KIBBUTZ YOTVATA - A BRIEF HISTORY - for more photographs....

Kibbutz Yotvata is situated 42 kms. north of the town of Eilat. The name "Yotvata" is found in the Bible, in Deuteronomy, chapter 10, verse 7, as being the name of one of the way stations used by the children of Israel in their wanderings from Egypt to the land of Canaan.

"And they journeyed from Hor ha Gidgad and camped at Yotvata, a land of flowing rivers."

The kibbutz was founded at the end of 1957 by a group of young people aged 20, "gareen" members from a "Nahal" unit of the United Kibbutz Movement. Up until the foundation of Yotvata as a permanent settlement, it was a "Nahal" settlement called "Ain Radyan".

At this time the gareen members changed every 6 months. The gareen "Magal v'Herev (Sickle and Sword), the group who founded the kibbutz, consisted of young people from Tel Aviv and Rehovot, a large group of graduates from the agricultural school, the "Green Village" (Kfar ha Yarok). Joining this group were kibbutz members from all over the country as well as members from other garinim that came to the kibbutz as part of their army service during the following years. Later, others, including some families, arrived independently, unconnected with the kibbutz movement or the army. People from different countries also joined and, in the last few years, families from the CIS.

In 1960 the first children were born in the kibbutz. The education system was the same in all the kibbutzim at that time, where the children lived in children's houses and not with their parents. It was only in 1979, after many serious and difficult debates, did the system in Yotvata change and the children start sleeping at home.Today there are almost 200 children in the kibbutz up to the age of 18. The first grade class in 1966 had 3 pupils. The area school, which developed from the local school in Yotvata, and has classes from first to twelfth grade, provides for all the settlements in the Southern Arava. Today there are more than 600 pupils from 11 settlements. There are also students from the "Naaleh" project.

From the period of the Nahal settlement, before the permanent settlement, there were agricultural experiments in order to study the unknown local conditions - the land, water and climate. They tried to grow different kinds of fruit trees and various types of vegetables. In the first few years they planted citrus trees, guavas, pomegranates and, of course, a vineyard which was ploughed up in the 70's. The date orchard which, by the end of the year, will cover 100 acres, was the first orchard in the Southern Arava. To this was added a mango plantation in the 80's which now covers 50 acres.

Up until 1960, the members lived in huts from the Nahal settlement preceding the foundation of the kibbutz. During this year the first houses were built along with the communal dining room which served the members until 1980 when the current dining room was constructed. Also the first children's house was built and the kibbutz started spreading slowly northwards, housing as well as production and service branches.

Vegetables grown during the first years included; peppers, eggplants, tomatoes and even melons. They also grew flowers, especially Gladioli. These were very successful but needed many hands, and, as the years passed, the kibbutz decided to give them up. Today we grow onions, sweet potatoes, potatoes, corn and turf as well as cattle fodder.

The largest production branch in Yotvata is the dairy. It's base was the Cowsheds which were developed in spite of the experts warnings that in the climate of the Arava it would be impossible to cultivate a milking herd. In spite of them the Cowsheds of Yotvata are among the foremost in the country. The dairy was founded in 1964 by a kibbutz member, Uri Horazo, who was tragically killed in a road accident in 1966.

Yotvata is the oldest kibbutz in the Southern Arava. During the 60's and 70's other kibbutzim were founded; Eilot 1962, Grofit 1966, Ketura 1973 and Samar 1976. Later came Yahel, Elifaz and Lotan. In the 80's, in the Shizafon valley, Neve Harif and in the 90's, Neot Smadar. Each of these settlements is a partner in the area council of Hevel Eilot. The council provides the basic services necessary in spite of the distance from the centre of the country - 320 kms. from Tel Aviv, 200 from Be'er Sheva. These services include; education, public transport, refuse collecting, research and development and cultural events. The agricultural experimental station, where some members of Yotvata work, helps Yotvata. The station was developed in the 60's and is still involved in the agricultural development in the area.

Kibbutz Yotvata considers itself to be part of the 'old guard' of the kibbutz movement, a traditional kibbutz. The process of privatization which is sweeping through many kibbutzim is not accepted by most of the members of Yotvata who beleive in the continuation of the principles of true partnership, equality and mutual sharing and support, principles on which the kibutz has rested since it's foundation.

The main bodies which manage the kibbutz society are the general meetnigs of the members (once a fortnight), the central committee and other committees which deal with different aspects of kibbutz life (there are more than 30 of these committees). New members are accepted by a vote at the general meetings after two years of candidacy.

In the work arena, Yotvata makes every effort to stick to the original kibbutz ideals. The number of hired workers is very small, all branches, production and service, are based almost exclusively on the work of kibbutz members. However, we are helped by temporary volunteers from abroad.

The connection to the centre of the country was a real problem in the past. During the first few years of the kibbutz, a trip to Jerusalem or Tel Aviv would take between 6 and 7 hours. Up until the 80's the kibbutz members would use mainly public transport - in particular Egged buses from Eilat. Since 1989 there has been another possibility - air travel. For many years the distance to the centre of the country was a burden on the kibbutz members, especially in the area of university studies and keeping in contact with their families as they grew older. These problems were, for the most part, solved by the option of flying, an option which takes less than an hour. In addition, the kibbutz has a car pool for the use of it's members, locally and in Tel Aviv. Members don't own private cars.

The special conditions which, on the one hand, make it harder to be a member of Yotvata, but on the other hand, present possibilities that don't exist in other areas of the country. In the Arava there is a magic, even today. These days, when many kibbutzim are changing their faces and characters, we are still, here in Yotvata, rising to the constant challenge of developing a strong kibbutz with a broad base which continues to be a home for it's 265 members.