Harel Kibbutz Memorial Site Re-Dedicated After 78th Anniversary Ceremony
Translated & summarized from Davar by baba
A memorial site near Kibbutz Harel was re-dedicated during a ceremony celebrating the kibbutz's 78th anniversary. The restoration project, initiated by Ze'ev Bloch and Ofir Alkalai, cleaned and enhanced the site. Speakers emphasized the importance of remembering fallen soldiers and the spirit of resilience. Organizers hope the kibbutz will integrate the site into youth heritage programs.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- A memorial site near Kibbutz Harel was re-dedicated during a ceremony marking the kibbutz's 78th anniversary.
- The restoration project was initiated by Ze'ev Bloch and Ofir Alkalai, with support from the Harel Association.
- The site commemorates fallen Palmach "Harel" Brigade fighters from the War of Independence.
- The project included cleaning, landscaping, new benches, signage, and a historical plaque.
- Organizers hope the kibbutz will use the restored site for youth heritage and educational activities.
- Ofir Alkalai drew parallels between the spirit of 1948 fighters and those who defended Israel on October 7th.
A memorial site near Kibbutz Harel, commemorating fallen Palmach "Harel" Brigade fighters and trainees from the War of Independence, was re-dedicated on Friday during a ceremony marking 78 years since the kibbutz's establishment. The restoration project was initiated by 95-year-old Ze'ev Bloch, a founder of nearby Kibbutz Nachshon, and attorney Ofir Alkalai, in collaboration with the Harel Association and kibbutz residents. The project involved cleaning and landscaping the site, installing benches and signage, and adding a marble plaque with a historical photograph from a memorial day ceremony in the early 1950s.
Organizers expressed hope that the kibbutz management would adopt the restored site and integrate it into educational and heritage activities for local youth. Following the ceremony, attended by kibbutz members and families of Harel Brigade fighters, Alkalai, who also chairs the State Employees' Union, led a guided tour of the Burma Road, Mount Harel observation point, the kibbutz's historic founding site, and the Archway House, where Meir Tuviański was executed.
Alkalai stated, "I imagine the fighters of 1948. The new immigrants who came off the ships and wanted to get close. Thanks to the spirit of the people memorialized here, we have a state, a kibbutz, cities. Everything we have achieved is thanks to them, and therefore it is a great privilege to memorialize them." He added that the spirit of 1948 is also present in today's generation of victory, referring to those who defended the country and its communities on October 7th.
Yoni Amir, Chairman of the Harel Association, highlighted that the Harel Brigade's legacy included establishing settlements like Kibbutz Harel and Palmach-Tzuba in October 1948, concurrently with fighting in the War of Independence. He also expressed hope that Kibbutz Harel's management would prioritize the memorial's preservation, its recognition by youth, and the holding of ceremonies there.