The New Ashdod
In 1954, the Israeli government decides to construct a deepwater port at the mouth of the Lachish River, accompanied by a new power plant. Upon formulating the master plan for Ashdod, an agreement was signed between the Israeli government and KBA Ltd., determining that a new city shall be constructed. At first, the city was planned as a metropolis of 16 boroughs covering about 6,000 acres and serving approximately 350,000 residents. The first 22 families arrived at the dunes of Ashdod, from North Africa, on 25 November 1956 and, since then; this date has become known as the city's official anniversary.
As in every beginning, Ashdod and its residents suffered difficult times, but their pioneering spirit created the foundation for the development of the city. The first local council was appointed about two years later, on 1 October 1959 and the city was Ashdod was declared on 1 February 1968 with a population of 30,000.
In order to adapt Ashdod's master plan to 21st century needs, the outline plan was adjusted and the city was expanded to its current area of about 15,000 acres. According to the new plan, Ashdod is divided into 17 boroughs with an overall population of 350,000, while its southeastern section is designated for public structures, such as hospitals, the university, hi-tech factories and more. The boroughs encompass the "City" - the urban center in the heart of the city, so that each borough is capable of providing its residents with all of their needs, such as education, health and welfare, banking and commerce, while the "city" offers overall services, such as the municipality, cultural center and its institutions, central public institutions as well as commercial, entertainment and leisure areas.
Its convenient geographical location, climate and topographical structure, together with
the fact that it is a port town, attracted many entrepreneurs who established factories and industries in the city. Its demographic growth rate and the waves of immigration to the city also accelerated the city's development and led to a continuous building momentum.
Ashdod, the only city in Israel that was meticulously planned before any settlers arrived, currently reports a population of 230,000 and it is the fifth largest city in Israel.
Thanks to its financial stability and urban infrastructures, the city was able to absorb thousands of immigrants over the past decade, comprising approximately 38% of its overall population. Nevertheless, the average age of its residents is among the youngest in the nation, thus over half of the population is under 45 years of age. Another interesting figure relating to the city's demographic composition is the balanced distribution throughout its various boroughs, so that old timers and new immigrants, religious and secular Jews living together in tolerance and mutual respect, is a common vision in Ashdod.