Nir David (Tel Amal)

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Nir David or Tel Amal (ניר דוד, תל עמל) is a Kibbutz in the Bet Shean Valley in Northern Israel found on December 10, 1936, and is considered as the first Tower and Stockade (Hebrew: Homa Ve Migdal) settlement.

The Kibbutz is named after David Wolfsohn who was the second president of the World Zionist Organization.

[edit] History

Nir David - The early days (1946)

Kibbutz Nir-David (Tel-Amal) was formeted in Ramat-Gan in 1932. Its first members were founders of the Hashomer Hatzair Youth Movement in Israel, In 1933 This group united with Kibbutz Massad from Poland. In 1934 the Kibbutz sent a group to the Beit Shean Valley to coltivate the land thet the Jewish National fund had purchased for future settlements in the region. The Kibbutz members began farming around Tel shok (Hebrew: תל-שוק), where Kibbutz Nir-David would later be established. When Arab riots began on the night of April 20, 1936, the Kibbutz's first wheat crop was burned and its plants and seedlings uprooted.

The members of Kibbutz Nir-David Were determined to return to their land, even in those troubled times. Faced with Arab terror and British opposition, they deviesed a plan for a fortified settlement which could resist attack from its first night of existence. On December 10, 1936 the firsr Tower and Stockade settlement was erected in one day in the Bet-Shean Valley. During the next 3 years of troubles over 55 such settlement were built overnight.

[edit] The kibbutz today

The Asi river

The Kibbutz today consists of over 650 members and children.

The kibbutz's main income is from agriculture, e.g. field crops , orchards, turkeys and fish ponds.

On the industrial side: there is the "Nirotek" factory - producer of self-adhesive and carbonless copy paper. There is also a Metal factory exporter of herbicultural vehicles & tools. In the recent years the kibbutz has also started using his natrual assests to attract local tourisem with new attractions:

"Gan Hashlosha" - A semi-natrual water park.
"Gan Guroo" - Australian zoo, which features alot of the Australian wildlife such as Kangaroos and Koala
Village Inn - Lodging in Nir-David on the banks of the Asi river.
Horse farm - The kibbutz operates a quite big horse farm which is used to train kids aswell as adults, from basic riding to competitve, and from time to time host Horse Show jumping competitions.
Holtzer Sport Center - A modern sport complex which includes a 25m' swimming pool, Basketball court and a mulitpurpose gymnastics hall.