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# Rishon LeZiyyon (Israel)

## Municipality of Rishon LeZiyyon, Iriyat Rishon LeZiyyon

Last modified: 2026-08-21 by martin karner
Keywords: rishon lezion | rishon leziyyon | iriyat rishon leziyyon | well | industrial plant |
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image by Dov Gutterman Coat-of-arms adopted 30th May 1991 |  | (source) ♦ photo

- Description
- Coat of Arms

See also:

- Rishon LeZiyyon Flag (1885)
- Rehovot Subdistrict
- Central District
- Subnational Flags (Israel)
- Israel

## Description

Rishon LeZiyyon (meaning first of Zion) is situated in the seashore plain south of Tel-Aviv. Its name comes from the Bible (Isaiah 41:27) and to commemorate being the first settlement established by a Zionist association in 1882 – even though it is not the first new-era settlement, being preceded by Petah Tikva in 1878. With a population of 185'000 it became the 4th most populated city in Israel (after Jerusalem, Tel-Aviv and Haifa). It is a municipality since 1950.
Its emblem was designed for its 60th anniversary (1942) and shows its main past agricultural branches – vine and grapes for the grapes and wine industry, citrus for the oranges, and furrows – as well as industrial plants. It also shows the first well, with the inner inscription we found water. The unofficial flag is orange with the emblem. Sources: author's own observation and the city website [not archived].
The municipal emblem was published in the official gazette (Rashumot), 'Publications Gazette' section (Yalkut HaPirsumim), YP 3882, 30 May 1991. It replaced the previous emblem, published YP 633, 13 November 1958.
Dov Gutterman, 1/4 September 2001

I received a letter from the municipality as follows (my translation, remarks in brackets):

> 1) When Rishon LeZiyyon's 60th anniversary was approching, the local council decided to order an emblem for the colony which will give prominence to its beginning, development and its multicoloured.

> 2) The emblem which was chosen describes the first well and emphasizes the cry "we found water" [written on the inner scroll] coming out from the diggers' mouths when water was discovered. Around the well there is a vine's tendril, which was the main product of the farmers, a citrus tree with its golden fruits and, in the background, industrial buildings with smoke rising from their chimneys.

> 3) In the centre of the orange flag, a green emblem was charged. (...)

A page was attached, issued by the municipal museum with the emblem and its description, quite the same as in the letter. Source: letter from Mr. Meir Nitzan, City Mayor, 10 October 2001.

Dov Gutterman, 26 October 2001

The 4th largest city in Israel (Pop. 215'000 in 2003) was established on 31 July 1882 as the third colony but the first that was established by Zionist organization. On 23 February 1883 the cry "We found water!", which later appeared on the emblem, was heard as the first well produced water. Rishon LeZiyyon claims the first hoisting of the Zionist flag in 1885. The first Hebrew kindergarten was established here in 1898.
In 2 June 1922 it became a Local Council, and in 18 August 1950 it became a municipality.
Both descriptions of the emblem in the net at www.rishoni.org.il [retrieved] and www.rishonlezion.muni.il [retrieved | English translation], are quite the same as we have: The emblem appears on a stamp issued on 2 February 1966. The orange flag can be seen in many photos at the municipal website [only partially retrievable, very small photos].
Rishon LeZiyyon is known to be the first town to have its own orchestra in 1895. On an ancient photo from www.rishonim.org.il [not archived], one can see the flag (gonfalone-like) of the orchestra charged with outlines Magen David superimposed with an ancient harp and the inscription "Rishon LeZiyyon Orchestra".
Dov Gutterman, 5 May 2005

♦ Timeline of Rishon LeZion (1882–2011) source

## Coat of Arms

image from municipal website [not archived]

♦ photo
♦ photo