Founding of Nofim Settlement Recounted by Co-Founder Yona Frankel
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
Yona Frankel, a co-founder of the Nofim settlement, shared her story as part of a project documenting Israeli settlement founders. She and her husband independently visited the Nofim area before settling there, unaware of each other's plans. The settlement, established with the "Amanah" movement, began with 8-12 families and developed a strong, organic community spirit. The "Documentation of Veterans and Founders of the Settlement" project aims to preserve these historical accounts.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Yona Frankel recounted the independent, secret visits of her and her husband to the Nofim settlement site.
- The "Documentation of Veterans and Founders of the Settlement" project aims to preserve settlement histories.
- Nofim began with 8-12 families in its first five years.
- The settlement's cohesion developed organically from shared activities and life.
- Frankel described the early settlement as an extended family.
Yona Frankel, a co-founder of the Nofim settlement, has shared her story as part of a project documenting the establishment of Israeli settlements. She recounted how she and her husband independently decided to explore the Nofim area, unaware of each other's plans. The initiative, "Documentation of Veterans and Founders of the Settlement," is a joint effort by the Ministry of Heritage and the Council for the Preservation of Heritage Sites in Israel. Its goal is to record the establishment of settlements across various regions, including the Jordan Valley, Judea, Samaria, Benjamin, Golan, and Galilee, through hundreds of interviews.
Frankel explained that both she and her husband were registered with the "Amanah" settlement movement. An Amanah employee, Einat Vinarski, approached her husband about establishing a new settlement following the death of David Rosenfeld. He visited the site but kept it a secret from Yona. Meanwhile, Frankel met Yuri Stern at the Jewish Agency, who informed her about plans for a new settlement in Judea. Intrigued, she also visited the location without telling her husband.
Upon settling in Nofim, Frankel felt an immediate sense of belonging. However, the settlement began with only eight to twelve families in its first five years, despite aspirations for growth. Frankel described the early community as diverse and cohesive, with mothers gathering for activities like sewing curtains for the nursery, singing, and dancing. These shared experiences fostered strong bonds and introduced her to new aspects of community life, such as "Shira be'Tzibur" (singing in public).
Frankel emphasized that the community's cohesion was organic, developing naturally from shared tasks and life in a small, close-knit group. She described the settlement as an extended family, with many of these founding families remaining connected to this day. The project aims to preserve these narratives for future generations.