Kfar Netter

Kfar Netter (Hebrew: כְּפַר נֶטֶר, lit. 'Netter Village') is a moshav in central Israel. Located in the coastal plain near Netanya, it falls under the jurisdiction of Hof HaSharon Regional Council. In 2023 it had a population of 996.^[1]

Kfar Netter כְּפַר נֶטֶר‎
Kfar Netter 1939
Kfar Netter
Coordinates: 32°16′17″N 34°52′13″E
Country	Israel
District	Central
Council	Hof HaSharon
Affiliation	Agricultural Union
Founded	26 June 1939
Founded by	Mikveh Israel graduates
Population  (2023)[1]	996
Website	www.kfarnetter.co.il

History

The region of Kfar Netter lies within the southern Sharon plain, an area with traces of human activity since the Middle Paleolithic age. Peak settlement phases occurred in the Byzantine period (4th–7th centuries CE) and in the Late Ottoman period (19th–early 20th centuries CE).^[2]

Before the 20th century the area formed part of the Forest of Sharon and belonged to the agricultural lands of the Palestinian village of Ghabat Kafr Sur. It was an open oak woodland dominated by Mount Tabor oak. Local Arab villagers used the land for grazing livestock, seasonal farming, and firewood collection.^[3] The intensification of cultivation in the 19th century led to large-scale deforestation and soil erosion in the Sharon plain.

Kfar Netter was founded on 26 June 1939 as part of the tower and stockade campaign. The founders were graduates of the Mikveh Israel agricultural school who sought to apply their training to permanent settlement.^[4] The village was named after Charles Netter, founder of Mikveh Israel and a key figure in agricultural education in Ottoman Palestine.

In the 1940s the moshav’s settlers engaged in mixed farming, focusing on citrus groves, vegetables, and poultry. On the eve of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, the community played a defensive role in the Sharon coastal sector, protecting access roads to Netanya.^[5]

Economy

For decades agriculture was the backbone of Kfar Netter, with orchards, dairy, and poultry as primary income sources. From the late 20th century, like many moshavim in central Israel, it underwent diversification, with residents working in nearby cities, while parts of its lands were allocated to housing and light industry.^[6] Today Kfar Netter combines agriculture with suburban residential character, benefiting from proximity to Netanya and Tel Aviv.

Culture and community

The moshav maintains cultural and educational ties to its origins at Mikveh Israel. It hosts local sports clubs, youth movement branches, and commemorative activities for Charles Netter and the founders.

Transportation

Kfar Netter is located near Highway 4 and Highway 2, providing access to central Israel. The nearby Beit Yehoshua railway station connects residents to the Tel Aviv–Haifa coastal line.

Notable residents

• Gefen Primo (born 2000), judoka and international medalist.

Historic images

• 
  Kfar Netter 1939
• 
  Kfar Netter 1944, 1:20,000 map (center right)