Kfar Tavor
Encyclopedia
Kfar Tavor is a village in the Lower Galilee region of northern Israel, at the foot of Mount Tabor. Founded in 1901, it was awarded local council status in 1949. In 2008, Kfar Tavor had a population of 2,700.
village. It was renamed in 1903 at the urging of Zionist
leader Menachem Ussishkin who visited the site and was surprised to find it had no Hebrew
name. At first, there was some debate over whether to use the term kfar ("village"), which some residents thought would bode badly for future growth. Ussishkin responded that he had visited the German
town of Düsseldorf
, which had also originated as a dorf, or village, but was now a full-fledged city.
The Rothschild administration determined that the site was ideal for cultivating grapes. The vineyards of Kfar Tavor became a major supplier of quality grapes to the country's leading wineries
. In 1999, after a century of supplying raw materials, four families established the Tabor Winery.
History
Kfar Tavor was established in 1901 by pioneers of the First Aliya. Twenty-eight farmers settled in the area with the assistance of the philanthropist Baron Edmond de Rothschild. The new settlement was originally known as Mas'ha, the name of the nearby ArabArab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
village. It was renamed in 1903 at the urging of Zionist
Zionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
leader Menachem Ussishkin who visited the site and was surprised to find it had no Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
name. At first, there was some debate over whether to use the term kfar ("village"), which some residents thought would bode badly for future growth. Ussishkin responded that he had visited the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
town of Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
, which had also originated as a dorf, or village, but was now a full-fledged city.
The Rothschild administration determined that the site was ideal for cultivating grapes. The vineyards of Kfar Tavor became a major supplier of quality grapes to the country's leading wineries
Israeli wine
Israeli wine is produced by hundreds of wineries, ranging in size from small boutique enterprises to large companies producing over ten million bottles per year. Wine has been produced in the Land of Israel since biblical times. In 2009, Israeli wine exports totaled over $22 million...
. In 1999, after a century of supplying raw materials, four families established the Tabor Winery.
Landmarks
In the Hameyasdim neighborhood, the core of the colony, there is the colony museum and other sites, including the Hashomer house, the first school and teacher's house (now a library) and a synagogue that was built in 1937. Another school, built in 1911, now serves as the Shenkar Tzfira Music Center. The main street of the neighborhood has houses left from the colony's early days, as well as parts of the wall that surrounded the settlement.Notable residents
- Yigal AllonYigal AllonYigal Allon was an Israeli politician, a commander of the Palmach, and a general in the IDF. He served as one of the leaders of Ahdut HaAvoda party and the Israeli Labor party, and acting Prime Minister of Israel, and was a member of the Knesset and government minister from the 10th through the...
, politician, commander of the Palmach, and general in the IDF, was born in Kfar Tavor.
