Beersheva, Israel.
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About Beersheva:
Beersheva (Hebrew: באר שבע, Be'er Sheva) is the largest city in the Negev desert of Israel. It is often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev." In 2005, when the population reached 185,000, it became the sixth largest city in Israel. Beersheba is the administrative centre for the southern region of Israel and home of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Soroka Medical Center, and the Israel Sinfonietta Beersheba.
Beersheva has grown considerably since the founding of the state in 1948. A large portion of the population is made up of Jews who immigrated to Israel from Arab countries after 1948, and newcomers from Ethiopia and the former Soviet Union. Beersheva is surrounded by a number of satellite towns: Omer, Lehavim and Meitar are mainly Jewish. There are also several Bedouin towns, the largest of which are Rahat, Tel Sheva and Lakiya.
History of Beersheva:
A biblical era
From the findings unearthed at Tel Be'er Sheva, an archaeological site a few kilometers northeast of modern day Beersheba, it is believed that the region has been populated since the 4th millennium BC. The city was destroyed and rebuilt many times over the centuries. Biblically, the site of Beersheba is mentioned in two of the three Genesis stories involving a wife confused for a sister. It was the site of a non-aggression pact between the Philistines, represented by a king named Abimelech, and the Israelites. The Bible describes the oath being made on two separate occasions by the Israelites, once represented by Abraham, and once by Isaac. Beersheba is also mentioned in Joshua 19:2. Beersheba was the southernmost city of Israel in Biblical times -hence the expression "from Dan to Beersheba" was sometimes used to describe the whole kingdom.
Demographics
According to Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Beersheba had a population of 184,500 in 2003, compared to 110,800 in a survey conducted 20 years earlier. This makes Beersheba the fifth largest city in Israel. Since then, the population has risen to approximately 200,000. Many people live in Beersheba for short periods of time, e.g. while studying at the university or working at the nearby army bases.
