Be'eri

Be'eri (Hebrew: בְּאֵרִי‎, lit. My well) is a kibbutz in southern Israel. Located in the north-western Negev desert near the border with the Gaza Strip, it falls under the jurisdiction of Eshkol Regional Council. In 2019 it had a population of 1,049.[1]

This article is about the kibbutz in Israel. For the biblical figure, see Beeri. For the Labor Zionist, see Berl Katznelson.
Be'eri

בְּאֵרִי‎
بئيري
Be'eri
Be'eri
Coordinates: 31°25′26″N 34°29′23″E
Country Israel
DistrictSouthern
CouncilEshkol
AffiliationKibbutz Movement
Founded6 October 1946
Founded byHaNoar HaOved VeHaLomed members
Population
 (2019)[1]
1,049
Websitebeeri.kibbutz.org.il

History

Kibbutz Beeri was established on 6 October 1946 as one of the 11 points in the Negev. It was located near Wadi Nahabir, a few kilometres south of Be'erot Yitzhak. Its founders were members of the HaNoar HaOved VeHaLomed movement, who had been preparing in Maoz Haim, as well as some Hebrew scouts. It was named after Berl Katznelson, as Be'eri was his literary name.[2]

In 1947 Be'eri had a population of over 150. The early settlers engaged in land reclamation and tree planting.[3] The group was enlarged by young Jews from Iraq who arrived by desert trek. The Jewish National Fund reported that for months the kibbutz was completely isolated, "but the settlers held their ground until the liberation of the Negev in October 1948."[3]

After Israeli independence, the kibbutz moved three kilometres southeast to its present location. It is considered one of Israel's wealthiest kibbutzim.[2] From the Second Intifada, the kibbutz suffered from Qassam rocket attacks and combat near the Israel–Gaza barrier eight kilometres away.[4]

Michele Bachmann was a volunteer at Be'eri in 1974.

Economy

Unlike many kibbutzim that have undergone privatization, Kibbutz Be'eri has retained the old cooperative model. The main source of income is the Be'eri printing company, which has an annual turnover of hundreds of millions of shekels. The company has expanded into package printing, online photo albums and professional marketing material for small businesses. It also owns a food tech company, Hinoman, which cultivates Mankai (Wolffia globosa), a nutrient-rich super-vegetable grown using sustainable hydroponics.[5]

Landmarks

About four kilometers to the north lies the ANZAC Monument, commemorating the ANZAC soldiers who died in the Third Battle of Gaza in World War I.[2]

Sports

The kibbutz's basketball team, Hapoel Be'eri, plays in Liga Leumit.

Historical images
  • Kibbutz Be'eri in 1948
  • Yiftach Brigade position close to Be'eri in 1948
  • Members of Yiftach Brigade "D" company assembled at Be'eri in 1948
  • Kibbutz Be'eri after the fighting in 1948

References
  1. "Population in the Localities 2019" (XLS). Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  2. Mapa's concise gazetteer of Israel (in Hebrew). Yuval Elʻazari (ed.). Tel-Aviv: Mapa Publishing. 2005. pp. 53–54. ISBN 965-7184-34-7.CS1 maint: others (link)
  3. Jewish National Fund (1949). Jewish Villages in Israel. Jerusalem: Hamadpis Liphshitz Press. p. 14.
  4. Eyadat, Fadi (2008-04-17). "Kibbutz Be'eri residents ask: War, what war? It's 8 kilometers away". Haaretz. Retrieved 2008-06-07.
  5. The secret to Kibbutz Be'eri's successful socialism: Being rich, Haaretz
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.