Kiryat Yam

Kiryat Yam (Hebrew: קִרְיַת יָם, lit. Sea Town) is a city in the Haifa Bay district of Israel, about 12 km (7 mi) north of Haifa. It is part of a group of suburbs called the Krayot. The city sits along the beautiful Mediterranean coast, between Kiryat Haim and the Tzur Shalom industrial area, just east of Kiryat Motzkin.

In 2024, Kiryat Yam was home to 41,957 people, making it a lively and growing community. The city is known for its pleasant location near the sea, which offers many opportunities for outdoor activities and relaxation. Its position close to Haifa and other nearby cities makes it a convenient place to live while still enjoying a peaceful coastal atmosphere.

History

The land where Kiryat Yam now stands was bought by a group of Jewish people in 1925 as part of a big purchase from the Sursock family. Later, in 1928, more land was bought for building homes. Construction started in 1939, and the first houses were ready by 1940.

Demographics

Kiryat Yam has a population of 38,945 people. In the northern part of the city, many immigrants from the former Soviet Union, North Africa, and Ethiopia live. The city’s leaders worked to create many centers and homes to help these immigrants feel at home. Kiryat Yam is considered to be medium on the socio-economic scale.

Schools

Kiryat Yam has 15 preschools, eight elementary schools, and three high schools named Rabin, Rodman, and Levinson. Together, these schools have about 10,000 students. In 2015, Rodman High School joined Rabin High School, which made Rabin very crowded. Most elementary and junior high schools have bus routes to help students travel. However, Rabin High School was taken off one of its special bus lines around 2015, and despite requests, the line has not been added back because of the crowding and problems at the school.

Israeli-Arab conflict

During the 2006 Lebanon War, Kiryat Yam was struck by rockets from Hezbollah, causing damage to buildings and some injuries.

Urban development

Urban development plans tried to improve the old Gimmel neighborhood. But a big company called Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, which makes weapons, stopped these plans because their main plant is near Kiryat Yam. In 2009, the Haifa district planning committee decided to allow tall buildings in the neighborhood, even though Rafael disagreed.

Neighbourhoods

Kiryat Yam has several neighbourhoods, including Kiryat Yam (Dalet), which includes Almogim, and Kiryat Yam (Gimmel), built in the 1950s. Other neighbourhoods are Kiryat Yam (Bet), Kiryat Yam (Alef), Savyoney Yam, Psagot Yam, and Bne Beitkha.

Notable people

Kiryat Yam is proud to have many talented people who have made their mark. Some of these include Avner Shats, an author and poet born in 1959, and Sam Vaknin, a writer born in 1961. Other famous people from the city are Erez Eisen, a musician born in 1980, football referee Orel Grinfeld born in 1981, and footballer Gil Vermouth born in 1985.

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Israel

Kiryat Yam has friendly partnerships with cities in several countries. These partnerships help bring people together from different places around the world.