Omer () 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.
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.
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.Ynet News – "עלא הנייה רכש בית בעומר - והיישוב סוער" (Hebrew) The transaction provoked fierce opposition from local Jewish residents, who wanted to preserve Omer as a Jewish-only settlement at any price.
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.Ynet News – "עלא הנייה רכש בית בעומר - והיישוב סוער" (Hebrew) 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.Ynet News – "עלא הנייה רכש בית בעומר - והיישוב סוער" (Hebrew)
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.Media releasecbs.gov.il
Demographics
Voting Patterns In the 2022 election, 60 percent of voters in Omer voted for the parties of the center-left coalition led by Yair Lapid, while 36 percent voted for the parties of the right-wing coalition led by Benjamin Netanyahu and 1 percent voted for the Arab parties.
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
External links Official website