Ofakim

Ofakim (), (lit. "horizons")  is a ceety in soothren Israel, 20 kilometers wast o Beersheba. It wis foondit as a development toun on Aprile 19, 1955. In 2008, Ofakim haed a population o 24,800. The mayor is Zvika Greengold.

History
Ofakim wis established as a regional center for the rural communities in the aurie. The early residents wir Jewish immigrants frae North Africae an Indie.

 Demographics 

In 2001, the ethnic makeup o the ceety wis 99.7% Jewish an ither non-Arab, wi nae significant Arab population. There wur 11,200 males an 11,800 females – 41.8% 19 years o age or younger, 14.5% atween 20 an 29, 18.5% atween 30 an 44, 12.5% frae 45 tae 59, 3.6% frae 60 tae 64, an 9.1% 65 years o age or aulder. The population growth rate in 2001 wis 0.6%.

Aboot 30 percent o the residents are ultra-Orthodox, mony o them newly observant. Anither 30 percent are immigrants, maistly frae the umwhile Soviet Union. The rest are descendants o the foondin generation, immigrants frae North Africae an Indie who arrived in the toun in the 1950s an 1960s. Ofakim an aa haes a sma community o Ethiopian Jews.

Economy 
In 2000, there wur 5,655 salaried wirkers an 300 sel-employed. The mean monthly wage for a salaried wirker wis NIS 3,728, a real chynge o 7.5% ower the course o 2000. Salaried males haed a mean monthly wage o NIS 4,761 (a real chynge o 10.1%) versus NIS 2,744 for females (a real chynge of 2.2%). The mean income for the sel-employed wis 4,776. There wur 526 fowk receivin unemployment benefits an 3,538 receivin an income supplement.

As in ither development touns, the industrial sector haes historically played an important pairt in Ofakim's economy, but less so than in maist ither development touns. In 1972, 32% o the salaried wirkers (754 fowk) wur in this sector, an in 1983—924 fowk (23%). Durin this period, the textile industries consistently employed bi far the maist wirkers, rangin frae 72% (1982–83) tae 82% (1972). The Of–Ar (short for Ofakim–Argentinae) textile factory wis a major employer.

 Education 
There are 19 schuils an 4,704 students in the ceety – 13 elementary schuils (3,079 students), an 8 heich schuils (1,625 students). 43.3% o 12t grade students wur entitled tae a matriculation certificate in 2001.

 Sports
Ane o Israel's 14 tennis centers is locatit in Ofakim.Tennis doubles coexistence program It opened in 1990 an haes sax courts. The ceety an aa haes a soccer stadium.

Development plans
A train station opened in 2010 wi a caur pairk for 1,000 caurs, an an auld industrial biggin is being convertit intae an airt museum. The Nahal Shomriya cyclin route aroond Ofakim wis inauguratit in 2010. The 60-centimeter-wide single route winds through 1,500 dunams (approx 375 acres) in Ofakim Forest, passin through Nahal Shomriya an Nahal Patish, an loopin aroond aicht local moshavim.

References

Freemit airtins
Go south, young men (and women), Haaretz

Category:Ceeties in Israel
Category:Development touns