Who we are: Countries of origin


Who Kibbutz Reshafim was founded in 1948 by Jews from Roumania, Poland and Palestine, many of whom had been in Concentration and Labour Camps, had been interned in Cyprus or had illegally entered the country. A group of Eastern¹ and Argentinian Jews joined in the 50's. From the sixties onwards the main population growth was a result of the second generation chosing to stay on. In 2000 there were about 290 members and 200 children living on the kibbutz.
Countries of Origin of Kibbutz Members, 2000
Roumania Poland Germany Soviet Union Chekoslovakia Palestine Argentina Peru Chile South Africa	Switzerland France Turkey Syria Egypt Persia Canada Uruguay Zimbabwe	The Netherlands Sweden Denmark Lebanon Israel Great Britain Spain Morocco Yemen
As time passes and members leave the kibbutz or die, the number of countries of origin declines. No longer represented (in 2008) are Persia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Egypt, Great Britain und Denmark. Skeletons in the Cupboard
The greying of the kibbutz Waving the flag The gallery From all over the world but for a short while only: the volunteers Until death do us part: The marital status of our members
¹) A bit of a misnomer: Many "Eastern" Jews actually come from further west than most European Jews. Sephardim (Spaniards) would be a better name, as most North African and many Middle Eastern Jews are descendants of Spanish Jews, expelled in 1492.

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