Rivka Guber
Encyclopedia
Rivka Guber was an Israeli social worker and pioneer, and a recipient of the Israel Prize
.
, Russian Empire
and immigrated to Mandate Palestine in 1925. She settled in Rehovot
, with her husband, Mordecai, and together they helped found Kfar Bilu
. They later left to join Kfar Warburg
, where they raised their children, Ephraim (born 1927), Zvi (born 1931), and Haya (born 1938).
During World War II, Guber volunteered for the Auxiliary Territorial Service
of the British Army, where she served from 1940 to 1942.
With the outbreak of the Israel's War of Independence, her son Ephraim joined the Hagana, and fell in battle on March 26, 1948, two months before the state was declared. His younger brother, Zvi, fell in battle on July 8, 1948. In her book Im ha-Banim (with my sons), Guber describes her sons and family. She bore her grief bravely and came to be known as “Em ha-Banim” (mother of the sons).
During the wave of immigration in the early state years (1948–1951) the Gubers worked to help new immigrants living in the transit camp at Qastina
. After several years of helping immigrants in the area, they volunteered in 1955 to move to Hevel Lachish. The Gubers donated their farm at Kfar Warburg to the state’s Defense Fund and went to live at Nogah, in the Lachish region, where they were involved in immigrant absorption. The couple later moved to Nehora
, the village center of Hevel Lachish, which was established to provide the surrounding settlements with health, educational and cultural services and trades. Here Rivka established a school and set up a library.
Guber was also active in the women’s organizations of the labor movement, served as a member of the Mo’ezet (precursor of Na'amat
) and volunteered for various social causes in both the pre-state period and following the establishment of the state. She was involved in public life, and a loyal supporter of David Ben-Gurion
; when he left Mapai
to found the Rafi
party in 1965, she followed him and became active in the institutions of the new party.
In 1968, the Gubers were invited to settle in moshav
Kfar Ahim
, a community of Holocaust survivors who had arrived in Mandate Palestine
as illegal immigrants, named “Village of the Brothers” in honor of the Gubers’ sons, Ephraim and Zvi.
In 1979, when Prime Minister Menahem Begin traveled to Washington for the signing of the peace treaty with Egypt, he included Guber in the Israeli delegation in appreciation of her work.
In their later years, the Gubers lived in a nursing home in Tel Aviv. After Mordecai’s death in 1978, Rivka continued to write and become involved wherever she could be of help. In 1981, she took her own life by jumping from a high building.
Guber is buried alongside her sons in the Kfar Warburg cemetery.
Israel Prize
The Israel Prize is an award handed out by the State of Israel and is largely regarded as the state's highest honor. It is presented annually, on Israeli Independence Day, in a state ceremony in Jerusalem, in the presence of the President, the Prime Minister, the Knesset chairperson, and the...
.
Biography
Rivka Guber (née Bumaghina) was born in UkraineUkraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
and immigrated to Mandate Palestine in 1925. She settled in Rehovot
Rehovot
Rehovot is a city in the Center District of Israel, about south of Tel Aviv. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2009 the city had a total population of 112,700. Rehovot's official website estimates the population at 114,000.Rehovot was built on the site of Doron,...
, with her husband, Mordecai, and together they helped found Kfar Bilu
Kfar Bilu
Kfar Bilu is a moshav in central Israel. Located between Rehovot and Kiryat Ekron, it falls under the jurisdiction of Gezer Regional Council. In December 2010 it had a population of 1,318....
. They later left to join Kfar Warburg
Kfar Warburg
Kfar Warburg is a large moshav in central Israel. Located near Kiryat Malakhi with 98 farms covering an area of 6,000 dunams, it falls under the jurisdiction of Be'er Tuvia Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 873....
, where they raised their children, Ephraim (born 1927), Zvi (born 1931), and Haya (born 1938).
During World War II, Guber volunteered for the Auxiliary Territorial Service
Auxiliary Territorial Service
The Auxiliary Territorial Service was the women's branch of the British Army during the Second World War...
of the British Army, where she served from 1940 to 1942.
With the outbreak of the Israel's War of Independence, her son Ephraim joined the Hagana, and fell in battle on March 26, 1948, two months before the state was declared. His younger brother, Zvi, fell in battle on July 8, 1948. In her book Im ha-Banim (with my sons), Guber describes her sons and family. She bore her grief bravely and came to be known as “Em ha-Banim” (mother of the sons).
During the wave of immigration in the early state years (1948–1951) the Gubers worked to help new immigrants living in the transit camp at Qastina
Qastina
Qastina was a Palestinian village, located 38 kilometers northeast of Gaza City. It was depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.-Location:...
. After several years of helping immigrants in the area, they volunteered in 1955 to move to Hevel Lachish. The Gubers donated their farm at Kfar Warburg to the state’s Defense Fund and went to live at Nogah, in the Lachish region, where they were involved in immigrant absorption. The couple later moved to Nehora
Nehora
Nehora is a moshav in the southern Israeli Coastal Plain about 5 km west Kiryat Gat in south-central Israel. It belongs to the Lakhish Regional Council. It is located just east of Route 352, across the road from Noga....
, the village center of Hevel Lachish, which was established to provide the surrounding settlements with health, educational and cultural services and trades. Here Rivka established a school and set up a library.
Guber was also active in the women’s organizations of the labor movement, served as a member of the Mo’ezet (precursor of Na'amat
Na'amat
Na'amat is an Israeli women's organization affiliated with the Labour Zionist Movement. Na'amat was founded in 1921.-Etymology:Na'amat is an acronym for Nashim Ovdot U'Mitnadvot , lit. "Working and Volunteering Women."-History:...
) and volunteered for various social causes in both the pre-state period and following the establishment of the state. She was involved in public life, and a loyal supporter 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...
; when he left Mapai
Mapai
Mapai was a left-wing political party in Israel, and was the dominant force in Israeli politics until its merger into the Israeli Labor Party in 1968...
to found the Rafi
Rafi
Rafi is a male name used by Muslims, Jews and Christians of Armenian origin . The word Rafi is of Arabic origin, and its meaning is "holding high" or "servant of the exalted one". Common variants include "Rafee", "Rafie", "Raffi", Rafiq, "Rafay" and "Raffy". Amongst Jews, Rafi is a common nickname...
party in 1965, she followed him and became active in the institutions of the new party.
In 1968, the Gubers were invited to settle in moshav
Moshav
Moshav is a type of Israeli town or settlement, in particular a type of cooperative agricultural community of individual farms pioneered by the Labour Zionists during the second aliyah...
Kfar Ahim
Kfar Ahim
Kfar Ahim is a moshav in south-central Israel. Located near Kiryat Malakhi, it falls under the jurisdiction of Be'er Tuvia Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 453....
, a community of Holocaust survivors who had arrived in Mandate Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
as illegal immigrants, named “Village of the Brothers” in honor of the Gubers’ sons, Ephraim and Zvi.
In 1979, when Prime Minister Menahem Begin traveled to Washington for the signing of the peace treaty with Egypt, he included Guber in the Israeli delegation in appreciation of her work.
In their later years, the Gubers lived in a nursing home in Tel Aviv. After Mordecai’s death in 1978, Rivka continued to write and become involved wherever she could be of help. In 1981, she took her own life by jumping from a high building.
Guber is buried alongside her sons in the Kfar Warburg cemetery.
Awards and honors
- In 1976, Guber was awarded the Israel PrizeIsrael PrizeThe Israel Prize is an award handed out by the State of Israel and is largely regarded as the state's highest honor. It is presented annually, on Israeli Independence Day, in a state ceremony in Jerusalem, in the presence of the President, the Prime Minister, the Knesset chairperson, and the...
, for her special contribution to society and the State of Israel, for her life’s work in education and immigrant absorption. - In 1992, the Israel Postal Authority issued a stamp in Guber's honor, bearing three portraints of her.
Published works
- The Brothers, 1950
- To the Torches of Lachish, 1961
- Only a Path, 1970
- These Are the Legends of Kfar Ahim, 1974
- The Tradition to Bequeath, 1979