Central District

The Central District extends from Hadera in the north to Gedera in the south, and eastward to Modi’in. It forms a semi-circle around the Tel Aviv District, encompassing the metropolitan area surrounding Holon, Bat Yam, Tel Aviv–Jaffa, Ramat Gan, Givatayim, Ramat HaSharon, and Herzliya. The district includes ten regional councils, thirteen municipalities—among them Rishon LeZion, which is expected to become Israel’s third-largest city in the near future—and eleven local councils.

The Central District is one of the most densely populated regions in Israel. It is characterized by rapid urban development, extensive infrastructure projects, and some of the highest land values in the country.

The district is particularly rich in heritage sites. Foremost among them are the historic First Aliyah settlements: Rishon LeZion, Ness Ziona, Gedera, Rehovot, Mazkeret Batya, Petah Tikva, and their younger counterpart, Kfar Saba. The district also includes ancient mixed cities such as Lod and Ramla, settlement clusters such as the Tel Mond region, the coastal resort city of Netanya, and even newer cities such as Rosh HaAyin, all of which preserve important historic buildings and sites.

The district’s principal conservation challenges stem from intense real estate pressures. High land values, together with the strong demand to live in central Israel, create fierce competition for every parcel of land.

In recent years, most municipalities in the district, as well as many local councils, have shown growing commitment to heritage conservation. Conservation plans are currently being prepared or implemented at various stages, heritage surveys are being conducted, and local conservation committees are meeting regularly.

The situation in the regional councils is more complex due to their unique administrative structure. These councils often encompass dozens of rural communities, including moshavim, kibbutzim, and small community settlements. A built-in challenge arises from the fact that individual communities are responsible for identifying heritage assets, while the preparation and approval of conservation plans fall under the authority of regional planning committees.

As a result of this complexity, most regional councils—apart from Gezer, Drom HaSharon, and Emek Hefer—do not maintain active conservation committees, although they continue to promote heritage conservation through other mechanisms.

The district’s Public Advisory Committee also reflects the diverse and decentralized nature of the region. It is composed of volunteers from many different communities whose local priorities often vary considerably. Consequently, committee meetings generally focus on raising awareness of heritage conservation within the host community, rather than serving as a single advocacy forum for district-wide issues.

Given the district’s size and the large number of heritage sites and ongoing projects, we work closely with local volunteers and community activists who promote conservation and public awareness in their own towns and villages.

We warmly invite you to join the Central District’s network of volunteers and partners. If you have any questions or would like to become involved, please feel free to contact me at merkaz@shimur.org.il.

The success of heritage conservation for future generations depends on all of us. My sincere thanks go to everyone who contributes to this important mission.

Michal Halevy-Bar
Director, Central District
The Council for Conservation of Heritage Sites in Israel