Elyakhin

Elyakhin (Hebrew: אֶלְיָכִין) is a local council (town) in the Sharon region of the Central District of Israel. Located just south of Hadera and bordering the Emek Hefer Regional Council, it is accessible by local road 5812. With a jurisdiction of 1,600 dunams,^[2] it had a population of 3,462 in 2022.

Elyakhin אֶלְיָכִין‎ أليخين
Local council (from 1977)
Aerial view of Elyakhin
Elyakhin Show map of Central Israel Elyakhin Show map of Israel
Coordinates: 32°24′31″N 34°55′29″E
District	Central
Founded	1950
Government
• Head of Municipality	Moti Hai
Area
• Total	1,660 dunams (1.66 km2 or 410 acres)
Population  (2022)[1]
• Total	3,462
• Density	2,100/km2 (5,400/sq mi)
Name meaning	God will prepare

History

Elyakhin was founded in 1950 as an immigrant interim housing camp (ma'abara) near the ruins of the Palestinian village Khirbat Zalafa.^[3] It has a symbolic name, meaning "God will prepare", i.e. God prepared the land for the settlement of Jewish immigrants.^[4] The ma'abara eventually became an agricultural community (moshav), settled entirely by immigrants from Yemen.

Geography and structure

Elyakhin is bordered by Hadera in the north and the Hefer Valley Regional Council in the south. The adjacent villages in the regional council are Herev Le'et, Hibat Tzion and Givat Haim (Ihud). Elyakhin's average elevation is 30 meters (98 ft).^[4]

Elyakhin consists of the eastern part of the town, as well as three western neighborhoods – HaAlonim, HaShikmim and HaOranim.

Public structures

Elyakhin has 11 synagogues, five of which are adjacent and located in the center of the town. Three more are located on the sides of HaBanim Park on the eastern part.

Elyakhin also has a community center and public library in the town's center.