Rehovot
Rehovot (Hebrew: רְחוֹבוֹת) is a city in the Central District of Israel, located approximately 20 kilometers south of Tel Aviv-Yafo.[1]
Established in 1890 by Jewish immigrants from Poland as part of the First Aliyah, it began as a moshava agricultural settlement on land acquired from Arab landowners, initially focusing on farming and citrus production to achieve economic self-sufficiency.[1][2]
The name derives from the biblical term meaning "broad places" or "wide expanses," reflecting the open lands available for settlement.[3]
By the early 21st century, Rehovot's population surpassed 150,000 residents, with growth driven by immigration waves including from the former Soviet Union and Ethiopia.[3][4]
Renowned today as a science and technology center, the city hosts the Weizmann Institute of Science, founded in 1934 as a research facility and expanded into a leading global institution for multidisciplinary studies in biology, physics, chemistry, and mathematics, fostering Israel's scientific elite and international collaborations.[5]