Giv'atayim, Israel

These are shots of Chattanooga, and Rick Sharp with Chattanooga Sister City personally delivered these pictures to Giv'atayim in 2001.

    Through the efforts of Avi Rabinovitch (formerly Israel's Head of International Municipal Relations) and the officers of the Sister City Association of Chattanooga, Giv'atayim and Chattanooga developed a paired relationship, the papers being signed in July of 1988. Giv'atayim is one of the smallest cities in Israel with 50,000 residents. Located a few miles east of Tel Aviv, one of Israel's largest and more modern cities, Giv'atayim could be considered a suburb of Tel Aviv.

Street scene in Giv'atayim

There is little industry or commerce; most of the space is devoted to residential areas, schools, sports facilities, and youth clubs. Giv'atayim is an arts-minded city. It has youth choirs and orchestras, several of which have toured in the U.S. Chattanoogans who have recently visited have commented on the open and friendly atmosphere. A group of Chattanooga business people visited Giv'atayim in 2000, underscoring with that city's Deputy Mayor Wasserman that Chattanooga recognizes its sister city relationship and wishes survival, peace, and prosperity for Israel.

Giv’atayim web site address: http://www.givatayim.muni.il/htmls_eng/indexe.htm