Sharon

Netanya

A large beach city on the coast between Tel Aviv and Haifa, founded in 1929. Immigrants are a large share of residents, with sizable English-speaking, French-speaking, Russian-speaking and Ethiopian communities. About half of residents are secular, and the city is also home to the Sanz Hasidic dynasty and a large Chabad presence.

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What draws people

14 km of beaches along the city's coast. source ((opens in a new tab))
Large immigrant communities: NBN cites a 'sizable population of English-speaking Olim,' and French Wikipedia says over 34% of the population speaks French. source ((opens in a new tab))
Three train stations in or next to the city, and about 27 min by train to Tel Aviv. source ((opens in a new tab))

What to weigh

Jerusalem is about 1 h 36 min by bus 950 or by train with a change at Herzliya. source ((opens in a new tab))
Some neighborhoods are homogeneous in religious affiliation, so fit varies by area. source ((opens in a new tab))

The facts

Region: Sharon
Population: 234,813 (2024 estimate)CBS 'Regional Statistics' as cited on Wikipedia.source ((opens in a new tab))
English-speaking community: Large (4 out of 5)· judgment call
French-speaking community: Very large (5 out of 5)· judgment call
Russian-speaking community: Large (4 out of 5)· judgment call
Religious mix: MixedMixed: about half of residents are secular Jews; the city is home to the Sanz Hasidic dynasty and has a large Chabad presence.source ((opens in a new tab))
Rent (family-size apartment): NIS 5,273 – 6,695 a monthCBS averages, Apr-Jun 2026 (3.5-4 rooms to 4.5+ rooms)CBS average rent in Netanya, Apr-Jun 2026: 3.5-4 rooms (min figure) and 4.5+ rooms (max figure). These are averages, not the cheapest or most expensive listings.source ((opens in a new tab))
To Tel Aviv: About 27 min to Tel Aviv by trainAbout 27 min by train to Tel Aviv Center, about 42 min by bus 650, or about 26 min by car (Rome2rio estimates).source 1 ((opens in a new tab))source 2 ((opens in a new tab))
To Jerusalem: About 1 h 36 min to Jerusalem by busAbout 1 h 36 min by bus 950, or by train with a change at Herzliya (Rome2rio estimates).source 1 ((opens in a new tab))source 2 ((opens in a new tab))
Train station: Yes
Light rail: No
For families: Medium (3 out of 5)· judgment call
Quiet: Fairly low (2 out of 5)· judgment call

Why these scores

English-speaking community: NBN: 'Large English-speaking population; Thousands of NBN Olim.' source ((opens in a new tab))
French-speaking community: French Wikipedia: more than 34% of the population speaks French; about a third of residents are estimated to be French. English Wikipedia: Netanya was a main destination of French aliyah in the 2000s-2010s. source ((opens in a new tab))
Russian-speaking community: Wikipedia: after 1990s FSU immigration, '1 out of 4 inhabitants' speaks Russian. source ((opens in a new tab))
For families: Judgment: large city with all school types per NBN; no specific family statistic found. source ((opens in a new tab))
Quiet: Judgment: large city (about 235,000) and a beach tourist destination per Wikipedia. source ((opens in a new tab))

Sources

Checked 8 November 2026

Netanya Local

Listings, guides, neighborhoods and Shabbat times for Netanya, on the city's own site.

Visit Netanya Local

Nefesh B'Nefesh community guide ((opens in a new tab))

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Ra'anana
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