A Dream and Then a Reality...

The late 1960’s was a tumultuous time in the history of the Middle East. In the fall of 1967, Egypt, Syria, and Jordan mobilized troops near the Israeli boarders. In addition, the Arab states began broadcasting anti-Israeli propaganda over regional radio and television. Tensions began escalating between the Jewish and Arab states. Instigated by the threats of war, Israel invaded Egypt, Syria, Jordan on the hot summer day of June 5th, 1967. In six days, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) pushed its aggressors back, capturing the desert Sinai peninsula and the Gaza Strip from Egypt, the lush Golan Heights from Syria, and Jerusalem and the West Bank from Jordan. After the war ended Israel remained in occupation of captured land to ensure a buffer zone from its unfriendly neighbors. The U.N. and other Israeli allies condemned Israel’s occupation its newly gained land.

After the Six Day War, Israel commenced a policy of setting up frontier settlements along hot borders and in desolate regions of the South. New settlements were set up five to ten kilometers apart and took form as army bases and agricultural communities. These settlements acted as a political indicator of Israel’s occupation and control of the land and promoted future development in the surrounding regions.

In the North, new kibbutzim were started in the newly acquired Golan Heights. These kibbutzim were built in highly controversial areas as Syria still considered the Golan as its land. As a result, these kibbutzim were often shelled and bombed by the Syrian army. In the Southwest, kibbutzim were built along borders of the Gaza strip. These kibbutz were particularly prone to violence from infuriated refugees of the Israeli controlled Gaza strip. In the South, many settlements were set up in the Arava Valley along the Israeli-Jordanian border. These settlements were susceptible to raids from Jordanian desert bandits.

In January of 1969, the IDF broke ground, and formed an army base on where now stands Kibbutz Arava. This base acted as an entity in the network of above mentioned settlements along the Israeli-Jordanian border. It was named Heachzut Nachal Arava. This new base became a temporary depot for the army housing a rotation eighty soldiers. Men and women soldiers lived together and enjoyed a coed army experience; a rarity in IDF life. Several years passed, and peace and tranquillity grew in the area. Soon the need for an agricultural community on this particular spot of land superseded the need for an army base. The Israeli government felt that by converting the army base into a community, it would hasten population growth and bring economic productivity in the region.

In the early 1970’s, a group of young American Zionists moved to Israel, made aliya,11 and became citizens of the country. In 1973, after serving their mandatory army service, the Israeli-American immigrants were free to fulfill their utmost dream of forming a farming community in the State of Israel. One founding member recalls the initial idea behind the creation of their community. “We came to Israel to try and form a community, a utopia of sorts. I wanted a family, and I was looking for a smaller community where people looked after each other and cared for others.” These dedicated men and women formed the nucleus of their future community, calling themselves Garin Hashachar, and began a land search for their prospected community.12

It was soon discovered that an army base in the Arava valley was waiting for conversion to become an agricultural community. Inquiries were made and a deal was set. The land where rested Heachzut Nachal Arava was granted to the Israeli-American garin to build their anticipated farming community. In September of 1973, the IDF began to pull its troops out of Heachzut Nachal Arava and the Garin Hashachar started to move in. The following weeks, however, brought unpredicted events in Israeli history which caused a further delay in the creation of the farming community. Israel, again, went to war.

On October 7th, 1973, the holy Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur fell. On this day, Israel experienced a surprise attack from all sides. Egypt, Syria, and Jordan invaded Israel with the goal to regain their lost land and crush the Jewish State. The men of Garin Hashachar were recalled back into army service to protect their endangered country. The dreamed community would have to wait a little longer. One member of Garin Hashachar recalled his experiences of going back to war. “I was stationed in the Sinai peninsula. It was the only time in my life that I had ever been truly shot at.” The Yom Kippur War eventually came to end. Israel maintained occupation of all its land, but the costs were great. There had been bloodshed and death.

On November 24, 1974, after returning from war, the Garin Hashachar was ready to build their long awaited community. And so the few structures and several small trees that stood on this barren piece of land in the middle of a desert, in the middle of the East became known Kibbutz Arava.

map_of_kibbutz

A map of southern Israel shows the various kibbutzim (depicted by blued dot) located 5 to 10 kilometers apart.

Time passed and the community did progress. Hard work, planning, and community support allowed for the eventual growth of Kibbutz Arava. Monetary donations from outside family members and charitable organizations, such as the Jewish National Fund, helped the kibbutz obtain the resource necessary to form an economic base.13

In the mid-seventies, Kibbutz Arava established its agriculture base. To ensure that agriculture production would remain profitable, Kibbutz Arava began growing“high-end”, specialized produce that offered good economic returns. Such produce included dates, tomatoes, melons, mangos, pameloes, and exotic citrus. To supplement agriculture revenues, the kibbutz began the pseudo-industrial task of raising dairy cows for milk and turkeys for slaughter. The raising of animals was considered creating a food source, and was therefore not considered a true industry in itself.

Since its conception, Kibbutz Arava had insisted on remaining an unindustrialized kibbutz. By not investing in industry, Kibbutz Arava has had to come up with other creative financial schemes to earn money. Recently, Kibbutz Arava opened the Kibbutz Institute for Environmental Studies. This environmental institute was a university affiliated program and offered various classes in desert ecology, policy planning, and global environmental awareness. It was hoped that the kibbutz would prosper financially from this program. However, one member stated words of caution. “How many universities or schools do you know of these days that are actually making any money?”

Recently, Kibbutz Arava has been thinking about operating a rock quarry 50 km northwest of the kibbutz. Operating the quarry would be the first industrial sector for the kibbutz. Most members dislike the idea of industrialization, but the financial benefits seem to great to forfeit. The rock quarry contains raw resources that would equate to large profit. If Kibbutz Arava decides not to operate the rock quarry, another kibbutz or business would. Based on this situation, the kibbutz is leaning toward operating the quarry. Unfortunately, rock quarries strip the land of top soil, cause air pollution from dust, noise pollution from tractors, and water pollution from dirt runoff. It seems contradictory that a kibbutz with an environmental institute is considering operating a business that would degrade the environment.

Kibbutz Arava has grown from a tiny dusty outpost to its current state. Today Arava boasts one of the nicest landscapes in the area with many beautiful trees hovering above offering shade from the sun. Currently, there are around 125 members of Kibbutz Arava. Up to 70% of the members are of American decent making Kibbutz Arava the most“Americanized”kibbutz in Israel. The remaining members have lineage from England, France, Canada, and Australia. In addition, there are at least 130 children of the kibbutz, running, playing, and yelling in every corner of the place.14

     Next Chapter: And the work began...


11. To “make aliya" means that one has moved to Israel and become a citizen. Aliya translated literally means “to make an ascent.” These young men and women were affiliated with Young Judea, an American Jewish group geared at immigrating young American Jews to Israel.

12. Garin is Hebrew literally meaning “nucleus.”

13. The Jewish National Fund is charitable organization that grants money to entities, such as the kibbutz, as to increase Israeli infrastructure.

14. There were also 25+ volunteers, as well as 50+/- garin (pre-army) kids. Including the Kibbutz Institute for Environmental Studies students, and members' families, plus any other random groups, there were up to 400 people eating the Shabbat dinner on Friday night! (Not to mention the 50 or so dogs, endless cats, horses, cows, donkeys, turkeys... )

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