Shfayim

(The name is taken from Isaiah 41:18) – a kibbutz located near the Mediterranean Sea, 6 kilometers northwest of Herzliya and 12 kilometers from Tel Aviv.

In 1927, in Herzliya, a group of 13 members of the HeHalutz movement formed a commune to seek collective agricultural work. However, initially, they had no permanent place of employment. The group consisted of immigrants from Russia, Poland, and Latvia.

In 1931, a permanent camp was established, and only in 1935 did their dream of acquiring land come true. The land was obtained from Keren Kayemet LeIsrael, allowing new halutzim (pioneers) to settle there. In February 1936, the settlement was officially named Shfayim.

According to the kibbutz’s jubilee publication, the name Shfayim means “hill,” “a place near water,” and “a gentle breeze from the seashore” (see p. 11).

Among the kibbutz's founders was Isser Harel (Israel Galperin), a legendary intelligence officer and the founder of Israel's security services. He immigrated to Israel from Dvinsk (Daugavpils) in 1930.

By June 1938, Shfayim had about 70 members, mainly immigrants from Latvia and former members of the Olim organization. On the eve of the establishment of the State of Israel, Shfayim became one of the bases of the Palmach, where illegal Jewish immigrants were received.

The kibbutz developed horticulture, vegetable farming, and livestock breeding. It also houses the Polikad plastic products factory and the Shafit vaccine production facility.

On June 17, 1975, the Memorial to the Victims of the Holocaust – Jews of Latvia and Estonia („Yad LeYahadut Latvia VeEstonia“) was inaugurated in Shfayim. This educational center includes an archive, a library, and more. The center was built in cooperation with the Hof HaSharon Regional Council, which is located in Shfayim. (Is the council located in Shfayim?)

Several prominent writers and public figures are buried in the kibbutz cemetery. On May 20, 2008, Ben-Gurion’s daughter, Renana, was buried here.

In 1970, Shfayim had 550 members, and by 2002, the population had grown to 883 members.

Modern Shfayim

Today, Shfayim is a tourist center featuring a hotel and one of the largest water parks in Israel. The kibbutz also hosts an international educational and music center and a large shopping complex. It has a conference hall for conventions, exhibitions, and international events. The Labor Party („Avoda“) holds its congresses and conventions here.

Various events for the Association of Latvian and Estonian Jews are also regularly organized in Shfayim.

References:

  • Encyclopaedia Judaica (Second Edition, 2007, Vol. 18, p. 432)
  • Aliya Journal (in Yiddish), Riga, June 1938
  • Shfayim Jubilee: 1927-1977 (in Hebrew), Shfayim, 1977

— B.V.