Ofakim

Wikimedia Commons/Photo: Yitzhak Krispel (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Ofakim is located 24 kilometers west of Beersheba. Its name means "Horizons".

Ofakim was founded in 1955. Its first residents were immigrants from North Africa, Iran, India, Russia and Romania.

At the end of 1956 150 families of immigrants from Egypt arrived here.

In the early years, the population was employed in construction work and in agriculture.

In the late 50-ies in the city started to develop industry. There was a diamond factory and two textile factories.

In the 90s, many immigrants from the CIS and Ethiopia arrived here, due to which the city's population doubled.

In 2001, Ofakim was given the status of a city.


Municipality:
Tel. 08-9928576

The National Insurance Institute of Israel ("Bituah Leumi"):
Kibutz Galuyot 1
Tel. *6050, 12226050

Israeli Employment Service ("Lishkat Taasuka"):
Golomb 8
Tel. 08-9960432

Israel Ministry of Construction and Housing:
Tel. 08-6263660

City streets and attractions near the city:

Negev

Ofakim

The distance (in straight line): to Jerusalem -  74 km to Tel Aviv -  86 km to Haifa -  170 km to Beer Sheva -  16 km