| Native name | עומר |
|---|---|
| Translit lang 1 | Hebrew |
| ISO 259 | ʕomr |
| Coordinates | 31°15′51″N 34°50′49″E |
| District | Southern |
| Sub-district | Beersheba |
| Founded | 1949 |
| Head of Municipality | Pini Badash |
| Unit pref | dunam |
| Area total | 20.1 km² |
| Area total dunam | 20126 |
| Name meaning | Sheaf |
| Website | www.omer.muni.il |
Omer (Hebrew: עומר) is an affluent town in the Southern District of Israel, bordering Beersheba. It is located on Highway 60, between Beersheba and the Shoket Junction. In it had a population of .
History
Omer, originally known as Hevrona, was founded as a kibbutz in 1949. The early residents were demobilized Palmach soldiers. In 1951, it became a cooperative village known as Eilata. In 1953, it was re-established as a communal moshav by immigrants from Hungary and Romania and renamed Omer. The name is based on the offering of the first sheafs in Leviticus 23:10.[1]
In 1957, residents of the ma'abarot in the vicinity moved to Omer. In 1962, it was renamed Tomer and became a neighborhood of Beersheba. Since 1974, it has been an independent town and suburb of Beersheba.[1]
Pini Badash has served as mayor since 1990. Omer's jurisdiction is 20,126 dunams (~20.1 km²).
Controversy over property purchase by Arabs (2025)
In 2025, a controversy erupted following the purchase of a house in Omer by ʿAlāʾ Haniyeh, a Palestinian businessperson from the Bedouin town of Tel Sheva and the CEO of a plastics factory in Dimona over concerns of family relations with previous Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.[2] The transaction provoked fierce opposition from local Jewish residents, who wanted to preserve Omer as a Jewish-only settlement at any price.[3][4][5]
In residents’ WhatsApp groups and on social media, residents decried the deal as unacceptable after the events of 7 October 2023, reflecting openly hostile and racist attitudes, with statements opposing "transactions between Jews and Arabs" and expressing fears about changes to the "Jewish character" of the settlement.[6][7] The head of the Omer local council, Erez Badash reiterated the council’s policy of encouraging Jewish and military families to settle in the town.[8][9]
Economy
Omer is known for its high socio-economic ranking. It is one of four municipalities to score 10/10, along with Kfar Shmaryahu, Lehavim and Savyon.[10]
Notable residents
- Eviatar Banai (b. 1973), musician
- Orna Banai (b. 1966), actress and comedian
- Guy Barnea (b. 1987), Olympic swimmer
- Roni Dalumi (b. 1991), singer
- Mickey Edelstein (b. 1966), general
- Amir Ganiel (1963–2018), swimmer
- Imri Ganiel (b. 1992), Olympic swimmer
- Ziv Kalontarov (b. 1997), Olympic swimmer
- Shaul Ladany (b. 1936), world-record-holding Olympic racewalker, Bergen-Belsen survivor, Munich Massacre survivor, and Professor of Industrial Engineering
References
- ^ HaReuveni, Immanuel (1999). Lexicon of the Land of Israel (in Hebrew). Miskal - Yedioth Ahronoth Books and Chemed Books. p. 769. ISBN 965-448-413-7.
- ^ Ynet News – "עלא הנייה רכש בית בעומר - והיישוב סוער" (Hebrew)
- ^ "משפחתו של איסמעיל הנייה עוברת ליישוב היוקרתי? הרוכש החדש מגיב לראשונה - וואלה חדשות" (in Hebrew). וואלה. 2025-09-01. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
- ^ "תושבים בעומר הונחו לא לדבר על מכירת הבית למשפחת הנייה: "במועצה פועלים לביטולה" - וואלה שבע דרום" (in Hebrew). וואלה. 2025-09-01. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
- ^ פטרסבורג, עופר (2025-09-01). ""אם יתברר שהוא קרוב למשפחת הנייה מעזה, אבטל את העסקה"" (in Hebrew). mako. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
- ^ Ynet News – "עלא הנייה רכש בית בעומר - והיישוב סוער" (Hebrew)
- ^ עזרא, גיא (2025-08-31). "הלם ביישוב היוקרתי: בני משפחתו של איסמעאיל הנייה רכשו בית" (in he-IL). חדשות סרוגים. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
- ^ "סערה בעומר: בית נמכר לקרובי הנייה? המתווכים תחת לחץ - בחדרי חרדים" (in Hebrew). www.bhol.co.il. 2025-09-01. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
- ^ Ynet News – "עלא הנייה רכש בית בעומר - והיישוב סוער" (Hebrew)
- ^ Media releasecbs.gov.il Archived May 2, 2022 at the Wayback Machine