REHOVOT

Israel's scientists and presidents have made this city famous. The country's first head of state, Chaim Weizmann, founded the Sieff Institute in 1934, and it now ranks among the leading scientific research institutes in the world under its present name of the Weizmann Institute of Science.

It was while Professor Ephraim Katzir was working here that he was elected Israel's fourth president (1973-78).
The Levi Eshkol Faculty of Agriculture, directly opposite the Weizmann Institute on Rehov Herzl, is named after the late Prime Minister of Israel and is a faculty of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

For information about free guided tours, tel. (08)9481275. Rehovot was founded in 1890 when immigrant farmers planted vineyards and almond trees here. Citrus fruits followed and today the city prospers with food processing, chemical and other plants, in addition to being a centre for mixed farming and citrus plantations.

Sites

Citrus Packing Houses: at the northern entrance to the town and around it. Open during the season.

Weizmann Institute of Science: open from 8 a.m. - 3.30 p.m. Film on Institute's research activities 11 a.m. and 2.45 p.m. For further information, call the Visitors' Section of the Public Affairs Office, Tel. (08)9483597.

Weizmann House: the official residence of Chaim Weizmann, the first president of the State of Israel. Open: Sun.Thurs. 10 a.m.3.30 p.m. Closed on Friday, Saturday and holidays. Entrance fee. Tel. (08)9343328, 9343230. Group tours should be arranged in advance.

At the end of Rehov Herzl (Road No. 412) you arrive at the Bilu junction of three roads. On Road No. 40, follow the signs to Beer Sheva on the right and pass by Israel's largest kibbutz, Givat Brenner.
Now drive through Gedera, a pleasant agricultural community, with picturesque, red-roofed houses on the hill, founded by the Bilu settlers in 1884.
You begin to feel the whiff of country air as the landscape eases into lazy orchards and wheat fields.
Turn left in the direction of Qiryat Gat (Road No. 40) and soon pass by the religious Kibbutz Hafetz Hayim, noted for the packed kosher meals that you find in Israeli supermarkets. It, too, boasts a fine guest house, with a swimming pool.
The fields stretch for dozens of kilometres and now and again you see clusters of settlements far off the eucalyptus- lined road. Suddenly the development town of Qiryat Gat looms ahead as you turn left.