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In the 1950s Yemenite Jews came to Israel as part of the "On the Wings of Eagles Operation". They wandered from one immigrants’ camp to another. In 1953 a group of immigrants received a proposal to make their home at an agricultural community in the Lakhish region, which was established and nurtured by the late Lova Eliav. Initially the founding fathers were guided by agricultural instructors, and they worked hard to become proficient farmers. The main areas of activity were: field crops, flowers hothouses, a stuffing chicken house. But, like any new community, Nahala also had hard times. Nahala went through a financial crisis in the early 1960s. Many residents left for the city, which is a process that was experienced by quite a few agricultural communities –“from the country to the town”. The ones who stayed on learned how to be farmers and began to benefit from the fruits of their labors.
In the early 1970s Nahala was in a very healthy financial state. However, the good years were followed by a crisis in the agricultural sector, and many left the sector and took employment outside the moshav.
The plans to expand the moshav were kept on hold for a long time. However, recently, there have been signs of construction starts. The new area is due to contain 73 houses. Moshav Nahala is looking to absorb new families, to propel the moshav forward.
There are two committees at Nahala: the committee that administers the association’s assets, and the local committee which is responsible for municipal affairs. In the last few months members of both committees took part in an empowerment course for committees, and devised a joint vision for the moshav:
- A moshav that maintains its traditional character, while growing and strengthening the moshav with a high quality group that respects others and promotes agricultural work and active leadership.
- Maintaining high educational values and appropriate education
- Beautifying the moshav and protecting nature within the moshav.
- Maintaining high quality infrastructures and encouraging private and public financial entrepreneurship.
The moshav has a mixed population of 440 residents, primarily immigrants from Yemen.
Most of the inhabitants work outside the moshav.
Life on the moshav incorporates a wide range of community and cultural activities: a children’s club, a learning center which provides a complementary study solution for children at state religious schools, lectures, trips, parties on religious holidays etc.
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