Petah Tikva

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Petah-Tikva (Hebrew פֶּתַח-תִּקְוָה "opening of hope", Standard Hebrew Pétaḥ-Tiqva, also transliterated as Petach Tikva, Petah Tikvah, Petach Tikvah, Petaḥ Tiqwa or Petach Tiqwa) and nicknamed as "Mother of Cities", is a city in the west of the Center District of Israel, north-east of Tel Aviv. Petah-Tikva is the second largest industrialised city in Israel (after Haifa). As of 2003 its population was 173,700.

Petah-Tikva's industries include textiles, metal works, wood industry, plastics, processed foods, tires and other rubber products, and soap. In the last years many hi-tech enterprises moved to Petah-Tikva's industrial zone.

There are extensive citrus groves on the outskirts, and building stone is quarried nearby.

Petah-Tikva was founded in 1878 by former residents of Jerusalem hoping to escape the cramped quarters of Jerusalem's walls. It was the first modern Jewish agricultural settlement in Palestine and has since grown to become one of Israel's most populous urban centres.

Petah-Tikva is a sister city of Chicago in the United States.

External links

• Town's main web site (Hebrew)
• Town's English page
• AOL. [{{{url}}} "Petah Tikva"] (Map). Mapquest. AOL. {{cite map}}: Check |url= value (help)