Introduction

Binyamina is located in northern Israel, south of Haifa. The town, named after Baron Edmond Benjamin James de Rothschild, was founded in 1922 by Third Aliyah immigrants. The land on which Binyamina was established was owned by the Palestine Jewish Colonization Association (PICA)¹. The 1922 British Mandate Census counted one-hundred-thirty-seven Jews, almost ninety percent of the total Binyamina population, living in the town. Nine years later, in 1931, the census indicated that seven-hundred-forty-four Jews, sixty-three percent of the total population, was then living in Binyamina; the percentage decrease in the number of Jewish residents was due to a significant increase in Muslim residents. Census details can be seen on the Census page.

The colony was originally involved in the production of citrus fruits.

Giv'at Ada was named after Adelaid de Rothschild, wife of the Baron de Rothschild for whom Binyamina is named. The town was established in 1903 by eight families who had previously lived in Zikhron Ya'akov. The Giv'at Ada settlement was initially involved in the farming of field crops and vegetables; later, the settlement's farmers expanded their agricultural efforts to include the cultivation of grapes.

Founders Street, Binyamina

Today, the region has two Wineries – the Binyamina Winery and the Tishbi Winery; the former annually produces 2.8 million bottles of wine, while the latter produces one million bottles of wine each year.

In 2003, Binyamina and Giv'at Ada merged, becoming Binyamina - Giv'at Ada². The region is also a major transportation hub; The Israel Railways Binyamina Station is a link to Tel Aviv and is a transfer point between Tel Aviv and Haifa.

Ehud Manor, an Israeli songwriter, was born in Binyamina; several of Ehud's songs refer to his birhplace. Binyamina is also the birthplace of Ehud Olmert³, who served as the Israeli Prime Minister from 2006 to 2009. Guy Starik, an Olympian and world record holder in shooting lives in Binyamina.

1. Palestine Jewish Colonization Association
2. Wikipedia: Binyamina-Giv'at Ada
3. Wikipedia: Ehud Olmert