OTHER SITES. The Yad Labanim Memorial Center houses the diminutive and avant-
garde Herzliya Museum of Art The contemporary exhibits are well worth the short trip from the
bus station. (Open Su, Tu, and Th 4-8pm; M, W, F, and Sa 10am-2pm. Free.) An out-
door amphitheater is attached to the building and overlooks the museum's modern
Sculpture Garden. It is the setting of concerts by the Herzliya Chamber Orchestra («09
950 0761) once every couple of months, as well as an annual theatrical festival in May.
RISH0N LE ZI0N p'sV рХП ®03
Rishon Le Zion ("First to Zion"), founded in 1882 by 17 Russian immigrant families
with the financial help of Baron de Rothschild, was the first modern Jewish settle-
ment in Palestine. Since its founding, Rishon has been the site of several important
firsts for Israel. In Rishon, the Jewish National Fund was created, the Israeli flag
was first flown, and the world's first national Hebrew school opened its doors.
Once a covert hotbed of Zionist resistance, Rishon has become another sprawling
suburb in the ever-expanding Tel Aviv.
I? GETTING THERE AND AROUND. Buses #201,174, and 301 from Tel Aviv stop
at Rishon's old bus station in the historical district (30min. every 20min. NIS7.20)
on their way to the new bus station in a mall on the other side of town. Buses back
to Tel Aviv can be caught on the main highway-keep walking on Barshovsky St.
past Nafis until you reach the highway and bus stop. The last bus back to Tel Aviv
leaves around 11:30pm. Rishon today is divided by Highway 4 into east and west
sections. Most of the sights of interest to tourists lie in the eastern section of town
along Herzl St. To reach the base of the midrahov-an uphill pedestrian walkway
RISHON LE ZION
leading to many of the town's sights-continue to the right past the bus stop on
Herzl St. for two blocks and make a left toward the fountain.
RH FOOD AND ENTERTAINMENT. The midrahov in the historic district is
lined with falafel stands. In the old industrial section of Rishon, outside the town's
historic area, hip restaurants and clubs attract an eclectic clientele. To get to the
old industrial section, take bus #85 from the bus station or catch a pink, orange,
and white sherut #85 at the stand on Herzl St. across from the bus station and ask
to be let off at Barshovsky St. or Nafis (NIS4.50). Both will stop at an intersection;
from there, walk down Barshovsky St. where the establishments' signs are visible.
The place for twenty-somethings to be seen on Friday and Saturday nights is the
Yemenite restaurant Nafis , 12 Moshe Beker St. which serves everything from
hummus plates (NIS10) to hamburger meals (NIS38), and specializes in Yemenite
pastries. Down the block from
Nafis is Formagio , 2 Barshevsky St. a popular vegetarian Italian restaurant.
Order the lunch special (NIS36) from 9am-6pm, for a heaping portion of pasta,
salad, a pitcher of fresh juice, and coffee. (Open daily 9am-2:30am.) For a more
lively evening head to Peach Time , 13 Moshe Beker St. where waiters serve ham-
burgers (NIS45) sing Hebrew and American pop songs, and the clientele is apt to
get up on their chairs to dance along.
3 SIGHTS. A yellow line painted along Rishon's pavement marks Pioneer's Way,
which leads to 18 of the town's historic sites, each marked with a descriptive
plaque in both Hebrew and English. The path starts and ends at the museum's
gate. A guide is available at the museum (NIS5). Most of Rishon's sights lie along
the midrahov. The Village Well and other sights are along the first section, and the
museum is a bit further up on the right, beyond where the midrahov changes into
a regular street with traffic and a sidewalk.