Yehiam

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Kibbutz Yehiam (In Hebrew: יחיעם) founded on November 26, 1946, is located in the Western Upper Galilee region of Israel - about 10 miles due east of the coastal town of Nahariya and five miles south of the border with Lebanon. It features the ruins of a castle, atop a prominent hill, that is said to date from the time of the Crusades, and was occupied later on by Bedouin tribes that lived in the area, and at a later stage by the defenders of the new Kibbutz.

Yehiam was founded by members of the Zionist-socialist Hashomer-Hatza'ir youth movement, and was named after Yehiam Weitz, a Palmach member who was killed at the "Night Of The Bridges" (a famous "Palmach" operation of June 16-7 1946). The local British authorities assisted in the kibbutz establishment, despite it being against British policy.^[1] In 1947 Yehiam was decided to be settled within the limits of the Arab state. That decision was later changed as the siege over the Galilee was removed in 1948. On March 28, 1948, a Haganah convoy was sent to reinforce the kibbutz which had been holding out against constant Arab attacks. The convoy was ambushed near Kabri and 47 soldiers were killed.

Now days Yehiam is a 60 years old prosperous beautiful Kibbutz, which holds a glorious heritage in its wings as one of the new and young Israeli state symbols of sacrifice, fighting, devotion, and symbolizes the victory of the human spirit and will power over the outmost conditions. Yehiam's main income comes from Deli - Yehiam: a kosher meat factory which was founded in 1969. A substantial precentage of Deli - Yehiam products are exported to the United States and Europe. Among the other kibbutz branches are the bananas, citrus, avocado and chicken houses for the meat industry, as well as wheat and cotton. At the beginning of the 1990s, Yehiam took advantage of the expanding tourism business at the Galilee and launched a big guest house at the foots of the castle, with a total accommodation of 60 units. At 2006 Yehiam's population counts around 400, from which around 170 are kibbutz members.

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