 It was named after Moshe Kofinas, a Greek MP and president of the Greek branch of the National Zionist Organisation in 1919.He raised money from local Jewish donors and funded the purchase of part of the land to be used for the project (funds were also offered by the Carasso family from Thessaloniki), as well as for the Hasmonean city of Tzuran which was located in the area.Kofinas died in 1924, before he could see the plans fulfilled.