Like so many cities in Israel, Ashdod is young and vibrant, yet
steeped in ancient history and surrounded by nature.
By Simon Griver
A Mediterranean port city, Ashdod has undergone dynamic growth in
the past decade as it has welcomed more new immigrants than any
other city in Israel. Nearly 70,000 newcomers, mainly from the
former Soviet Union, have swelled the city's population to
190,000, making Ashdod Israel's fastest growing and fifth largest
city.
But Ashdod is no stranger to new residents. Its strategic
location on the country's southern coastal plain has been
inhabited for almost four millennia. Archeological excavations
have uncovered remains from no fewer than 23 cities since the
Bronze Age. While it is best known as the capital of the
Philistines in Biblical times, Ashdod was also a major port of
the Greek and Roman Empires, and home to a thriving Jewish
community until the seventh century. Unlike the modern city,
which encompasses the port, the ancient city was situated on the
via maris, the trade route near, but not directly on, the sea. A
separate port city on the coast was known as Ashdod Yam
("Ashdod-on-the-Sea"). By the Middle Ages all that was left of
this once great port was a small crumbling village.
Modern Ashdod was founded in 1956 (and received municipal status
some 12 years later), as Israel's second deep-water seaport,
after Haifa. Ideally placed to serve Jerusalem 66 kilometers to
the east, and Tel Aviv 40 kilometers to the north, the port is
now on the verge of overtaking Haifa Port in size. Ashdod Port
handles 46% of the country's sea freight and the Jubilee Port,
currently under construction and due for completion in 2004, is
expected to double its capacity.
"Despite intensive development," stresses Mayor Zvi Zilker, "we
have made every effort to build an attractive city which offers
residents a high quality of life." Indeed, its broad boulevards,
spacious and aesthetic public areas and facilities have not only
attracted new immigrants but many young couples from Greater Tel
Aviv, drawn by the city's less expensive housing. Moreover,
employment opportunities are not lacking: the city is home to
major companies in the electronics, biotechnology,
pharmaceuticals, chemicals, plastics, metals, paper, wood and
furniture sectors.
New industrial zones and high-tech parks are planned. In contrast
to its pace of development, Ashdod is surrounded by natural
reserves, carefully preserved by the city's planners. On the
southern bank of the Lachish River near the sea is an attractive
park inhabited by moorhens and turtles. The Mevo Ashdod reserve,
north of the city, has an East African savannah landscape with
herds of gazelles living among huge eucalyptus, fig, pomegranate
and almond trees. The Ashdod Sand Park near the port is comprised
of huge sand dunes of granite and Nubian stone from the Ethiopian
mountains, which reached Israel's southern coast via the Nile
River and the Mediterranean currents and winds during millions of
years of evolution. The dunes have a Saharan eco-system including
rare gerbils and reptiles.
"In the next phase of development we intend tapping our tourist
potential," explains Mayor Zilker. "With our sea-front promenade,
historical sites and natural reserves, we can become a premiere
tourist location." Ashdod has more beaches - 10 kilometers of
coast - than any other city in Israel. The recent completion of a
550-berth marina and the city's first major hotel is only the
first stage in an ambitious plan to make the city a major
Mediterranean tourist destination.