From Australia to Zichron Yaacov

Dan Etiel

Zichron Yaacov is a town with a rich heritage that has shaped its charismatic charm throughout the generations. Throughout its history notable citizens have resided within its sprawling suburbs and industries have grown in and around the area. Bustling around the region are its many citizens and visitors eagerly experiencing all that the life of this small town has to offer. The municipality can be likened to a city I know quite well, much bigger and halfway across the world; Brisbane, Australia.

The small town has grown into an expanse of suburbs much like the sprawling development of Brisbane; many sites are around Zichron provide an insight into times past while around them are new buildings, restored facades and modern businesses . This feature common to both regions is one of the many attractions to visitors and prospective residents of Zichron Yaacov. Parks, amenities, businesses and leisure centers are widely accessible integrating with neighboring homes to create a unique backdrop for the hustle and bustle of daily life.

In the same way Brisbane facilitates an expansive yet clustered living environment; those who live in Zichron Yaacov have a great sense of community which is heightened by the ease of contact with local businesses and the wide range of activities that take place on a regular basis around town to cater for any interest. Public transportation has, over the years, become a great asset to the town with regular buses and close proximity to the Binyamina train station allowing workers to commute to the major cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa while still being able to reside, in stark contrast, in a beautiful small town.

What Zichron lacks in size it makes up for in character, community and culture. Living in this relatively small region are people from all over the world; Australia, USA, Argentina, Germany just to name a few that contribute to the town's population. This multicultural melting pot adds even more depth to the community, giving Zichron Yaacov a distinctive atmosphere and lifestyle. The multi-nationality population creates an ambiance much like a city because you'll never know who you might meet and what new cultural nuances / ideas you might discover. This township can be described as the meeting point of the world because people have literally come from everywhere just to share in the abundant sense of community and at the same time provide others with insights into the culture of their previous homelands.

Every year, for two months, Zichron Yaacov becomes my second home and every year I visit places I had previously been to and the many new attractions that spring up during a year in my absence. This constant development and expansion once again reminds me of Brisbane and this small town has not one bit less grandeur than that of the big city. I've found many characteristics of Australian culture within the township of Zichron such as friendliness, willingness to lend a hand and resourcefulness. Being such like Australia is not a negative because although it is alike, the village offers up its own interpretation and exclusive, inimitable feeling of community. The special 'big city feel' of the small town is quite unique to Zichron and definitely makes it one of the nicest places to reside in Israel.

Abundant in culture, community and history, Zichron Yaacov provides an endless supply of lifelong memorise. So why not, if only for a short while, make it your home?