Famous People of Be'er Ya'akov: Celebrities, Athletes, and Icons of Israel's Rising City
Discover the Notable Personalities Who Call This Central Israel Community Home
Be'er Ya'akov, the rapidly growing city nestled between Rishon LeZion and Ramla in central Israel, has produced and attracted an impressive roster of notable individuals. From its founding visionary rabbi to contemporary pop stars, Olympic athletes, and international wrestling champions, this emerging city has connections to some remarkable personalities.
This article profiles the famous people associated with Be'er Ya'akov—those born there, those who have made it their home, and those who have shaped its remarkable journey from agricultural settlement to thriving modern city.
Moshe Peretz: Israel's Mizrahi Pop Superstar
The X Factor Judge Living in Be'er Ya'akov
Moshe Haim Peretz (born May 10, 1983) is one of Israel's most successful and beloved Mizrahi pop singers, and he has chosen Be'er Ya'akov as his home. With multiple platinum albums, chart-topping singles, and over a decade as a judge on The X Factor Israel, Peretz is arguably the most famous current resident of the city.
Musical Journey
Born and raised in Tiberias to a family of Moroccan and Iraqi Jewish heritage, Peretz discovered his musical calling early. At just 13 years old, he began singing as a liturgical poet (paytan) in a local synagogue, where he also started composing his own songs. During his mandatory IDF service, his performances at Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day) ceremonies caught attention, leading to his assignment to a military music band.
After his military discharge, Peretz released his debut album "Mabit El HaMromim" (Looking at the Heavens) in 2005, selling over 10,000 copies. His career skyrocketed with subsequent releases:
"Esh" (Fire, 2007) - 20,000 copies sold, certified gold
"Elaich" (To You, 2008) - 40,000 copies sold, certified platinum
"Me'ha'shamaim" (From the Heavens, 2010) - 110,000 copies sold, certified double platinum
"Zikukim" (Fireworks) - 80,000 copies sold, certified double platinum
His hit single "Shtayim BaLayla" (Two O'Clock) topped the Israeli singles chart, and he has performed at Israel's most prestigious venues, including the legendary Caesarea Amphitheatre.
Television Career
Since 2013, Peretz has served as a judge on The X Factor Israel, bringing his musical expertise to national television audiences and mentoring aspiring artists. He previously participated in Israeli versions of Dancing with the Stars (finishing as runner-up in 2009), Music Academy, and Kokhav Nolad (Israel's Idol equivalent).
His Be'er Ya'akov Home
Moshe Peretz is married to Yarden Gozlan, and the couple resides in Be'er Ya'akov in a home that Peretz himself helped design. The residence features a professional music studio in the basement, allowing one of Israel's most prolific singer-songwriters to create and record music without leaving his hometown.
The couple has three children: daughter Michaela (born November 2014) and twin sons Noam and Guy (born June 2016). His wife's surname "Gozlan" notably connects to one of Be'er Ya'akov's most prominent families—the same name as the city's longtime mayor.
With over 273,000 monthly listeners on Spotify and continued chart success into 2025, Moshe Peretz remains one of Israel's most popular musical artists—and a proud Be'er Ya'akov resident.
Noam Dar: WWE's Israeli-Scottish Superstar
The First Israeli-Born WWE Wrestler
Noam Dar (Hebrew: נועם דר; born July 28, 1993) made history as the first Israeli-born professional wrestler to perform in WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment). Born in Be'er Ya'akov, Dar has achieved international fame and championship success in the world's largest wrestling promotion.
From Be'er Ya'akov to Scotland
Dar was born in Be'er Ya'akov but moved with his family to Ayr, Scotland, when he was five years old. This dual Israeli-Scottish heritage became central to his wrestling persona—he's known as "The Scottish Supernova" and represents both nations proudly in the ring.
His passion for professional wrestling emerged early. Remarkably, Dar began his wrestling career at just 15 years old on the British independent circuit, competing for promotions like British Championship Wrestling and Premiere British Wrestling before most teenagers finish high school.
Making WWE History
Dar's breakthrough came in March 2016 when WWE announced him as a participant in their Cruiserweight Classic tournament. On August 22, 2016, he officially signed with WWE, making him the first Israeli-born wrestler in company history.
"As one of the youngest competitors in WWE and the first Israeli-born Superstar to compete in a WWE ring, Dar has been making a name for himself in Europe since breaking into the industry as a teenager," states his official WWE profile.
Championship Achievements
Dar's WWE career has been marked by historic championship success:
Four-time NXT Heritage Cup Champion (a record no other wrestler has matched)
His first Heritage Cup victory in October 2021, defeating Tyler Bate, made him the first champion of Israeli descent in WWE history
Leader of "The Meta-Four" faction on NXT
Competed against WWE legends including Finn Bálor and AJ Styles
Global Recognition
Dar's fame extends beyond live wrestling:
Playable character in WWE 2K18, WWE 2K19, WWE 2K20, WWE 2K23, WWE 2K24, and WWE 2K25 video games
Ranked No. 106 in the PWI 500 (2016)
Former ICW World Heavyweight Champion (the first non-British descent champion in that promotion's history)
Former two-time ICW Zero-G Champion
Former PCW Cruiserweight Champion
While Dar was raised in Scotland, he has never forgotten his Be'er Ya'akov origins. His career demonstrates how someone born in this central Israel community can achieve worldwide recognition in entertainment—bringing Israeli representation to millions of wrestling fans globally.
Ron Atias: Israel's Taekwondo Olympic Pioneer
The First Israeli Male Taekwondo Olympian
Ron Atias (born April 19, 1995, in Be'er Ya'akov) made Israeli sports history when he became the first male taekwondo athlete from Israel to compete in the Olympic Games. His achievement at the Rio 2016 Olympics placed Be'er Ya'akov on the international athletic map.
Rise to Olympic Glory
Competing in the under-58 kilogram weight category, Atias steadily climbed the international taekwondo rankings through dedication and skill. His breakthrough came at the 2016 European Taekwondo Olympic Qualification Tournament in Istanbul, Turkey, where he won the gold medal by defeating Spain's Jesús Tortosa—the 2014 world junior champion—in the final.
This victory secured Atias's historic place in Israeli sports: he would represent his country at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics, becoming the first Israeli man ever to do so in taekwondo. (Previous Israeli Olympic taekwondo representatives Maya Arusi at Athens 2004 and Bat El Gaterer at Beijing 2008 were women.)
European Championship Success
In the lead-up to Rio, Atias proved his world-class abilities at the 2016 European Taekwondo Championships in Montreux, Switzerland. Despite being ranked 80th in the world at the time, he advanced to the final, ultimately winning the silver medal. He lost only to world No. 2 Rui Braganca of Portugal, with the match going to a golden-point sudden-death round after ending regulation tied 2-2.
"My goal in Rio is to win the gold medal," Atias declared after his European silver, setting ambitious expectations for his Olympic debut.
Olympic Competition
On August 17, 2016, Atias competed at the Rio Olympics in taekwondo's under-58kg category. He faced Brazil's Venilton Torres Teixeira in the first round in what proved to be a challenging match. The Brazilian scored multiple head kicks, ultimately winning 16-2.
Though the Olympic result wasn't what Atias hoped for, his achievement remains historic and inspirational. He blazed a trail for future Israeli male taekwondo athletes and brought international attention to martial arts development in Israel.
Regional Pride
While born in Be'er Ya'akov, Atias trained in nearby Ramla. When he secured his Olympic berth, Ramla Mayor Yoel Lavi celebrated: "A huge honor for the entire State of Israel, the city of Ramla and its residents. I believe we'll hear a lot more about other taekwondo athletes from Ramla, who will no doubt succeed on the international level as well."
Rabbi Yaakov Yitzhaki: The Founding Father
The Visionary Who Gave Be'er Ya'akov Its Name
Rabbi Yaakov Yitzhakovich Yitzhaki (September 1, 1846 – June 11, 1917) was far more than a typical town founder. He was a scholar, religious Zionist visionary, linguist, and pioneer whose remarkable life journey from the mountains of Dagestan to the plains of central Israel inspired the very name of Be'er Ya'akov—"Jacob's Well."
A Scholar from the Caucasus
Born in Derbent in present-day Dagestan, Russia, Yitzhaki came from the ancient community of Mountain Jews—a Jewish population that had lived in the Caucasus region for centuries, speaking their own Judeo-Persian language called Juhuri.
At just 22 years old, with the consent of community elders, his father appointed him chief rabbi and religious judge (Av Beit Din) of Derbent. Unlike many rabbis of his era, Yitzhaki pursued secular education alongside religious studies—attending a Realschule to study sciences and Russian—and maintained correspondence with prominent scholars and orientalists.
Crown Rabbi and International Connections
In the 1880s, the tsarist government appointed Yitzhaki as Crown Rabbi of the Mountain Jews of Southern Dagestan and Azerbaijan, recognizing his leadership and scholarly standing. Rather than remaining focused only on his local community, he reached out to Jewish communities across the globe—in Poland, Romania, Lithuania, Turkey, Bukhara, Persia, Kurdistan, and Palestine.
His intellectual contributions were significant: he compiled the first Juhuri-Hebrew dictionary and wrote a brief history of the Mountain Jews. He published articles in numerous Hebrew periodicals including HaMagid, Lebanon, and The Collector.
Founding Be'er Ya'akov
After visiting the Holy Land twice (in 1876 and 1887), Yitzhaki finally immigrated permanently in 1907 at age 61. He organized a group of fellow Mountain Jews from Dagestan who, together with immigrants from Russia, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Argentina, and Iran, established the settlement on 2,000 dunams of land purchased by a company headed by Meir Dizengoff (who would later become Tel Aviv's first mayor).
The settlement was named Be'er Ya'akov—Jacob's Well—in honor of Rabbi Yaakov Yitzhaki and his leadership.
Legacy
Tragically, Rabbi Yitzhaki did not live to see his settlement flourish. During World War I, he suffered from hunger and died of exhaustion in Jerusalem on June 11, 1917. He was buried on the Mount of Olives.
In 1974, his son Yitzhak transferred surviving portions of his father's archive to the Central Archive of the History of the Jewish People in Jerusalem, where the fully digitized collection remains accessible today—preserving the legacy of Be'er Ya'akov's founding father for future generations.
Mayor Nissim Gozlan: The Transformation Architect
Two Decades of Leadership
While not born in Be'er Ya'akov, Nissim Gozlan (born January 30, 1965) has been so instrumental in the city's transformation that any discussion of notable Be'er Ya'akov figures must include him. Serving as the community's leader since November 2003—first as head of the local council, then as mayor after city status was granted in 2021—Gozlan has overseen Be'er Ya'akov's metamorphosis from a small town of 7,000 to a thriving city exceeding 35,000.
Transformation by the Numbers
The statistics of Gozlan's tenure are remarkable:
Population growth: From approximately 7,000 residents (2003) to over 35,000 (2025)
Housing construction: Over 13,000 new housing units built, with 16,000 more in the pipeline
Educational facilities: From 4 kindergartens to over 104
Future projections: Plans for population to reach 85,000-100,000
Achieving City Status
Gozlan's crowning achievement came in August 2021 when Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked officially granted Be'er Ya'akov city status. "Beer Yaakov has become an example of a strong municipality that succeeded in absorbing many new residents and significantly easing the housing crisis," Shaked stated.
"I was very happy to call Nissim Gozlan and to notify him that from now on he's a mayor," Shaked wrote in announcing the status change.
Recognition and Popularity
Gozlan's effectiveness has been recognized both by voters and external observers:
Repeatedly reelected, sometimes running unopposed
Ranked among Israel's most popular mayors in 2024 survey with 96% approval rating (third highest nationally)
Led Israeli mayoral delegation to New York to meet with NYPD and UN officials on urban security
Vision for the Future
Under Gozlan's leadership, Be'er Ya'akov has secured major development agreements, including a roof agreement with the Ministry of Finance and Israel Land Authority for 11,600 housing units and 1.5 million square meters of commercial space. The city is preparing for a planned metro connection to Ben Gurion Airport (construction to begin 2028) and continues developing educational and commercial infrastructure.
"We are creating a young and vibrant city that is grounded in a warm, supportive community," Gozlan has stated. "The connection between residents here is special—and you don't find it in any other place in Israel."
The Sports Scene: Local Athletic Pride
Maccabi Be'er Ya'akov Football Club
The city's football (soccer) club competes in the Israeli football league system, developing local talent and providing community sports engagement for residents of all ages.
Maccabi Be'er Ya'akov Basketball Club
The local basketball club competes in Liga Leumit, Israel's second-tier professional basketball league. This represents a significant achievement for a city of Be'er Ya'akov's size, demonstrating commitment to competitive athletics and providing residents with professional-level sports entertainment.
The Scientific Community: Unsung Heroes
Israel Aerospace Industries MLM Division
While individual scientists and engineers may maintain lower public profiles, Be'er Ya'akov hosts one of Israel's most strategically important facilities: IAI's MLM Division—Israel's main missile assembly facility.
Located in the southern part of Be'er Ya'akov, this facility assembles:
Jericho missiles (Israel's strategic deterrent)
Arrow missiles (advanced missile defense system)
Shavit launch vehicle (space launch capability)
This means Be'er Ya'akov is home to some of Israel's most brilliant aerospace engineers, rocket scientists, and defense technology experts—even if their contributions remain classified and their names unknown to the public.
Conclusion: A City of Achievers
From its founding by a visionary rabbi from the Caucasus Mountains to its current status as home to pop stars, Olympic athletes, and WWE champions, Be'er Ya'akov's story is enriched by remarkable individuals who have shaped its identity and brought it international recognition.
The common thread among these notable figures is a pioneering spirit—the same determination that led Rabbi Yaakov Yitzhaki to leave Derbent for an uncertain future in the Holy Land, that drives Moshe Peretz to create music in his basement studio, that carried Ron Atias to Olympic competition, and that propels Noam Dar into wrestling rings around the world.
As Be'er Ya'akov continues its transformation into a major Israeli city—potentially reaching 100,000 residents in the coming decades—new generations of notable figures will undoubtedly emerge from its growing population. The city's history suggests that when people choose to build their lives in Be'er Ya'akov, they become part of a community that encourages achievement and celebrates success.
For English-speaking olim considering Be'er Ya'akov, this rich tapestry of notable figures demonstrates that the city offers more than affordable housing and convenient transportation. It offers connection to a community with deep historical roots and contemporary cultural relevance—a place where Olympic dreams are born, hit songs are recorded, and wrestling champions call home.
This article is part of Easy Aliyah's comprehensive coverage of Be'er Ya'akov as an emerging destination for English-speaking olim in Israel.
Quick Reference: Famous People of Be'er Ya'akov
Name Profession Connection to Be'er Ya'akov Moshe Peretz Pop singer, X Factor judge Current resident Noam Dar WWE professional wrestler Born in Be'er Ya'akov Ron Atias Olympic taekwondo athlete Born in Be'er Ya'akov Rabbi Yaakov Yitzhaki Founder, scholar Founded the city (1907) Nissim Gozlan Mayor City leader since 2003
