Ra'anana Park is a public park spanning 200 acres, which serves as the central park of the city of

Ra'anana, Israel Ra'anana () is an affluent city in the southern Sharon Plain of the Central District of Israel. It was founded in 1922 as an American-Jewish settlement, 1 km south of the village of Tabsur, where an important World War I battle had tak ...

. Nestled at the western edge of Ahuza Street, on the western border of the city, the park adjoin
Kfar Batya
and the Lev Hapark neighborhood to the north. To the south and west, it borders the fields between Ra'anana and

Herzliya Herzliya ( ; , / ) is an affluent List of Israeli cities, city in the Israeli coastal plain, central coast of Israel, at the northern part of the Tel Aviv District, known for its robust start-up and entrepreneurial culture. In it had a populatio ...

. The park is enclosed from all sides, with entrance facilitated through five gates; two on the east side and three on the west. Inaugurated in 1995, it has undergone various upgrades and expansions since its establishment.

Structure

In the center of the park lies a triangular-shaped lake, reminiscent of the emblem that represents the city. Spanning the lake is a pedestrian

bridge A bridge is a structure built to Span (engineering), span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or railway) without blocking the path underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, whi ...

. In addition to the bridge, the lake has two fountains. The park offers a variety of relaxation and sports venues, a small zoo, art by Israeli sculptors, an outdoor gym and children's playground, a park with access to those with disabilities, a labyrinth, a garden of the seven fruits and grains mentioned in the

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and more. The park has 675 fruit and ornamental trees. The park also features a café-restaurant, an art gallery, 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) of walking and biking trails, sports fields, an animal corner, sculptures, a

rose garden A rose garden or rosarium is a garden or park, often open to the public, used to present and grow various types of garden roses, and sometimes rose species. Designs vary tremendously and roses may be displayed alongside other plants or grouped ...

, a herb garden, and expansive grassy areas. At a high point in the park, the Birdwatch offers panoramic views towards the lake and the southern-western expanses of the park. In the northwestern part of the park, an amphitheater is used to host various cultural performances featuring artists from both

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

and abroad. Many noteworthy acts have performed at this theater such as

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, Avance,

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, and the

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. As part of the park, the 'Friends Park' project operates, constructed through donations from the Shapira family. This project includes facilities designed to accommodate children with accessibility challenges, allowing for more inclusivity within the park. Additionally, joint activities are organized for children from the Shapira family's center and other youth from across the city. In the past, non-residents were required to pay an entrance fee to the park on Saturdays. However, a legal challenge filed by the Adam, Nature, and Law Association led to its dismissal. Consequently, the Municipalities Law was enacted, stipulating that entrance fees should not be charged, except in exceptional cases to be determined by the

Minister of the Interior An interior minister (sometimes called a minister of internal affairs or minister of home affairs) is a cabinet official position that is responsible for internal affairs, such as public security, civil registration and identification, emergency ...

, with the approval of the Interior and Environment Committee, for the sake of the park's preservation. After the committee rejected the proposed regulations put forth by the

, claiming they contradicted an amendment to the law, the collection of entrance fees to public parks across the country, including Ra'anana Park, was effectively prohibited. Surrounding the park, numerous free parking spaces are available for residents of Ra'anana, while non-residents may utilize paid parking facilities.

Gallery

File:Raananapark033.jpg File:Raananapark002.jpg File:Raananapark022.jpg File:עוף מים.jpg

References

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