Kabri

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Kabri (Hebrew: כברי‎, also transliterated Cabri) is a kibbutz in Israel's Western Galilee, about four kilometres east of the Mediterranean seaside town of Nahariya. It has a population of approximately 800 people. Kabri, a member of the Kibbutz Movement, receives its municipal services from the Matte Asher Regional Council.

[edit] History

[edit] Prehistory

The overflowing springs and rich greenery of the area in which Kabri is today located attracted human settlers already 16,000 years ago. In this period -- the Neolithic -- humans were engaged in hunting and gathering food. Around the year 10000 BCE, humans began building permanent structures. From then until today, people have continued to live around the Kabri springs.

These facts were discovered over the course of seven years by archaeological digs in the remains of a huge ancient city which was discovered in Kabri's avocado groves. The city was built around the year 2500 BCE and was very large -- its territory ranged over 32 hectares, and was surrounded by dirt embankments which were 7 meters high and 35 meters thick, on which were built guard towers.

This city (whose name is not known) was a city-state in the heart of which was placed the palace of the ruling monarch. The two-story palace was decorated with colorful frescoes and ornaments, some of which may have been done by laborers from Crete. Residents of the city (their number is estimated at 5,000) earned their living through agriculture and international commerce. Leftover bits and pieces of merchandise whose origins lay in Egypt, Turkey and Crete were found in the ruins and in graves during the excavations. The city was connected to a port on the coast, apparently the one under Achziv.

The city-state was completely abandoned around the year 1600 BCE for unknown reasons.

[edit] Ancient history

After a few generations, the Phoenicians established next to the abandoned city a fortress town on 1.5 hectares, in which were found the weapons and kitchen equipment of Greek mercenaries, as well as an extremely rare bowl, in which was prepared the main export of the Phoenicians -- that most expensive of all colors, purple.

That settlement survived from the 9th century BCE until the end of 7th century, at which time it was destroyed by the Babylonians.

[edit] Modern history

The Arab village of al-Kabri existed at the site from the post-Crusader period until 1949. According to Israeli historian Benny Morris, a Haganah attack led to the flight of most of the villagers, while others were killed in what became known as the al-Kabri massacre). The Haganah planned to "destroy and burn" Al-Kabri and neighboring villages in the western Galilee. Later, Al-Kabri was among villages razed to ensure that indigenous residents "could and would never return." (Morris, Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem, 1947-9, 1st. ed, p. 125)

In 1949 a new kibbutz was founded on the site of the village by displaced members of kibbutz Beit HaArava and young refugees from the Youth Aliyah. Beit HaArava was located along the Jordan River near Jericho, and had been evacuated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, was subsequently destroyed by the invading Jordanian forces. Beit HaArava's children and noncombatant women members had been evacuated to kibbutz Shefayim during the War of Independence. The members subsequently divided in 1949 into two groups. One became the founding members of Kabri and the other joined Gesher HaZiv, another kibbutz in the Western Galilee.

[edit] Geography

The kibbutz is situated near four natural springs, which provide water to it and the neighboring moshavim of Ben-Ami and Netiv HaShayara. There are also two archeological sites within its boundaries: Tel Kabri and a Byzantine well and mosaic floor. It commands a view of the Mediterranean and is within sight of the Lebanese border.

[edit] Economy

The kibbutz supports itself from a successful banana plantation and avocado groves, a metal and wax casting factory (Cabiran), a plastics factory (Ri'on), a restaurant, regional auditorium, and a vacation village.

[edit] Educational institutions

Two schools are located on the kibbutz grounds -- the "Maayanot" regional elementary school and the "Manor-Kabri" regional high school -- in which children and youth of the kibbutz and nearby settlements receive their education. The high school particularly emphasizes education in the arts, offering majors (Grades 10-12) in music, visual arts, drama, and cinema/video. Owing to the educational programs offered in the performing arts along with academic subjects from the state curriculum, it attracts pupils from all over the area.

There is also a childcare system for infants, toddlers, and kindergartners, and adult education with a range of cultural activities.

[edit] External links

• Official website