Hibat Tzion

Hibat Tzion חִבַּת צִיּוֹן‎
Hibat Tzion
Coordinates: 32°23′55.31″N 34°54′49.31″E / 32.3986972°N 34.9136972°ECoordinates: 32°23′55.31″N 34°54′49.31″E / 32.3986972°N 34.9136972°E
District	Central
Council	Hefer Valley
Affiliation	Hitahdut HaIkarim
Founded	1933
Founded by	Agricultural Estate of the Russian Zionist Centre
Population (2015)[1]	657

Hibat Tzion (Hebrew: חִבַּת צִיּוֹן‎, lit. Fondness for Zion) is a moshav in central Israel. Located in the coastal plain near Hadera and covering 4,500 dunams, it falls under the jurisdiction of Hefer Valley Regional Council. In 2015 it had a population of 657.

History

The moshav was founded in 1933 by the "Agricultural Estate of the Russian Zionist Centre" organization. It was named after the Hovevei Zion organization (also known as Hibbat Zion in Hebrew). The founders were later joined by immigrants from Central Europe.

It had the first organic Annona grove in Israel, and it remains the country's largest. It also had the country's first crematorium, which was operated by Alei Shalekhet. It was burned down by protesters in August 2007.^[2]

References

1. "List of localities, in Alphabetical order" (PDF). Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
2. Crematorium burned down after Haredi paper reveals exact location Haaretz, 24 August 2007