Lod

Lod, also known as Lydda and Lidd, is a city in the Central District of Israel. It is located about 15 kilometers southeast of Tel Aviv and 40 kilometers northwest of Jerusalem. In 2024, the city had a population of 94,189 people.

Lod has a long history, with people living there since at least the Neolithic period. It is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. In ancient times, it was an important place for Jewish learning and trade. The city later became a Roman colony and was called Diospolis.

Today, Lod is a busy transportation center. The main international airport, Ben Gurion Airport, is located nearby, making it an important hub for travel in Israel. The city is also a key point for railways and roads. Lod is one of Israel's mixed cities, with both Jewish and Arab communities living there.

Religious references

The Hebrew name Lod appears in the Hebrew Bible as a town of Benjamin, founded along with Ono by Shamed or Shamer. It is mentioned in Ezra 2:33 as one of the cities whose people came back after the Babylonian captivity.

In the New Testament, the town is called Lydda, and it is where Peter helped heal a person named Aeneas.

The city is also noted in an Islamic hadith as where a battle will happen before the Day of Judgment.

History

Neolithic and Chalcolithic

The city of Lod has very old roots, going back to very early times. People first lived there during a very old time called the Neolithic period. They kept living there into a later time called the Chalcolithic period. We know about this from pieces of pottery that scientists found, showing the town started around the year 5600–5250 BCE.

Early Bronze

In a time called the Early Bronze Age, Lod was an important place in the land between the Judean hills and the sea. Nearby, there were other important places too. Archaeologists found walls and buildings that showed how people lived back then.

Middle Bronze

During a time called the Middle Bronze Age, there were burials north of the main mound.

Late Bronze

One of the oldest writings about Lod is from a list made by an Egyptian leader named Thutmose III. He wrote about it around 1465 BCE.

Classical era

From around the fifth century BCE until Roman times, Lod was a center for learning and trade for Jewish people.

Roman era

During Roman times, Lod was very important for Jewish people. Many schools and places of learning were there. In 43 BC, a Roman leader named Cassius made people from Lod slaves, but they were freed two years later.

Byzantine period

In the year 415 CE, leaders met in Lod to talk about important matters. Later, the city was named after a soldier named St. George.

Early Muslim period

After Muslim leaders took over the land in 636 CE, Lod was called "al-Ludd." It was an important city for a while but later lost importance when people moved to a nearby town called Ramla.

Crusader and Ayyubid period

In 1099, Crusaders took over Lod and named it St Jorge de Lidde. Later, a leader named Saladin took it for a short time, but the Crusaders took it back. The Crusaders thought Lod was very special because it was where St. George was born.

Mamluk period

A leader named Baybars brought Lod back under Muslim control in the year 1267–8. During this time, Lod was an important place for sending messages between faraway cities.

Ottoman period

In 1517, Lod became part of the Ottoman Empire. Later, people from different places lived there, and it had both Muslim and Christian people. In the 1800s, a railway station was built there, and it became a busy place.

British Mandate

From 1918, Lod was ruled by British leaders. During World War II, the British built an airport there, which later became Ben Gurion Airport.

State of Israel

After World War II, fights happened between Jewish and Arab people. In 1948, Israeli forces took control of Lod. Many Arab people left the city, and Jewish people from many countries moved in. Since 2008, new neighborhoods have been built to make the city better. In 2021, there were troubles between Jewish and Arab people, and leaders had to work hard to keep peace.

Demographics

Lod has had many people living there over time. In the past, most people followed Muslim or Christian traditions. Today, the city has lots of people from different backgrounds.

In 2010, about 69,500 people lived in Lod. By 2019, the number grew to 77,223. Most of these people were from Jewish or other groups, while many others were from Arab backgrounds.

Education

Lod has many schools for children to learn in. There are 38 schools with over 13,000 students. This includes 26 elementary schools and 13 high schools. In 2001, about half of the students in their final year of high school earned a diploma to continue their studies.

Economy

Lod's economy is driven by its airport and related industries, which provide many jobs for the city's residents. The city is also home to important factories, including a company that makes communication equipment called "Talard," a food company named "Cafe-Co" (part of the Strauss Group), and a computer center for Bank Leumi.

There is also a Jewish Agency Absorption Centre in Lod to help new residents settle in. In the year 2000, many people in Lod had jobs, and the average monthly pay for workers was NIS 4,754. Men earned a bit more on average than women, and some people received extra money or unemployment benefits.

Art and culture

In 2009-2010, an artist named Dor Guez had an exhibit called Georgeopolis at an art museum in Petach Tikva. The exhibit was about Lod.

Archaeology

In 1996, workers found a beautiful mosaic floor while preparing to widen a street in Lod. This mosaic, from ancient Roman times, shows colorful pictures of birds, fish, exotic animals, and ships. It is believed to have been made for a rich person's home. Today, you can see this mosaic at the Lod Mosaic Archaeological Center.

Students in Lod also get to learn about archaeology by taking part in real digs around the city. This helps them explore the history of their town while working together.

Sports

Lod has an important football club called Hapoel Bnei Lod. This team plays in Liga Leumit, which is the second division of Israeli football. Their home games are held at the Lod Municipal Stadium. The club came together when two smaller teams, Bnei Lod and Rakevet Lod, joined forces in the 1980s.

There are also two other football clubs in Lod that play in regional leagues: Hapoel MS Ortodoxim Lod in Liga Bet and Maccabi Lod in Liga Gimel. Another club, Hapoel Lod, used to play in the top division during the 1960s and 1980s and even won the State Cup in 1984, but it stopped existing in 2002. A new club called Hapoel Maxim Lod was created after that but also stopped in 2007.

Climate

Lod experiences a Mediterranean climate, which means it has warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. This type of climate is common in many areas around the world, bringing plenty of sunshine during the hotter months and rain when it gets cooler.

Notable people

Lod has been home to many famous people throughout history. Some well-known individuals from Lod include Rabbi Akiva, a respected teacher from ancient times, and Etti Ankri, a singer born in 1963. Other notable people are Oshri Cohen, an actor born in 1984, and Artem Dolgopyat, an Olympic gymnast born in 1997.

The city is also connected to historical figures like St George, who is honored in several places, and George Habash, who founded a political group in the mid-20th century. Other famous residents include Talmudic teachers like Eliezer ben Hurcanus and Joshua ben Levi, as well as modern musicians and athletes such as rappers Tamer Nafar and his brother Suhell Nafar, footballer Salim Tuama, and politician Sami Abu Shehadeh.

Twin towns-sister cities

Lod has friendly connections with other cities around the world. It is linked with:

• Piatra Neamț, Romania
• Kraljevo, Serbia

These partnerships help the cities share ideas and support each other.