Early Settler Recounts Founding Days of Kedumim Settlement
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
Bracha Meltzer, a co-founder of Kedumim, recounted the challenging but spirited early days of the settlement as part of a heritage project. Arriving at the military camp, settlers faced initial entry delays and extremely crowded living conditions, sharing a small room with multiple families. Despite the hardships, Meltzer described a strong sense of purpose and unity among the pioneers. The project aims to document the founding stories of settlements across Israel for future generations.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Bracha Meltzer recalled the "special spirit" of pioneers during the founding of the Kedumim settlement.
- Settlers faced initial entry delays and crowded conditions upon arriving at the Kedumim military camp.
- The camp commander provided assistance, arranging for beds and meals for the new arrivals.
- Meltzer described a positive atmosphere with "no complaints" and a sense of "historical action."
- The "Documentation of Old-Timers and Founders of the Settlement" project preserves these stories.
- The "Kedumim Compromise" offered settlers choices of locations.
Bracha Meltzer, one of the founders of Kedumim, shared her memories of the settlement's early days as part of a project documenting the establishment of Israeli settlements. She recalled the initial living conditions in the military camp that became the settlement's base, describing a "special spirit" among the pioneers.
Meltzer described arriving at the Kedumim camp after a long journey on a dark road, only to find that the authorization for their arrival had not yet reached the personnel on site. After a delay of over an hour, the "coveted approval" arrived, and the settlers were allowed to enter.
Upon entering, the settlers were initially given two buildings. Meltzer and her husband, along with their three children, another family with a child, and a third couple, were assigned a 15-square-meter room. Ten mattresses were laid out on the floor to accommodate everyone. The camp commander, witnessing the crowded conditions, arranged for beds and mattresses to be brought for them and ensured that breakfast was prepared for the children.
Meltzer's family was later given the entire room, which they divided into two sections for sleeping. Despite the cramped and basic conditions, Meltzer emphasized the positive atmosphere among the settlers, stating there were "no complaints" and instead a feeling of "wow" and a "special spirit of historical action, of new construction."
The "Documentation of Old-Timers and Founders of the Settlement" project, a joint initiative by the Ministry of Heritage and the Council for Conservation of Heritage Sites in Israel, aims to document the establishment of settlements across various regions, including the Jordan Valley, Judea, Samaria, Benjamin, the Golan, and the Galilee, preserving these stories for future generations. The decision to settle in Kedumim was made following the "Kedumim Compromise," which offered potential settlers choices of locations.
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