Kokhav Ya'ir–Tsur Yig'al (), is a town in the Central District of Israel. Kokhav Ya'ir and the neighboring town of Tzur Yig'al merged in November 2003. In it had a population of .

History

Kokhav Ya'ir was established in 1981 by 15 families living in temporary quarters. Two years later, work began on infrastructure for a permanent town. In 1986, 550 families moved into permanent housing and the town was officially founded. The name is constructed out of two words:

  • Tsur (צור) -> Hebrew for "Rock", named after the rocky, rugged and stony landscape of the hill.
  • Yig'al (יגאל) -> in Hebrew, the word "Yig'al" can function as a name (such as in Cohen's name), but also as the future-masculine-singular form of the verb "to salvage" ("will salvage").

Geography

Kokhav Ya'ir is located approximately 7 kilometres (4.3 mi)

north-north-east of the city of Kfar Saba and 95 meters

above sea level.. Neighboring the municipality on its south-west border is kibbutz Eyal, approximately north-west is the Israeli Arab city of Tira and approximately south is the Palestinian Authority governed city of Qalqilyah.

The Sapir Lookout in Kokhav Ya'ir attracts bird watchers who come to observe the semi-annual migration of many species of birds.

Education and sports

thumb|Synagogue in Kokhav Ya'ir

Kokhav Ya'ir currently has four schools, two secular elementary schools ('Keshet' and 'Nof Tzurim'), one religious elementary school ('Dekel') and one middle school ('Ramon', named after the Astronaut Ilan Ramon). After finishing middle school students are usually directed to highschools in Ra'anana and Kfar Saba and Herzliya.

Notable residents

  • Ehud Barak (born 1942), former general and politician
  • Shaul Mofaz (born 1948), retired military officer and politician
  • Michael Eitan (1944-2024), politician
  • Shlomi Haimy (born 1989), olympic mountain cyclist specializing in cross-country cycling
  • Danny Yatom (born 1945), former politician
  • Gideon Ezra (1937-2012), politician
  • Michael Ratzon (born 1952), former politician
  • Uzi Dayan (born 1948), former general and politician
  • Nino Abesadze (born 1965), politician and journalist
  • Dov Elbaum (born 1970), writer, editor, journalist, television host and philosophy lecturer.
  • Omer Bar-Lev (born 1953), former general and politician

References

  • Kochav Ya'ir's municipality site