English

Kibbutz Saar

Identity

Location: about 3 kilometers north of Nahariyya.

Established August 6, 1948

History

Kibbutz Saar was founded by youth from the Israeli Hashomer Hazair movement, together with members of the first Israeli Aliyat haNoar (youth movement affiliated with the Jewish Agency) which was trained in Kibbutz Tel Amal (afterwards known as Kibbutz Nir David) . They were joined by members of youth groups, refugees of the Holocaust, from Kibbutz Kfar Menashe. The founders of the kibbutz received their training during the years 1946-1947 in Kibbutz Ruhama and Kibbutz Ein Hamifratz, with their aspirations set on a new idea for fulfillment: the establishment of a fishing kibbutz in the Mediterranean waters, which would combine fishing with modern agriculture.

In the stormy days of the War of Independence, most members of the group were scattered amongst sections of the Palmach, Palyam and later the Navy. They were sent to reinforce the defenders of Kibbutz Yehiam, then besieged. A request was made by the kibbutz movement's higher institutions, to temporarily seize a hill which controlled access to the northern road from Nahariyya, which was now breached. On August 6, 1948 the founding group took this hill and settled in the abandoned barracks of the former British Army camp (later known as Givat Trumpeldor --Trumpeldor Hill.) With the winning of all of the Galilee, it was decided to establish the kibbutz in the Western Galilee. After many discussions between the supporters of settlements in what is today the gulf of Achziv and supporters of settlements on the land but as close as possible to the sea, the latter won.

On November 2, 1952 the kibbutz celebrated its establishment on the bare hill which was just north of the abandoned British Army base. Immediately upon arriving in the Western Galilee, a fishing group was formed with the aim of coastal fishing and motorized fishing from the Gulf of Achziv. A second group of fishermen received training in a trawler in foreign vessels. In 1949 we received our first ship "Shomria" which was suitable for fishing in deep waters and whose area of activity stretched from the Sinai coast to the Turkish coast and which was based in the Haifa Port. In 1955 the second trawler arrived for the kibbutz "Saar". She was greatly advanced technologically from her sister ship "Shomria." The branch of fishing now assumed a central place in the economic and social life of the kibbutz.

Along side of the fishing branch was established a multi-branched agricultural farm: field crops, orchards, a banana plantation and live stock (chickens and cows). Due to low profits in the fishing industry and because having the majority of the kibbutz members working in the fishing industry negatively affected the social and economic fabric of the kibbutz, it was decided after 10 years of continual personal and collective efforts, to discontinue work in the fishing industry and to concentrate on building a healthy social basis for the kibbutz as an agricultural settlement which would guarantee the kibbutz' future.

Population

The composition of the population has of course undergone changes throughout the years. Immediately upon the kibbutz' foundation it was joined by members of the youth movement from Romania and Bulgaria and who were trained the in youth group of Kibbutz Nir David. In 1954 they were joined by the "Hotrim" whose members were seniors from the sea-going branches of Hashomer Hazair in Tel Aviv and Hadera. Later, in 1963, they were joined by the group "Gaash" from Argentina, and throughout the following years other groups from Hashomer Hazair youth movement from Central and South America. In addition, young adults who were raised in Hevrot Noar inour kibbutz and other kibbutzim as well as sons born and raised in the kibbutz chose to establish their lives here as well as other families and single people who chose Saar as their home. We are indeed a melting pot of American, Argentinean, Bulgarian, Chilean, Egyptian, French, German, Iranian, Iraqi, Israeli, Mexican, Moroccan, Portugese, Uraguayan, Russian, Turkish and Yemenite members.

The new kibbutz – Kibbutz Saar in the 2000's

As we approach the end of the first decade of the 21st century Kibbutz Saar is completing the process of many changes and is intensifying the process of demographic growth. These processes place us at the start of a period which will culminate within a few years in a new character for the community – a radical change which will bring us a completely new identity. These processes became, at the end of the 1990's – the years following the "kibbutz crisis" deeply felt from the beginning of the 1980's, also felt in Kibbutz Saar. Alongside of the complete recovery of the kibbutz as a social-economic entity, the life of the kibbutz members has changed completely as well as has that of his family. The four most important principles of this change are to be found in the new model of livelihood called "safety net" which we have had in the kibbutz from the beginning of 2003.

These principles are:

Full freedom of activity for the member and his family in all aspects of their lives, especially with regard to livelihood.

The existence of an economic security net: socially oriented which guarantees a fair standard of living for the member at present and in the future.

A continuation of the educational institutions mutual aid and cultural life.

A continuation of the collective economic branches.

The most important stepping stones in the process of renewal are found in each of the above basic living elements.

Demography

The permanent population of the kibbutz has increased by 50 % during these days by the establishment of adjoining and neighborhoods. In them 60 new families who have been accepted into the Cooperative Society of Community Settlement. Kibbutz-born sons have returned with their families and are establishing their homes here. The kibbutz is now in the process of absorbing new members.

Culture

The Tsevet Tapuah is initiating varied cultural activities, including an active club room and celebrations of Israeli holidays.

Personal economic endeavors

The kibbutz has accepted the model of differential wages in order to enable its members to enjoy freedom of occupation and activity in all its aspects, especially in work and salary.

Cooperative areas

The kibbutz "debt" crisis is resolved.

The recovery of the kibbutz businesses, including industry, agriculture and various services which provide an income for dozens of families, help the members.

Social area

Alongside of the economic security net in the model of employment, the kibbutz staff which serves the kibbutz community provides a mechanism to guarantee mutual help in the areas of subsidies in education, health, collective insurance and guaranteed pension.

Home-ownership

Just as the adjoining neighborhood residents built their homes on plots registered in their name, so the members of the kibbutz, in these days, are completing the process of registering their homes in plots registered in their own names.

Education

There is a continuation of the extensive educational system encompassing birth to age 18 embued with the well-known education values of the kibbutz.

What does the future hold?

In Saar we have two communities which had a common goal: an improved quality of life for it's inhabitants, the permanent population of 180 homes, who enjoy a cultural life, leisure and a cooperative society. This community, the society which is from the legal standing "Community Society", comprises both kibbutz members and permanent members who have been accepted into the Society. The community of kibbutz members – the :agricultural society which absorbs new members, hopes to increase in strength and members.

Kibbutz Saar has successfully completed 10 years of progress encompassing drastic changes in every aspect of its life, both private and collective, and now is at the threshold of a new and optimistic future of continuation, growth and renewal.