Page 29 - Kol Bogrei Habonim - January 19

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

FREDDY KAHANA

I was "House Architect" of Bet Ha'emek for 50
have just read the Newsletter and at my age,
years, taught at the Technion and even got elected
it was the obit page that triggered many
Mazcir of Bet Ha'emek, twice... Recently the
memories.
Kibbutz arranged an exhibition of my work which
Over my years in Bet Ha'emek, I lost touch with
Habonim, although many of its "younger" is on show in the Dining Room and Club and you
members stayed on the Kibbutz and I have kept up are all invited to come and take a look - open till
contact with old friends in February.
Kfar Hanassi and Amiad. In 2011 my book " ריע אל
רפכ אל" was published both
I couldn't make it to the
Archive Day but the event in Hebrew and in English,
coincided with my parallel I have set up the above
activities in setting up the mentioned Archive
"The Planning and containing more than
Architecture of the 20,000 items related to the
Kibbutz Archive" also part Planning and Architecture
of the Yad Tabenkin of the Kibbutz and am at
collection. present completing the
draft of a new book on
I joined Habonim in 1947, "The Uniqueness of the
was a member of the West Israeli Ex-urban Space".
London Peleg, Tzofim
madrich and on finishing So you see, what really
my Architectural Studies, started in Habonim
took over from David became a communal
Paterson as director of the planning concept which,
"Habonim Institute" in even if diluted now, has at
Manchester and married least been documented for,
Hannah from the NW who knows, a future
Peleg. After a short period Habonim.
on Hachshara I became I write all this because
Mazcir Habonim and finally made Aliyah to Bet reading the Newsletters over the years, I feel that
Ha'emek in 1954 where we raised a family of the essentials are forgotten in a sea of nostalgia
three sons, later joined by nine grandchildren. and Habo memories. I can only hope that the 90
Hannah died two years ago, Bet Ha'emek has year celebrations will, in some way, allude to core
changed completely, but on the whole I am issues, perhaps even have something to say about
content. the need for new ideas and involvement in an
Israel far removed from the ideals which once
As an Architect I worked in the Planning Office of
the Kibbutz movement for more than 40 years and motivated Habonim.

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