Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality Explained

Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality
Native Name:עיריית תל אביב-יפו
Native Name Lang:he
Settlement Type:Municipality
Flag Alt:Flag of Tel Aviv
Shield Alt:Emblem of Tel Aviv
Image Map1:Tel Aviv districts map.jpg
Map Caption1:Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality borders
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:District
Subdivision Name1:Tel Aviv District
Seat Type:Seat
Seat:Tel Aviv
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Ron Huldai
Timezone1:Israel Standard Time
Utc Offset1:+2
Timezone1 Dst:Israel Summer Time
Utc Offset1 Dst:+3
Website:tel-aviv.gov.il

Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality (Hebrew: עיריית תל אביב-יפו) is the arm of local government responsible for the administration of the Israeli city of Tel Aviv-Yafo. Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality handles such municipal affairs as education, culture, social welfare, infrastructure, urban planning and sanitation. The current head of the municipality is Ron Huldai.[1]

History

Meir Dizengoff was appointed head of the town planning in 1911. When Tel Aviv was recognized as a city, Dizengoff was elected mayor, remaining in office until his death.[2]

The Tel Aviv municipality was initially located on Rothschild Boulevard. When more office space was needed, the municipality rented a hotel on Bialik Street, near the home of national poet Chaim Nachman Bialik, which had been built by the Skura family in 1924. The hotel had opened for business in 1925 but closed due to the lack of tourists. In 1928, the municipality bought the hotel.

A new city hall was designed in the 1950s by architect Menachem Cohen, in the Brutalist style. A large plaza at the foot of the building, Kings of Israel Square, was designed as a central area for public events and ceremonies.[3] The plaza has since been renamed Rabin Square. It is located on Ibn Gabirol Street.

In 1972, the old building was converted into a museum for the history of Tel Aviv.[4]

Administration

The municipality is governed by a 31-member council elected by proportional representation every five years.

Current mayor Ron Huldai replaced the system of administration in which municipal divisions were headed by aldermen representing different coalition factions with a centralized system in which divisions are headed by top civil servants who report to him.[5]

Notes and References

  1. News: Igal Hai . 29 October 2008 . Local Election 2008 / Khenin could force second round in TA elections . . 24 January 2014.
  2. Book: Katz, Shmuel . The Aaronsohn Saga . . 2007 . 282–288 . 978-965-229-416-6 .
  3. Web site: Tel Aviv - Yaffo City Hall . https://archive.today/20130208045829/http://www.emporis.com/application/?nav=building&lng=3&id=telavivyaffocityhall-telavivyaffo-israel . dead . February 8, 2013 . April 12, 2010 . Emporis.com.
  4. News: New Life in the Moribund Heart of the City . Shlomit . Tzur . Raz . Smolsky . Ranit . Nahum-Halevy . 18 April 2011 . 20 February 2020 . Haaretz.
  5. Book: Alexander, Mr Michael . Cities and Labor Immigration: Comparing Policy Responses in Amsterdam, Paris, Rome and Tel Aviv . . 28 December 2012 . 96–101 . 9781409490906 . Professor Maykel . Verkuyten.