Hatzerim

Hatzerim (Hebrew: חֲצֵרִים, lit. Farmyards) is a kibbutz located 8 kilometers west of Beersheba in the Negev desert in Israel. It is named after the Bible (Deuteronomy 2:23),[2] mentioning a site nearby: "the Avvites who lived in farmyards as far as Gaza". It belongs to the Bnei Shimon Regional Council. In 2018 it had a population of 832.

Hatzerim

חֲצֵרִים
Hatzerim
Coordinates: 31°14′25.44″N 34°42′50.76″E
CountryIsrael
DistrictSouthern
CouncilBnei Shimon
AffiliationKibbutz Movement
FoundedOctober 1946
Founded byIsraeli Scouts
Population
 (2018)[1]
832
Name meaningFarmyards
Websitewww.hatzerim.org.il

History

It was established in October 1946 by a young group of scouts who were then later joined by Polish-Jewish refugees from Soviet Union who reached Israel via Iran with the Polish Army, referred to as “The Children of Tehran” ("Dzieci Andersa" in Polish). They then learned agriculture and military training becoming part of the Haganah ground forces.

Members of the Palmach on a trek from Ashdot Ya'akov to Masada. Hatzerim 1947

In the 1960s the Hatzerim Airbase was built nearby. Hatzerim is now a well developed kibbutz (one of Israel's richest) due to the profit of Netafim. The kibbutz features facilities like a library, a swimming pool, a dentist, a zoo etc...

Hatzerim 1947 1:20,000 (red spot)

Netafim
Netafim offices at Hatzerim.

Hatzerim was one of the first kibbutzim (pl.) to break the mould from traditional agriculture and start a business. Netafim is the kibbutz business that started in 1965, that designs, manufactures and distributes irrigation systems. The business is also run with two other kibbutzim, Magal and Yiftach. There are also factories around the world, California, USA, South Africa, Western Australia and more. Netafim soon became a world leader in their field as a multinational corporation that grosses over $300 million a year. Hatzerim also produces jojoba oil. There are fields all around the kibbutz.[3]

References
  1. "Population in the Localities 2018" (XLS). Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. 25 August 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  2. Carta's Official Guide to Israel and Complete Gazetteer to all Sites in the Holy Land. (3rd edition 1993) Jerusalem, Carta, p.192f, ISBN 965-220-186-3 (English)
  3. Professor Roger Hayter. "Dynamics of Industrial Location - A Kibbutz-based MNC". Simon Fraser University (sfu.ca).

Further reading
  • Gavron, Daniel. The Kibbutz: Awakening from Utopia. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2000.
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