Binyamina () is a town in the Haifa District of Israel, south of Haifa and north of Netanya. Formerly an independent local council, in 2003 it merged with nearby Giv'at Ada into a local council now called Binyamina-Giv'at Ada. The town was home to 6,600 prior to the merger.

History

The town was founded in 1922 named after Baron Edmond (Benjamin) de Rothschild (1845-1934), philanthropist and supporter of Jewish settlement in the land of Israel (Palestine). The archaeological site of Caesarea is located just west of Binyamina. The town is known for its production of wine and honey. It is also the birthplace of the late Israeli songwriter Ehud Manor and Israel's current Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Transport

One can reach Binyamina by road or by train, using the coastal railway which connects Haifa to Tel Aviv. The busy Israel Railways train station in Binyamina is the last stop on the Binyamina-Tel Aviv suburban line and a transfer point on the Tel Aviv-Haifa intercity line which makes it a transportation hub for the area, a fact which has contributed to Binyamina's growth in recent years. Since it serves as a transfer point between the suburban and intercity lines, one can board a direct non-stop train from Binyamina that reaches either Tel Aviv or Haifa in only about 30 minutes.

Tourism

It was announced in early 2008 that a 150-acre wine park would be created on the slopes between Binyamina and Zichron Ya'akov in order to promote tourism in the area and wine tourism in Israel in general.^[1]

Sister cities

• Tokaj, Hungary

References

1. ↑