Ein Zeitim
Encyclopedia
Ein Zeitim was a kibbutz
near Safed
established in 1891. It was founded by members of the Dorshei Zion (Seekers of Zion) society, a Zionist pioneer group from Minsk
. Despite strong opposition by the Turkish government, the settlers managed to create farms with olive groves, orchards and dairy and poultry.
Ein Zeitim was built 800m north of the Arab village Ein al-Zeitun
, which had commonly been called Ein Zeitim in Hebrew and had been a mixed Arab-Jewish village during the Middle Ages.
In 1891 some speculators bought 430 hectares of land about 3 km north of Safed, and sold it to a party of laborers. Unable to work the land properly, the new owners transferred it to Baron de Rothschild
, with whose assistance 750,000 vines and many fruit-trees were planted in the course of six or seven years, and during this time a number of houses were built. The population in 1898 was 51.
In 1947 Ein Zeitim had a population of 100. According to a 1948 book by the Jewish National Fund
, during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
, the kibbutz was attacked by the Arabs in an attempt to capture the Jewish community of Safad. The Arab population of Ein Zeitim was captured by the Jewish garrison of the kibbutz, thus paving the way for the liberation of Safed, and the Eastern Galilee.
Kibbutz
A kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
near Safed
Safed
Safed , is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Located at an elevation of , Safed is the highest city in the Galilee and of Israel. Due to its high elevation, Safed experiences warm summers and cold, often snowy, winters...
established in 1891. It was founded by members of the Dorshei Zion (Seekers of Zion) society, a Zionist pioneer group from Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
. Despite strong opposition by the Turkish government, the settlers managed to create farms with olive groves, orchards and dairy and poultry.
Ein Zeitim was built 800m north of the Arab village Ein al-Zeitun
Ein al-Zeitun
Ein al-Zeitun, also spelled Ein Zaytun, Ein ez-Zeitun, Ain al-Zaytun or Ain el-Zeitun, was a Palestinian Arab village, located north of Safad in the Upper Galilee. In 1945, the village had a population of 820 inhabitants and a total land area of 1,100 dunams. Ein al-Zeitun was entirely Muslim...
, which had commonly been called Ein Zeitim in Hebrew and had been a mixed Arab-Jewish village during the Middle Ages.
In 1891 some speculators bought 430 hectares of land about 3 km north of Safed, and sold it to a party of laborers. Unable to work the land properly, the new owners transferred it to Baron de Rothschild
Edmond James de Rothschild
Baron Edmond Benjamin James de Rothschild was a French member of the Rothschild banking family. A strong supporter of Zionism, his generous donations lent significant support to the movement during its early years, which helped lead to the establishment of the State of Israel.- Early years :A...
, with whose assistance 750,000 vines and many fruit-trees were planted in the course of six or seven years, and during this time a number of houses were built. The population in 1898 was 51.
In 1947 Ein Zeitim had a population of 100. According to a 1948 book by the Jewish National Fund
Jewish National Fund
The Jewish National Fund was founded in 1901 to buy and develop land in Ottoman Palestine for Jewish settlement. The JNF is a quasi-governmental, non-profit organisation...
, during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
1948 Arab-Israeli War
The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...
, the kibbutz was attacked by the Arabs in an attempt to capture the Jewish community of Safad. The Arab population of Ein Zeitim was captured by the Jewish garrison of the kibbutz, thus paving the way for the liberation of Safed, and the Eastern Galilee.