Kfar Tvor Tiyul
The first stop we made was at the first moshavot, or settlements made during the first Aliyah's. We sat near some smelly chickens and took notes then Yonatan made us tea and coffee. The Halutzim or the first people to go to Israel were living in Yishuv Yashen, (Religious people living in the holy cities) This Aliyah was called Aliyah Rishona and lasted from 1881 to 1903. About 60,000 Jews came to Israel at this time. Most people came to escape pogroms in Europe. Despite leaving problems behind, these young hopeful families had some problems in Israel too. For example they were in Ottoman territory, Arab people were already living in the land, it was very expensive to purchase. By law he land and dry the swamps, and Malaria was big in the swamps. An on top of everything, once they faced all those problems, they had to farm which was something the Jews didn't know how to do. This was also the beginning of the revival of the Hebrew language.
While sitting on the bench's taking notes a man came up to us and interrupted Ariella. He started talking to us and said that his friends (then pointed at them) grandparents were part of the Halutzim and that his cousins helped establish Kibbutzim around the Golan Heights. This was a meaningful experience to me because it showed how close we are to the history we learn about everyday and one day students on Heller High could be learning about something on of us did for Israel.
We then went to watch a movie. The main thing that it was about was the children saving the school. By Ottoman law you needed a permit to build anything, but the Jews broke that law. In 1911 they started building a school so the Ottomans came to try and tear it down. However there was another law that stated, if there was a roof on the building you cant tear it down. So what the children did was climb up to the walls and sit there chanting until the Ottomans gave up that day. And when the next day came and the Ottoman soldiers showed up there was a roof built so they had to turn around. The children's actions were very courageous and really showed what the movement was about. It also was a base for the IDF.
Next we talked about the second Aliyah, Aliyah Shinya. This lasted from 1904- 1914. During the 10 years about 33,000 Jews came to Israel. When they got to Israel they were disappointed in the first wave. They were employing Arab farmers and not gardening themselves. They also used help from rich people like Edmond Rothschild. He was a French banker and philanthropist who used his money to help found and maintain settlements. They looked down on them because they were doing Avodah Ivrit or not doing things for themselves which was what they were supposed to do.
After that we learned about the Kutza Group, they were the ones that made the first Kibbutzim. It all started with groups of Jews from the second Aliyah getting together to form groups making it easier to find work. They also wanted to create a place that was just and moral. So their solution was a place that everything was shared.. A Kibbutz! Although everything was shared they ran into some trouble sometimes with that. For example a woman got a nice blanket sent to her in the mail and since everything is shared, it is everyone's blanket. But she wants to keep it for herself because it is nice and from her family. So she would take it to the people and everyone would vote.
The last place we went to was a cemetery. This cemetery was made in 1911. The first person buried there was named Lotus. He was the first baby of the kibbutz. When he was born everyone was ecstatic. However the mom didn't know how to take care of him so she gave him veal. This caused him to get very ill and although they took him into the doctor in time, the nurse gave him an overdose of meds, killing him. He was about 3 months old. We also saw the grave of Rachel. She was a born in Russia then moved to Israel while she was young. She then left Israel to go to France to study. Then back to Russia where she got sick with Tuberculosis. After WW1 she moved back to Israel. Before she died she moved back to Israel where she spent her last years writing amazing poetry to her lover Noah, who she met on the Kibbutz. It is a hopeful place because of all the amazing things people who died there completed, but it is sad because of all the tragic ways their lives ended.
My question for the class is... Do you think the first Aliyah was a failure?and why was sharing such an important element for the Kibbutz?
Goldie inside on of the original farming houses on the Moshavot
The grave of Lotus
The grave of Rachel
Some people from the first Moshavot
While sitting on the bench's taking notes a man came up to us and interrupted Ariella. He started talking to us and said that his friends (then pointed at them) grandparents were part of the Halutzim and that his cousins helped establish Kibbutzim around the Golan Heights. This was a meaningful experience to me because it showed how close we are to the history we learn about everyday and one day students on Heller High could be learning about something on of us did for Israel.
We then went to watch a movie. The main thing that it was about was the children saving the school. By Ottoman law you needed a permit to build anything, but the Jews broke that law. In 1911 they started building a school so the Ottomans came to try and tear it down. However there was another law that stated, if there was a roof on the building you cant tear it down. So what the children did was climb up to the walls and sit there chanting until the Ottomans gave up that day. And when the next day came and the Ottoman soldiers showed up there was a roof built so they had to turn around. The children's actions were very courageous and really showed what the movement was about. It also was a base for the IDF.
Next we talked about the second Aliyah, Aliyah Shinya. This lasted from 1904- 1914. During the 10 years about 33,000 Jews came to Israel. When they got to Israel they were disappointed in the first wave. They were employing Arab farmers and not gardening themselves. They also used help from rich people like Edmond Rothschild. He was a French banker and philanthropist who used his money to help found and maintain settlements. They looked down on them because they were doing Avodah Ivrit or not doing things for themselves which was what they were supposed to do.
After that we learned about the Kutza Group, they were the ones that made the first Kibbutzim. It all started with groups of Jews from the second Aliyah getting together to form groups making it easier to find work. They also wanted to create a place that was just and moral. So their solution was a place that everything was shared.. A Kibbutz! Although everything was shared they ran into some trouble sometimes with that. For example a woman got a nice blanket sent to her in the mail and since everything is shared, it is everyone's blanket. But she wants to keep it for herself because it is nice and from her family. So she would take it to the people and everyone would vote.
The last place we went to was a cemetery. This cemetery was made in 1911. The first person buried there was named Lotus. He was the first baby of the kibbutz. When he was born everyone was ecstatic. However the mom didn't know how to take care of him so she gave him veal. This caused him to get very ill and although they took him into the doctor in time, the nurse gave him an overdose of meds, killing him. He was about 3 months old. We also saw the grave of Rachel. She was a born in Russia then moved to Israel while she was young. She then left Israel to go to France to study. Then back to Russia where she got sick with Tuberculosis. After WW1 she moved back to Israel. Before she died she moved back to Israel where she spent her last years writing amazing poetry to her lover Noah, who she met on the Kibbutz. It is a hopeful place because of all the amazing things people who died there completed, but it is sad because of all the tragic ways their lives ended.
My question for the class is... Do you think the first Aliyah was a failure?and why was sharing such an important element for the Kibbutz?
Goldie inside on of the original farming houses on the Moshavot
The grave of Lotus
The grave of RachelSome people from the first Moshavot
A replica of the Kids on the school wall
I do not think the first Aliyah was a failure at all. One might not say it succeeded exactly, but it is impossible to say that it is a failure because look how it ended up. Israel is a jewish state now, and it is thanks to the first Aliyah. People thought those of the first Aliyah were crazy, but they set in place a precedent for taking action and moving to the jewish homeland when you have the chance. Although it was far from perfect, I do not think Israel would exist, definitely not in the place it does now. Part of the reason the Uganda proposal was rejected was because there were already jews that had moved back and were living in Israel.
ReplyDeleteI think the reason sharing was so important on a Kibbutz was because there were so many people from such diverse places. Everyone had a different set of skills, and if you did not work together the community's skillset as a whole would be lacking. When people had so little and were in such a tight-nit community, it just makes sense to share what you have, and it gives a sense of security and trust to the group. Also, people were just used to socialist values.
I fully believe the first aliyah may not have a been a complete success but it definatly got the wheels turning for the other aliyah. If it wasn't for those first group of families in 1881 there wouldn't have been a 2nd group in 1904. I also believe that the members did the best they could to survive, even if it meant paying Arab neighbors to protect us and to work our fields.
ReplyDeleteI think that because everyone shared it kept everyone close together and being close was important. If everyone was on their own I don't think the first aliyah would have been a success because every person brought an important skill set to the group.
The first wave of aliyah was not a failure, it was a success. The Jewish people were able to survive, despite the odds of debt and trouble with agriculture. The sole purpose of Aliyah is to return to Israel is to get Jews back into the land of Zion, which is exactly what they did. These people did something so bold and so daring, how could you not say it was a success? They made the first step into making the land of Zion back into a Jewish state. The idea of kibbutzim and that everyone must work together for a common cause is what made the first aliyah so successful. If every man was for themselves, then they would not have made it. They were able to learn from each others mistakes, struggle/succeed as a community, and learn new skills as an Am.
ReplyDeleteThe first wave of aliyah was 100% not a failure, because this is the wave that set the precedent for the following waves. They were the first to take this giant leap of faith in going and settling in a new country to find something better for themselves. The extreme importance of sharing at kibbutzim showed how you have to help each other in order to help yourself.
ReplyDeleteIt was not a failure! I suppose it wasn't entirely successful but their initial goal was realized. It wasn't realized in the most safe/efficient way but the goal of zionsim has been realized. The first aliyah paved the way for others and in that way was a success.
ReplyDeleteI think that the first Aliyah was a success. The first Aliyah set the precedent for all others. They were pioneers. They were able to make it to Israel and survive there, which was their goal. If it weren’t for the first aliyah I’m not sure if the second aliyah would have happened. I think sharing is important in a kibbutz because the use communist values which including a lot of sharing. Communism promotes the idea of public ownership instead of private. This was also a good way to start a nation. Instead of having every person for themselves, they could work together. This made the work easier. They shared a common goal. They worked hard together to create a new home for themselves.
ReplyDeleteThe first aliyah was not a failure. If it was a failure there wouldn't have been a second aliyah and it definitely wouldn't have been called as the second aliyah. I think that the first aliyah was only a success because it gave a push to the future aliyahs to come and build homes in Israel. It showed that we as Zionists have a need to return to the land of Zion. And they succeeded!
ReplyDeleteI don't think that first aliyah was a failure because they were literally the first people to make it and look at Israel now. The first wave must have influenced everyone else because Israel is a pretty new country with a lot of success.
ReplyDeleteThe first wave of Aliyah was definitely not a failure. It was the start of the final return of the Jewish people to our homeland. Even though the lives of these people must have been very hard, it paid off in future generations. The basis of kibbutzim is sharing and it is nice to have these communities dispersed throughout the country
ReplyDeleteI think that the first Aliyah was not a failure at all. It provided the essential base for future Aliyot and by saying it's a failure is ignoring the fact that these were the brave soles who first left their homes with zionistic ideals and then passed the action down to future generations.
ReplyDeleteSharing is essential to Kibbutz life, at least at the time, because everyone was struggling when first coming to Israel. Most left a lot of family, friends, and homes behind, which I can say from personal experience, is very difficult. By forcing a community to share it allows the community as a whole to work together and flourish instead of having people who are succeeding more than others while trying to create a nation.
When people first began immigrating to Israel from Europe, most of them were not well off, and didn't have much to take with them to their new homes in the land of Israel. When they arrived, they already shared all their time and ideologies, so why not share what little belongings they had as well? Also, many of the immigrants, especially those coming from Eastern Europe, had grown up with socialist values instilled in them from a young age, and upon reaching the land of Israel, they acted upon those values.
ReplyDeleteI think this aliyah was not a failure. It was a gateway that inspired new waves of people to immigrate to the country. Though it was widely viewed by the Second Aliyah as a failure, the First Aliyah at least showed the newcomers their failures and how they can improve. The First Aliyah also lay the founding blocks for people to come in and settle in already built villages, a luxury that they did not have. Overall the First Aliyah at the time was a failure, but later in history it paid off as a foundation for Israel.
ReplyDelete