Rishon Le-Zion, a city on the coastal plain, about 8 km south of Tel Aviv. Founded as a moshav in 1882 by a group of 10 wealthy Halutz from Russia, headed by ZD Lewontin. That same year, a significant part of the organization members Bill headed I. Belkind (see Belkind, family) joined the settlers. Soon Rishon Lezion began to experience difficulties, in particular, water shortages. On the advice of Baron E. de Rothschild and his money was drilled a deep well, and instead of cropping residents of Rishon Lezion engaged in fruit growing (mainly in viticulture) and wine, and later - the cultivation of almonds. The relationship between the administration of Baron and residents of Rishon Lezion, however, were more intense than in most other settlements. In 1889 he laid the large wineries, "Caramel Mizrachi" which has improved the economic situation moshavim.
By the end of 19. in Rishon Lezion were opened the country's first kindergarten and cultural center, in which spoken and taught in Hebrew. In Rishon Lezion NH Imber wrote the poem "Ha-Tikva", which became the national anthem, but here there was a draft of the national flag and was founded by the Jewish National Fund. During the First World War, members of the underground organization Neely residents of Rishon Lezion played an important role. By the end of World War moshavim population is 1,2 thousand people and continues to grow due to immigration from Eastern Europe and Yemen. The main branch of economy in this period was the Citrus.
In the 1930's. began to develop industry. On the eve of the War of Independence in Rishon Lezion lived eight thousand men. In 1950, Rishon Le-Zion became a town. Among its attractions - wineries, Beth ha-pkidut - the building of the former administration of Baron Rothschild in Eretz Yisrael and beautiful park, called the "Garden of the founders."
Rishon Lezion develops rapidly in a westerly direction, here among the dunes there was a suburb of Ramat Eliyahu, built in the east district Shikkun-Mizrah has reached settlements Tzrifin. The city is growing and the south in the direction of Nes Ziona. In the north of the city included the settlement of Nahalat Yehuda. Now, of Rishon Lezion - in the city with the center in Tel Aviv. The population of Rishon Lezion - more than 207.1 million people (early 2003).
