Kfar Yona () is a city in the Sharon subdistrict in the Central District of Israel. It is about 7 km east of Netanya. With a jurisdiction of 11,017 dunams (~11 km²). in it had a population of . In 2014, Kfar Yona's official status was changed from a local council to a city. History Before the 20th century, Kfar Yona formed part of the Forest of Sharon, a hallmark of the region’s historical landscape. It was an open woodland dominated by Mount Tabor Oak (Quercus ithaburensis, which extended from [[Kfar Yona in the north to Ra’ananna in the south. The local Arab inhabitants traditionally used the area for pasture, firewood and intermittent cultivation. The intensification of settlement and agriculture in the coastal plain during the 19th century led to deforestation and subsequent environmental degradation known from Hebrew sources. Kfar Yona was established on lands in the Sharon plain purchased in 1932 from Mustafa Bushnaq and the Shanti family of Qalqilya. Kfar Yona is named for Jean (Yona) Fischer, a Belgian Zionist. It was founded on Tu Bishvat, January 23, 1932 by Morris Fischer, Yona's son, a member of the World Jewish Congress, and was originally named Gan Yona (Yona's Garden). In the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Kfar Yona was on the front lines, and its defenders faced the Iraqi Army, which sought to reach Netanya and cut the Jewish forces in Israel in half. The new Israel Defense Forces repelled the Iraqi attacks and forced them back into the Samarian mountains, although Kfar Yona remained the easternmost Jewish settlement in the area. As a result of the 1949 Armistice Agreements, the border moved from Kfar Yona 8 km eastward, to just west of Tulkarm. Kfar Yona was surrounded by orchards and its main income was from selling oranges. Most of these orchards are now the site of new neighborhoods. Next to Kfar Yona is the Area 21 military base, named for Mota Gur, which includes paratroopers, Nahal, military police, and other small bases. In addition, Kfar Yona borders Pardesiya and the Lev HaSharon Regional Council. Neighborhoods Kfar Yona Alef The original ten homes and the first community building. The homes are small, one-story, private structures, with an average of three rooms each. The community building stands today empty and is falling into ruin, though the town council is interested in maintaining it for its sentimental and historical value. Alef also