Tamar Regional Council- Business Card 1. General Data General information: Established in: 1956 Municipal status: Regional Council Council's area in dunam and dunam 1,650,000 acres: 407,723,879acres Number of residents: 350,1 Municipality budget in NIS NIS 120m (millions) Residents by age: Children: up to the age of 12 14% (%) Youth: between the ages 12-18 4.9% (%) 65 and up (%) 15% Accessibility: distance from The distance from central waypoints ranges between 30 central waypoints and minutes and two hours. highways The Tamar Regional Council includes a number of towns from which the drive time between Kibbutz Ein Gedi (in the north) and the Kikar towns is an hour, and between Har Amasa (in the southern part) is two hours. There is no central waypoint, in each town there are different activities . 2. Additional information General Number of 312 students in schools education students: and preschools together Number of elementary 1 schools Number of high schools 1 Number of municipal 2 preschools 2. Additional information Number of community centers 6 Are some of them designated for 2 out of the 6 are designated for the specific populations? elderly, 1 for youth, and the rest are for everyone. Cultural institutions in the city The Ein Gedi Hall and a community hall in Moshav Ein Tamar. The halls host cultural performances such as plays, music performances, etc. Major sports facilities in the city The Ein Gedi Gymnasium, the Ein Gedi indoor swimming pool, 2 gyms, a tennis court, 2 mini-pitch courts, 2 basketball courts. All courts are owned by the municipality. 2. Additional information 2.3 Tourism The number of guest rooms in the 4,004 city’s hotels Major touristic attractions in the city Nature and history sites – of the most important in Israel, headed by Massada, David River and Arugot River, which are located in Neveh Ein Gedi, one of the most beautiful and popular nature reserves in Israel. The regional council is located on the Dead Sea shore, and offers organized beaches, diverse resorts and access to walking, biking and jeep trails. 2. Additional information Petra Center – commercial 2,420 Dunam center Contact: Rafi - 050-9333066 Ein Ha'tchelet shopping center 5,400 Dunam Contact: Israel Binyamin, manager - 0508877778 Mishor Rotem industrial area About 4,000 Dunam. Contact: Pini Harush 08- 6688842 2. Additional information Situation report on SMEs- small and The Tamar Regional Council includes 480 different businesses. medium - sized businesses The Tamar Regional Council leads its entrepreneurs to turn the geographic challenge and vicinity to leading nature reserves into an entrepreneurial advantage. In the areas of the Council, there are many active projects in the field of tourism: hospitality areas (Khans), bed and breakfasts and resorts, restaurants, guides, art galleries and more. Does the Council encourage the The Tourism and Entrepreneurship Development Unit acts as part of establishment of additional small and the Economic Company. The unit provides consulting services and medium sized businesses? How? ongoing assistance on a very high professional level, starting with the initial idea, with its development, consolidating economic models Contact: Sigalit Shaked, secretary of and up to active ongoing assistance in operating the business. The the Economic Company unit, led by the Council, spends time researching, teaching and 08-6688811 [email protected] encouraging yielding entrepreneurship. The Council also holds a variety of activities for the branding and marketing of the tourist activity in the area, in order to encourage the growth of more businesses. The businesses licensing department assists in promoting the licensing process for business owners. 2. Additional information 2.5 Employment and welfare What is the number/percentage of residents 320 24% who are assisted by the welfare services? 3. Unique projects The Tamar School in memory of Yoav Givati The regional school is located in the southern part of the Dead Sea at the town of Neveh Zohar, which is in vicinity to the Dead Sea hotels. The school is a new school with innovative equipment and advanced technology. We put a special emphasis on continuous innovation and constant updating. The staff has succeeded in developing unique project for the school and to make the curriculum compatible with the location and the population. The school promotes a special project in the field of music and rhythm. All students from first to sixth grade learn music rhythm and singing classes with the best music teachers. The school promotes activities and partnership with the parents and the community. The school has a “Therapy Center”, which includes occupational therapy, communications clinician, art therapy and a psychologist. Contact: Eyal Keidar, principal08-6222222 3. Unique projects Six Year High School for Environmental Education 3.1 Unique projects- Education, Six Year High School for Environmental Education A unique school, which is known as the “green school”. Each grade (7th through 12th) focuses on different environmental issues. Learning is about, in and for the environment, with a special emphasis on the Dead Sea Valley and its communities. Learning is done through special projects, such as a unique touristic smartphone App, archeology, a rich field trip program to familiarize with the area and online learning programs, such as “Water in the Desert” using innovative technologies. Contact: Nahum Hofree, principal 08-6222154 3. Unique projects The Girl’s Dance School 3.1 Unique projects- Education, The Girl’s Dance School Unique and professional center for dance: classical, modern and hip-hop for ages 4-18. contact: Sima Schwartz – Regional Culture Coordinator and Principal of the Girl’s Dance School [email protected] 0507355349 3. Unique projects Members theatre Selected theatre performances from the best theaters in Israel, coming especially to the towns’ halls. Conatact: Sima Schwartz – Regional Culture Coordinator and Principal of the Girl’s Dance School, [email protected] tel: 0507355349 3. Unique projects Music program The Council promotes unique music programs as a developmental quantum leap for all ages. Contact: Galit Herman – activities coordinator, [email protected] Tel: 0507355380 3. Unique projects National and international cultural events The best and most important cultural events in Israel take place in the area of the Tamar Regional Council; they put an emphasis on combining high culture with breathtaking nature sites, in which the events take place. Contact: Shahaf Homeri – Assistant to Head of Council [email protected] tel: 052-6205444 3. Unique projects The international Opera Festival at the Nature’s Cultural Hall At the Nature’s Cultural Hall in Massada, a joint opera festival of the Council and the Israeli Opera takes place each year. The festival has changed the regional cultural map and constitutes an important milestone in the Israeli culture in recent years. Contact: Shahaf Homeri – Assistant to Head of Council [email protected] tel:052-6205444 3. Unique projects Tamar Festival One of the oldest and most important music festivals in Israel. Five days of music across the Council, during the Succot holiday. Contact: Shahaf Homeri – Assistant to Head of Council [email protected] tel: 052-620544 3. Unique projects 424 Festival A rave music festival at the Nature’s Cultural Hall in Massada, held in October, this exciting festival draws tens of thousands of people to nature. Contact: Shahaf Homeri – Assistant to Head of Council [email protected] tel:052-6205444 3. Unique projects The Ein Gedi Race 3.2 Unique projects- Culture and leisure, The Ein Gedi Race One of the oldest and well known sports events in Israel, which is 'a must' for every Israeli sprinter. A large number of heats on the Dead Sea shores, in the perfect weather during the winter months. The race is a perfect practice for the Israeli marathon season. Contact: Shahaf Homeri – Assistant to Head of Council [email protected] tel:052-6205444 3. Unique projects The Desert Challenge race 3.2 Unique projects- Culture and leisure, The Desert Challenge race Two days of sports activities including a night run and bike races. The event includes a tent and caravan sleeping area and includes the perfect weather, even at night, to the desert moonlight. Contact: Shahaf Homeri – Assistant to Head of Council [email protected] tel:052-6205444 3. Unique projects Gran Fondo Tour Arad-Tamar 3.2 Unique projects- Culture and leisure, Gran Fondo Tour Arad-Tamar An international professional bike race, which combines extreme bike lanes on the famous slopes from Arad to the Dead Sea. The race takes place in March, with the perfect weather. Contact: Shahaf Homeri – Assistant to Head of Council [email protected] tel:052-6205444 3. Unique projects 3.3 Tourism Ein Gedi beach 3.3 Unique projects- Tourism, Ein Gedi beach The beach is located on a beautiful lookout point, and it is the only public beach next to the natural sea basin. In recent years the beach suffers harsh damages caused as a result of a decrease in the sea level and the flood damages that worsen each year. Along with a specific rescue project of the beach and its accessibility, the Council now leads a model project to make its northern beaches accessible and to reopen an accessible attractive beach for travelers and tourists, in which they would be able to learn about the unique qualities of the sea and the challenges we deal with as a result of the sea level decrease. The project is done in collaboration with the Israeli Government Tourist Corporation. Contact: Roni Burg 08-6688851 3. Unique projects 3.3 Tourism Kikar Sodom Ecological Park 3.3 Unique projects- Tourism, Kikar Sodom Ecological Park The Kikar Sodom Ecological Park is the southern entrance gate to the Dead Sea area, and it constitutes an exit point for a large number of biking and walking paths.