Safed Safed Topsy the Elephant Category="Cities in Israel"Ṣafed (Hebrew תפצ Tzfat, Arabic صفد Ṣafad, other English spellings Ẓefat,Ṣafad,Tsfat etc.) is a city in the North District in Israel. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), at the end of 2003 the city had a total population of 26,600 residents.

History

Ṣafed is a city in northern Israel, that according to legend, was founded by a son of Noah, but was actually founded during Roman times. After the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492, many prominent scholars settled in Ṣafed, which became the key center for Jewish mysticism, especially as Kabbalah. Many prominent Kabbalists made their home in Safed, including Isaac Luria. The influx of Sephardi Jews made Ṣafed a center of learning and trade in the 15th and 16th centuries, and the Middle East's first printing press was started in Ṣafed in 1578. Earthquakes, conflicts with Arab neighbors, and plagues spelled a long decline for Ṣafed, a decline accelerated after the 1929 Arab riots.

Today, Ṣafed has seen a resurgence of popularity, and has again become a center for Jewish learning. With quaint cobblestone streets, it has also gained a reputation as an artist colony.

Demographics

According to CBS, in 2003 the ethnic makeup of the city was 97.2% Jewish and other non-Arabs, without significant Arab population. In 2001 there were 202 immigrant settlers. See Population groups in Israel.

According to CBS, in 2001 there were 12,700 males and 13,200 females. The population of the city was spread out with 43.2% 19 years of age or younger, 13.5% between 20 and 29, 17.1% between 30 and 44, 12.5% from 45 to 59, 3.1% from 60 to 64, and 10.5% 65 years of age or older.

The population growth rate in 2001 was 3.0%, and 0.9% in 2003.

Income

As of December, 2001, the CBS' socio-economic ranking places the city slightly bellow the average, at 4 out of 10, with an average income of 4,476 shekels per annum to a national average of 6,835 shekels

According to CBS, as of 2000, in the city there were 6,450 salaried workers and 523 are self-employed. The mean monthly wage in 2000 for a salaried worker in the city is ILS 4,476, a real change of 8.1% over the course of 2000. Salaried males have a mean monthly wage of ILS 5,631 (a real change of 10.2%) versus ILS 3,330 for females (a real change of 2.3%). The mean income for the self-employed is 4,843. There are 425 people who receive unemployment benefits and 3,085 people who receive an income guarantee.

Education

According to CBS, there are 25 schools and 6,292 students in the city. They are spread out as 18 elementary schools and 3,965 elementary school students, and 11 high schools and 2,327 high school students. 40.8% of 12th grade students were entitled to a matriculation certificate in 2001.

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