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Wednesday, December 27, 2023

Rosh Hanikra Kibbutz Under Attack

 Nadene Goldfoot                                           


    A Seaside community; view from Rosh HaNikra with Lebanon as neighbor

Rosh HaNikra (Hebrewרֹאשׁ הַנִּקְרָה) is a kibbutz in northern Israel. Located on the Mediterranean coast near the Rosh HaNikra grottoes and the border with Lebanon, it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Asher Regional Council. In 2021 it had a population of 1,406.

At least 18 rockets were fired at the Rosh Hanikra area from Lebanon this morning. Several interceptions over the town were reported. Yesterday, IDF forces struck 2 vehicles in Lebanon, which were carrying missiles belonging to Hamas and were en route to carry out an attack against Israel. Other strikes continue to be carried out.

The kibbutz was established on 6 January 1949 by a gar'in of demobilised Palmach soldiers who moved there from Kibbutz Hanita, along with Zionist youth movement members and young Holocaust survivors.

It was built on land belonging to the Mandate of Palestine (UK) on the village of al-Bassa, which was depopulated in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.During the 2023 war between Hamas and Israel, northern Israeli border communities, including Rosh HaNikra, faced targeted attacks by Hezbollah and Palestinian factions based in Lebanon, and were evacuated.

Original buildings at Rosh Hanikra. 1949

The kibbutz grows bananas and avocados, and raises turkeys. In 1974, kibbutz members founded a biotechnology company called Rahan Meristem, which included the first commercial tissue culture laboratory in the country. Rahan developed new procedures for large scale, in-vitro, clonal propagation of over 200 plant genera including ornamental, industrial, fruit, and vegetable crops. In the mid-1980s, in-vitro propagated banana plants became the leading product. Rahan is now a center of research and consultation for the banana industry throughout the world. A formal R&D department was established in 1991 to provide technical support. Areas of expertise include molecular and classical genetics, plant cell and tissue culture, plant biochemistry and physiology, bacteriology and industrial biotechnology. Methods have also been developed for the control of contaminating microbes, early detection and elimination of somaclonal variation, reduction of labor and fixed costs in production, etc.  In the early 21st century, the kibbutz was privatized.

  • Sacha Baron Cohen, English actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer lived here.  Discussing his Jewish identity, Baron Cohen has stated, "I wouldn't say I am a religious Jew. I am proud of my Jewish identity and there are certain things I do and customs I keep."[ He tries to keep kosher, attends synagogue about twice a year, and is fluent in Hebrew. He first acted in theatrical productions with the Labour youth movement Habonim Dror. He spent a year in Israel as a kibbutz volunteer at Rosh HaNikra and Beit HaEmek as part of the Shnat Habonim Dror, as well as taking part in the programme Machon L'Madrichei Chutz La'Aretz for Jewish youth movement leaders.
  • Nufar Edelman (born 1982), Olympic sailor, Eitan Friedlander (born 1958), Olympic sailor, and 
  • Dekel Keinan, Israeli footballer were all from here.  
 
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