JERUSALEM (VosIzNeias) — Israel’s streets all boast colorful names reflecting either meaningful figures in its brief history or other significant figures from the past 3000 years of Jewish history. In the past the streets were heavily loaded with names of politicians. Many cities have streets named after Herzl, Ben Gurion, Jabotinsky and Arlozorov, as well as such important ancient figures as Rashi, Rambam and the Arizal.
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However Professor Maoz Azaryahu, head of the University of Haifa’s Herzl Institute for the Study of Zionism claims that naming trends are changing with artists being preferred to politicians.
Prof. Azaryahu recently published a book called “Named After” about Israel’s street names and he told Israeli magazine “Globes” that “Artists are consensus. Who would object to a street named after Naomi [author of “Jerusalem of Gold”]? In fact the most popular names for streets are for trees, like Tamar (date-palm), Dekel (palm) and the like. These names are especially popular in rural settlements where they reflect quality of life. Artists too are also a type of quality of life – cultural quality of life.”
Shemer, who died in 2004, has streets named after her in numerous locations around Israel including in Yavne, Kiryat Bialik, Holon, Kfar Saba, and Akko, while Uzi Hitman [author of a popular tune to Adon Olam] who died in 2004 and the writer Dvora Omer, who died in 2013 both have four streets named after them in Israel’s 30 largest cities. Singer and lyricist Arik Einstein who died in 2013, singer Yaffa Yarkoni who died in 2012 and actress Hannah Maron who died in 2014 are all popular choices for street names.
In contrast former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who managed to alienate both left wing and right wing people during his political career, and who died in 2014, only has streets named after him in two of Israel’s 30 largest cities – Jerusalem and Givatayim. Although there is still time to name more streets after Sharon, the trends now lean in favor of other figures.
Some cities however have chosen to completely overlook both politicians and artists. Lod, for example, decided to name all new streets after the Avot, the Imahot and the tribes of Israel. Modi’in, a new relatively secular city, has opted for the names of Israel’s forests, Hadera prefers Israeli Nobel Prize winners and Beersheva is currently naming streets after plants such as lemon and rosemary.
Prof. Azaryahu said that “In the early years of the State there was the complete Jewish history to cover with the likes of Yehuda Maccabee and Yehuda Halevy and then the key figures in Zionism and Israeli politics.”
Prof. Azaryahu reckons that former Sephardi Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, who died in 2013, will be one of the most popular street names in the coming years. Lod and Petah Tikva have already named streets after him while Hadera and Kiryat Gat named streets after him while he was still alive. Rabbi Yosef was hugely popular within the Sephardi public in Israel, and even less traditional Sephardic Jews revere his memory and seek to commemorate him in many different ways.
Prof. Azaryahu believes that the trend for political correctness means that whereas in the past streets tended to be named after Ashkenazim and men, in the future they are more likely to be named after Sephardim and women. Thus there could be more roads named after Rachel the poetess and Israeli folk singers Ofra Haza and Shoshana Damari.
Professor Azaryahu did not refer to trends in Chareidi towns, but in almost every such town there is a street named for Rabbi Akiva, as well as the Chazon Ish, the Vilna Gaon and the Beis Yosef. In Beitar Illit which is heavily populated with Chasidim there are many roads named for Chasidic books while in Modiin Illit there are more streets named for Litvishe luminaries. The nicest thing about street names, however, is that any ordinary citizen can recommend a street name and, if approved by the municipal naming committee, can be responsible for a new street name in Israel.