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 2018 it had a population of 1,037.[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
The old Be'eri (Nahabir).
Be'eri
Be'eri
Coordinates: 31°25′25.67″N 34°29′23.28″E
Country Israel
DistrictSouthern
CouncilEshkol
AffiliationKibbutz Movement
Founded6 October 1946
Founded byHaNoar HaOved VeHaLomed members
Population
 (2018)[1]
1,037
Websitebeeri.kibbutz.org.il
Be'eri

History

Beeri 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, and before the 1948 Arab–Israeli war the settlers were engaged in land reclamation and tree planting.[3] The group was enlarged by a number of young pioneers from Iraq who arrived by desert trek. According to a report from the Jewish National Fund in 1949, "For many months the Kibbutz was completely isolated but the settlers held their ground until the liberation of the Negev in October, 1948."[3]

  • 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

After Israeli independence in 1948, the kibbutz was moved three kilometres south-east to its present location. It has traditionally been one of Israel's wealthiest kibbutzim.[2] However, since the start of the Second Intifada, it has suffered from Qassam rocket attacks and combat near the Israel–Gaza barrier eight kilometres away.[4]

The kibbutz has hosted many volunteers over the years, including Michele Bachmann, who worked there in 1974.

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.

References
  1. "Population in the Localities 2018" (XLS). Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. 25 August 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  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.
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