Mishmar HaEmek

Mishmar HaEmek (Hebrew: מִשְׁמַר הָעֵמֶק‎‎, lit. Guard of the Valley) is a kibbutz in northern Israel. Located in the western Jezreel Valley, it falls under the jurisdiction of Megiddo Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 964.

During the autumn of 1942, when there were fears of a German victory in the Middle East, Mishmar HaEmek was used as a training camp by the British army. 160 Jewish volunteers, who later were to become members of the Palmach branch of the Haganah, were trained by Royal Engineers in sabotage and wireless operation. Several tons of explosives were hidden in caches in case the area came under German occupation. This program was terminated immediately upon the training of the volunteers, and orders issued for the collection of all equipment and explosives to be returned to the British. ^[1]

In 1947, Mishmar HaEmek had a population of 550. ^[2] The name means "Guardian of the Emek." ^[2] The Jewish National Fund and Worton Hall Studios made a 1947 movie called The Great Promise (Dim'at Ha'Nehamah Ha'Gedolah), and a number of the scenes were filmed here. ^{[2] [3]}

On 4 April 1948 it came under full scale attack by the Arab Liberation Army. The Palmach inflicted a significant defeat on the attackers.^[4][5]

Currently, about 1,300 people live in the kibbutz, 600 of which are considered members. Most of the original kibbutz members are originally from Poland and Galicia, but today's population is from many places around the world. The kibbutz's ideology is based on the Hashomer Hatzair movement.

The kibbutz economy is based mainly on "Tama" - Plastic factory, based in the kibbutz with additional factories located elsewhere in Israel. The kibbutz also produces chickens and farms about 7,000 dunams. "Idea", A high-tech company based in Mishmar HaEmek, is responsible for the database system of the Holocaust museum Yad Vashem.

Notable residents

The kibbutz has been home to numerous Israeli politicians and several important literary figures, including:

• Eli Amir, author
• Mordechai Bentov, government minister and signatory of the Israeli declaration of independence
• Yaakov Hazan, member of the Knesset
• Amnon Linn, member of the Knesset
• Hillel Omer, poet and writer
• Emry Ron, member of the Knesset
• Moshe Shamir, author and playwright
• Mordechai Shenhavi, one of the founders of Hashomer Hatzair
• Adin Talbar, athlete and sports official
• Emma Talmi, member of the Knesset
• Zellig Harris, linguist

See also

• Battle of Mishmar HaEmek

References

1. ^ Naomi Shepherd, "Ploughing the sand - British rule in Palestine 1917-1948".ISBN 0 7195 5707 0. Pages 215-220.
2. ^ ^{a b c} Jewish National Fund (1949). Jewish Villages in Israel. Jerusalem: Hamadpis Liphshitz Press. pp. 122. 
3. ^ Internet Movie Database
4. ^ Benny Morris, "The Birth of the Palestinain Refugee Problem". ISBN 0 521 33028 9. page 115.
5. ^ Chaim Herzog, "The Arab-Israeli Wars". ISBN 0 85368 367 0. Pages 27,28.