Page 13 - Kol Bogrei Habonim - Autumn 21
P. 13
GARIN VAV, KIBBUTZ BET However, the reality of aliya was to take
HA'EMEK AND ME several years, from 1961, with the first
kvutza, until 1965, when the last group
arrived. During that period, many dropped
JOE BEN YITZCHAK
out for different reasons and a
(ISAACSON) few changed their Zionist
I sympathies and became
joined Habonim (N.W. London)
supporters of extreme left-wing
at a relatively late age (21) in 1961,
and PLO groups!
or rather re-joined as I had
occasional contact whilst living my The first and biggest group of
teenage years in my hometown of sixteen chaverim did hachsharah
Southport, Lancashire: mainly at kibbutz Ramat Yochanan.
rambles, camps and meetings in the There wasn't much personal
Jewish tennis club in Liverpool. connection between members of
In my chavurah, “Matzada” NW London, the first group and the later ones.
were a group of chaverim and a charismatic
madrich, Colin Primost from Kfar Hanassi,
who entirely changed the direction of my life;
and several of the group were members of
Garin Vav, whose aim was to go on Aliyah
and settle on Kibbutz Bet HaEmek in W.
Galilee. According to various lists, there
were 78 members of Garin Vav at the time.
Extract from lists of Garin Vav members
September 1963
Altogether, I estimate that about 45 chevrei
Plugat Matzada – NW. London. garin lived on Bet HaEmek over 60 years:
Back row, from left: Pauline Farbenbloom, ? , Cora about a third returned to Britain and other
(Pasha) Tresman, Ezra (Phillips) Ben Meir, Steve Rose, countries during the first week/month/year; a
Paul Morgan, Clive Noble, ? , Joe (Isaacson) Ben third stayed in Israel (at least six chaverot
Yitzchak, Harry Marks.
married "out" to partners in other kibbutzim)
Front row, from left: Steffi (Noble) Rose, ? , Evelyn and about a third stayed in Bet HaEmek for
Reeves, ? , ? , ? up to four years. During the last three
Madrich: Colin Primost (not in picture)
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