Page 18 - Kol Bogrei Habonim - February 14

GARIN GIMMEL REUNION
OCTOBER 2012
DEVORAH BETH, AMIAD
T Hanassi who was once also a member of the
o mark the 60th anniversary of the first
group of Garin Gimmel's arrival in Israel in
1952, we organized a reunion. It should be
noted that Lottie and Barry Nathan organized the
10th anniversary in their yard in Kiryat Ata. From
then on, anniversaries were held at Kibbutz
Amiad where the Garin became official members
in 1954.
Reunions took place in
1977, (25 years), 1992,
(40 years), 50 years in
2002, 55 Years in 2007,
and in October, 2012 we
decided in spite of
dwindling numbers, to
celebrate our 60th
anniversary.
We can assume that this will be the last time we
can organize a 'big' Reunion; 50% are no longer
with us and many others are too ill, no longer
drive and live too far away to be able to come.
Yet in spite of all the obvious difficulties, Joseph
Harrington came with his carer from Beersheva,
Chavah Goffer and Sylvia Flowers came from
Rehovot, Thilde Fox came from Tel Aviv, and
Beryl Weizner, formerly from Moshav Habonim
came from Netanya to Hadera, or Haifa where
other chaverim gave them lifts to Amiad. Carla
who lives in a retirement home in Kfar Saba came
with her grandson who seemed to enjoy the
occasion as much as we did.
So what do we do on an event like this?
In the Clubroom, we hung some beautiful pictures
by Rosie Hyman, Debbie Berman, Frank Beth and
Beryl Schwartz from Amiad together with a
picture by Marky, their teacher, from Kfar
18
Garin. Sylvia brought some of her works to show
table next to the wall with enlarged photos of the
as well. The Nostalgia Corner was formed on one
Garin when they were on Hachsharah, soldiers in
Nachal and early days on the kibbutz with the first
children. An album of former reunions and
articles about the Garin, newspaper cuttings about
the Garin's achievements
in the banana
plantations, winery
and the factory were
placed on the table.
The Third Seder with
beautiful illustrations
by Lionel Holland
which took place at
the Reading
Hachshara in 1951 had been carefully kept by
Gila Cohen, was also on display.
On a big screen a loop of photos of the Garin,
interviews, songs and dances for the 50th
Reunion, as well as the display shown at the Blue
Bay Hotel two years ago which showed the
Garin's contribution to Kibbutz Amiad.
At 11.00 people arrived and received refreshments
in the Moadon; the first members of Amiad who
had founded the kibbutz in 1946 came to greet the
visitors.
After we all ate in our Dining Room, we met by
the main lawn. By this time members of the Garin
who had chosen to live in Kfar Hanassi also
arrived. There we were greeted by our young
Community Manager who was born on the
kibbutz. More speeches and photos and for the
first time we read the list of chaverim who are no
longer with us.