named after the neighborhood of Bat Galim. HaMifratz Central Bus Station is the main Bus station of the Haifa Bay ( Mifratz Haifa) region which is the Eastern part of the Haifa metropolitan All these stations are served by Egged city, suburban, and intercity buses. Egged Israel Transport Cooperative Society Ltd (אגד is the largest Bus company in Israel, and the second largest in the world (after London Buses In 2006, Haifa implemented a trial network of neighborhood mini-buses – named "Shchunatit" run by Egged. Egged Israel Transport Cooperative Society Ltd (אגד is the largest Bus company in Israel, and the second largest in the world (after London Buses ^[109] In 2008, Haifa and the Krayot will be linked by the Metronit, a Phileas concept bus rapid transit system. The Metronit (מטרונית pronounced Metro-neet will be a new Bus rapid transit system in Haifa, Israel, using the Phileas concept Phileas is a public transport concept for a high quality public transport, developed by Samenwerkingsverband Regio Eindhoven (SRE Dutch for the Cooperation Foundation Bus rapid transit ( BRT) is a broad term given to a variety of transportation systems that through improvements to infrastructure vehicles and scheduling attempt to use ^[110] Haifa has six Israel Railways stations on the Nahariya-Tel Aviv main line railway that runs along the Gulf of Haifa. Israel Railways (רכבת ישראל Rakévet Yisra'él) is Israel 's government-owned national railway company and is responsible for all inter-city and suburban Nahariya (נַהֲרִיָּה is a City with an estimated population of 50000 located in Northern Israel, on the Mediterranean sea, just south Tel Aviv-Yafo (תֵּל ־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ تل أبيب Tal ʾAbīb) (usually Tel Aviv) is the second-largest city in Israel Haifa Bay (מפרץ חיפה Mifratz Haifa) is a small bay along the Mediterranean coast of Northern Israel. From south to north, these stations are Haifa Hof HaCarmel, Haifa Bat Galim, Haifa Merkaz (Central), Lev HaMifratz, Hutzot HaMifratz, and Kiryat Haim. Haifa Hof HaCarmel Railway Station (תחנת הרכבת חיפה חוף הכרמל Taḥanat HaRakevet Haifa Ḥof HaCarmel) is an Israel Railways passenger station Haifa Bat Galim Railway Station (תחנת הרכבת חיפה בת גלים Taḥanat HaRakevet Ḥeifa Bat Gailm) is an Israel Railways passenger station serving Haifa Center HaShmona Railway Station (תחנת הרכבת חיפה מרכז השמונה Taḥanat HaRakevet Ḥefa Merkaz) is an Israel Railways passenger station Lev HaMifratz Railway Station (תחנת הרכבת לב המפרץ Tahanat HaRakevet Lev HaMifratz) is an Israel Railways passenger station in Haifa, Hutzot HaMifratz Railway Station (תחנת הרכבת חוצות המפרץ Taḥanat HaRakevet Ḥutzot HaMifratz) is an Israel Railways Passenger station Kiryat Haim Railway Station (תחנת הרכבת קרית חיים Takhanat HaRakevet Kiryat Haim) is an Israel Railways Passenger station serving the A seventh stop is in the northern suburb Kiryat Motzkin. Kiryat Motzkin Railway Station (תחנת הרכבת קרית מוצקין Takhanat HaRakevet Kiryat Motzkin) is an Israel Railways Passenger station serving Kiryat Motzkin (קִרְיַת מוֹצְקִין is a city in the Haifa District of Israel, five miles (8 km north of the city The railway stations also serve a metropolitan line with seven stops, called the Parvarit. ^[111]

Travel between Haifa and the rest of the country is also possible by road with Highway 2, the main highway along the coastal plain, beginning at Tel Aviv and ending at Haifa. Highway 2 (כביש 2 Kvish 2) is an Israeli Highway located on the Coastal plain of the Mediterranean Sea. ^[108] Furthermore, Highway 4 runs along the coast to the north of Haifa, as well as south, inland from Highway 2. Highway 4 (כביש 4 Kvish 4) is an Israeli Highway that runs along Israel's entire coastal plain of the Mediterranean Sea, ^[108] In the past, traffic travelling along Highway 2 to the north of Haifa would have to pass through the downtown area of the city, however, the Carmel Tunnels, currently under construction will re-route this traffic through tunnels under Mount Carmel, cutting down on congestion in the down-town area of the city. The Carmel Tunnels are a set of road Tunnels currently under construction in and around Haifa, Israel. ^[112] Haifa Airport serves domestic flights to Tel Aviv and Eilat as well as international charters to Cyprus. Haifa International Airport (נמל התעופה חיפה Namal HaTe'ufa Haifa, also known as U Michaeli Airport) is an Israeli airport located in Eilat (Hebrew אילת should not be confused with the nearby kibbutz of Eilot (Hebrew אילות Cyprus (Κύπρος transliterated: Kýpros,; Kıbrıs officially the Republic of Cyprus (Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía ^[113] There are currently plans to expand services from Haifa. Cruise ships previously operated from Haifa port to Greece and Cyrpus. The Port of Haifa is the largest of Israel 's three major international Seaports which include the Port of Ashdod, and the Port of Eilat. ^[108]

In the future, Haifa is planned to be connected to Beit She'an and Amman in Jordan by the reconstructed Jezreel Valley railway, with a possible extension to Nazareth. (בֵּית שְׁאָן بيسان Bayt Šān or بيسان, Beisan or Bisan) is a city in the North District of Israel Amman (ɑˈmɑːn sometimes spelled Ammann ( Arabic عمان ʿAmmān) is the Capital city of the Hashemite Kingdom Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern The Jezreel Valley railway, or simply the Valley railway (רכבת העמק Rakevet HaEmek) refers to a historical Railroad in Ottoman and British Nazareth (ˈnæzərəθ (נָצְרַת Hebrew Natz'rat or Natzeret, الناصرة an-Nāṣira or an-Naseriyye) is the capital and largest ^[114]

Sister cities

Haifa has sister city agreements with the following cities:^[115]

Marseille, France (1962) Portsmouth, United Kingdom (1962) Hackney, London, United Kingdom (1968) Manila, Philippines (1971) San Francisco, California, United States (1973) Aalborg, Denmark (1973) Cape Town, South Africa (1975) Bremen, Germany (1978) Antwerp, Belgium (1986) Mainz, Germany (1987)

Düsseldorf, Germany (1988) Rosario, Argentina (1988) Odessa, Ukraine (1992) Shanghai, China (1994) Boston, Massachusetts, United States (1999) Limassol, Cyprus (2000) Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States (2002) Erfurt, Germany (2005) Mannheim, Germany (2005) Newcastle, United Kingdom

See also

• List of famous people from Haifa

References

Further reading

• Carmel, Alex (2002). The History of Haifa Under Turkish Rule, 4th Edition, Haifa: Pardes. ISBN 965-7171-05-9.   (in Hebrew)
• Shiller, Eli & Ben-Artzi, Yossi (1985). Haifa and its sites. Jerusalem: Ariel.   (in Hebrew)
• Benny Morris, Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem
• Seth J. Frantzman The Strength of Weakness: The Arab Christians in Mandatory Palestine, unpublished M. A thesis, Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

External links

City and universities

• Haifa Municipality
• University of Haifa
• Technion – Israel Institute of Technology

Bahá'í

• Bahá'í World Centre, Haifa
• Photos of the Bahá'í Gardens in Haifa
• More photos of the Bahá'í Gardens
• Photos – The Baha'i Gardens in Haifa: the Shrine of the Bab Terraces & Gardens

Monastery

• Our Lady of Mount Carmel Monastery, Haifa, Israel

Travel

• The Carmelit subway and map of Haifa
• Wikitravel: Haifa
• Haifa city – the complete guide to haifa
• Photo gallery of tourist sites of Haifa

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