Neve Ilan
Encyclopedia
Neve Ilan is a moshav shitufi
in central Israel
. Located west of Jerusalem, it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Yehuda Regional Council
. In 2006 it had a population of 319. Previously a kibbutz
, it remains a member of the Kibbutz Movement
despite its change in status to a moshav.
from an Arab
effendi
from Abu Ghosh
at the urging of David Ben-Gurion
in order to establish a "Kibbutz
Army Post" to defend the Jerusalem road.
The initial 31 settlers were 17 young men and 14 young women, mostly from France
and Europe. After a short spell working in Hadera
they moved to Neve Ilan in October 1946; the settlement was initially a fortified post with bunkers and ammunition stores, with the residents living in tents, and later in two cabins. They used the effendi's stone house as their dining room, kitchen, and clinic.
At the end of November 1947, the road to Jerusalem was cut off, and the area from Neve Ilan to Hulda, the starting point of the caravans, was controlled by the Arabs, who dominated the hilltops overlooking Bab al-Wad all the way to the Neve Ilan plateau. On May 8, Palmach
fighters, part of “Operation Macabee”, gathered at Neve Ilan in preparation for the attack on the village of Saris
, and the western approach to Bab al-Wad.
During the battles for the road to Jerusalem, a generator and perimeter lighting were set up at the kibbutz, in order to proclaim that a Jewish settlement was situated there. At the start of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
in late May 1948, the Jordanian Legion
, based in Yalo
, shelled Neve Ilan, causing heavy damage.
After Operation Nachshon
and the battles for the road to Jerusalem, the settlers began construction at Neve Ilan. The original residents were joined by settlers from France and Algeria
, who had survived the nightmarish voyage on the ship, Exodus
.
In 1956, the kibbutz was disbanded and vacated, due to economic and social problems.
. The members arrived in early 1970, and moved into the homes built by the Jewish Agency
, with the settlement re-established as a moshav in 1971.
Moshav shitufi
A Moshav shitufi is a type of cooperative village in Israel whose organizational principles place it between the kibbutz and the moshav on the scale of cooperation...
in central Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. Located west of Jerusalem, it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Yehuda Regional Council
Mateh Yehuda Regional Council
Mateh Yehuda Regional Council is a regional council in the Jerusalem District of Israel. In 2008 it was home to 36,200 people.The name of the regional council stems from the fact that its territory was part of the land allotted to the Tribe of Judah, according to the Bible.-Places and...
. In 2006 it had a population of 319. Previously a kibbutz
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...
, it remains a member of the Kibbutz Movement
Kibbutz Movement
The Kibbutz Movement is the largest settlement movement for kibbutzim in Israel. It was formed in 1999 by a partial merger of the United Kibbutz Movement and Kibbutz Artzi.-United Kibbutz Movement:...
despite its change in status to a moshav.
Kibbutz
The land on which Neve Ilan is located was purchased by the Jewish National FundJewish 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...
from an Arab
Arab
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...
effendi
Effendi
Effendi, Effendy or Efendi is a title of nobility meaning a lord or master.It is a title of respect or courtesy, equivalent to the English Sir, which was used in Ottoman Empire...
from Abu Ghosh
Abu Ghosh
Abu Ghosh is an Israeli Arab town in Israel, located west of Jerusalem on the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway. It is situated 610–720 meters above sea level. In 2010, it set the Guinness World Record for largest dish of hummus...
at the urging of David Ben-Gurion
David Ben-Gurion
' was the first Prime Minister of Israel.Ben-Gurion's passion for Zionism, which began early in life, led him to become a major Zionist leader and Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization in 1946...
in order to establish a "Kibbutz
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...
Army Post" to defend the Jerusalem road.
The initial 31 settlers were 17 young men and 14 young women, mostly from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Europe. After a short spell working in Hadera
Hadera
Hadera is a city located in the Haifa District of Israel approximately from the major cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa. The city is located along of the Israeli Mediterranean Coastal Plain...
they moved to Neve Ilan in October 1946; the settlement was initially a fortified post with bunkers and ammunition stores, with the residents living in tents, and later in two cabins. They used the effendi's stone house as their dining room, kitchen, and clinic.
At the end of November 1947, the road to Jerusalem was cut off, and the area from Neve Ilan to Hulda, the starting point of the caravans, was controlled by the Arabs, who dominated the hilltops overlooking Bab al-Wad all the way to the Neve Ilan plateau. On May 8, Palmach
Palmach
The Palmach was the elite fighting force of the Haganah, the underground army of the Yishuv during the period of the British Mandate of Palestine. The Palmach was established on May 15, 1941...
fighters, part of “Operation Macabee”, gathered at Neve Ilan in preparation for the attack on the village of Saris
Saris
Saris was a Palestinian Arab village that was depopulated during the major offensive launched by the Haganah on 6 April 1948. Called Operation Nachshon, and launched before the British had left Palestine, its objective was to capture villages between Jerusalem and the coastal plain.-History:During...
, and the western approach to Bab al-Wad.
During the battles for the road to Jerusalem, a generator and perimeter lighting were set up at the kibbutz, in order to proclaim that a Jewish settlement was situated there. At the start of 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...
in late May 1948, the Jordanian Legion
Arab Legion
The Arab Legion was the regular army of Transjordan and then Jordan in the early part of the 20th century.-Creation:...
, based in Yalo
Yalo
Yalo was a Palestinian Arab village located 13 kilometres southeast of Ramla. Identified by Edward Robinson as the ancient Canaanite city of Aijalon, after the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, Jordan formally annexed Yalo along with the rest of the West Bank...
, shelled Neve Ilan, causing heavy damage.
After Operation Nachshon
Operation Nachshon
Operation Nachshon was an Jewish military operation during the 1948 war. Lasting from 5–20 April 1948, its objective was to break the Siege of Jerusalem by opening the Tel-Aviv - Jerusalem road blockaded by Palestinian Arabs and to supply food and weapons to the isolated Jewish community of...
and the battles for the road to Jerusalem, the settlers began construction at Neve Ilan. The original residents were joined by settlers from France and Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, who had survived the nightmarish voyage on the ship, Exodus
Exodus (ship)
Exodus 1947 was a ship that carried Jewish emigrants, that left France on July 11, 1947, with the intent of taking its passengers to the British mandate for Palestine. Most of the emigrants were Holocaust survivor refugees, who had no legal immigration certificates to Palestine...
.
In 1956, the kibbutz was disbanded and vacated, due to economic and social problems.
Moshav
In the late sixties, the Young Judeans in America sent a group to establish an industrial village in IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. The members arrived in early 1970, and moved into the homes built by the Jewish Agency
Jewish Agency for Israel
The Jewish Agency for Israel , also known as the Sochnut or JAFI, served as the organization in charge of immigration and absorption of Jews from the Diaspora into the state of Israel.-History:...
, with the settlement re-established as a moshav in 1971.