Rehovot: The city of Citrus, Culture and Science

"The city of Citrus, Culture and Science was reestablished in 1890 by immigrants who purchased the land to create a well organized democratic settlement. The first settlement in this area was destroyed in biblical times, when it was famous as the place where the prophet Ya`aqov (Jacob) stopped after leaving Be'er-Shev`a (Beersheba) to travel to Egypt.

Modern Rehovot is a growing, dynamic city of almost 100,000 people located 15 miles southeast of Tel-Aviv and 40 miles northwest of Jerusalem. About 20% of the city's residents were absorbed in the late 1980s and early 1990s from the former Soviet Union, Yemen and Ethiopia. The city's culture reflects the diversity of the over 80 nations represented by the population.

The home of three world renowned institutes, Rehovot is visited by students and professors from around the world. Best known and largest is the Weizmann Institute of Science, which was founded in 1934. Chaim Weizmann, the distinguished scientist and statesmen, became the president of the Institute as well as the first President of Israel. The Institute is devoted to research and teaching in the natural sciences. Jerusalem's Hebrew University uses Rehovot as the site for its new School of Humanities and School of Agriculture. The Development Study Center for intensive study of rural development is utilized by many third world countries as well as advanced nations for graduate studies and planning for socio-economic growth.

Rehovot has a science and information based Industrial Park, a municipal cultural center, two art galleries, a music conservatory as well as several world renowned musical groups. The modern city whose emblem depicts oranges, a book and a microscope is indeed the "City of Citrus, Culture and Science."

Source: A brief history of Rehovot, Israel. Rochester-Rehovot Sister City Homepage. (last viewed 2 December 2005) presently available at theochem.weizmann.ac.il