Page 12 - Kol Bogrei Habonim - Winter 20
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drilled. This was for the protection of the
Kvutza. The whole area was open to attack
on three sides. Although the Arab strike had
finished and they had gone back to work,
there was always the imminent danger of
attack.
In November, another problem loomed up,
which they had no idea how to deal with,
since they were not members of Kvutza
Kinneret. The mother of one of the group
from Tel Aviv was destitute with a three-
year-old child, no money and nowhere to
live. Her son wanted to bring her to Kinneret,
but when she turned up there with her child,
Early days at Kfar Blum – Shalom Bordoley,
1940 the Garin decided against accepting
responsibility for her, given that she had
Shalom writes of illnesses, such as sand fly failed to support herself in the past. She soon
fever (popadatcha), and fatigue, blisters and took herself and her child off to Tel Aviv, but
the heat. On 5th October 1936, he writes of a the group was much perturbed by the
visit to a conference at Kibbutz Yagur: 2000 incident.
people gathered there in the new dining-
room. “Chaverim from all over Palestine fell Shalom wrote about Kvutzat Kinneret, “The
on one another’s necks. When Rubashov 26 years of existence have been full of
(Shneur Zalman Shazar, Israel’s 3rd struggle and toil. Struggle for a new existence
President) met Ben Zion, they kissed. The air – new values, self-expression, freedom for
was electric. Yitzchak Tabenkin gave an the Jews. They have toiled and are still toiling
opening address. First, the children's choir to create a new economic and social order,
sang under violinist and composer, Yehuda which will be based on justice and equality.
Sharrett. Then, Yehuda played his violin, the To create a new understanding, and to find
choir sang and the audience, who not long relationships between man and man. Have
before had been discussing profound human they succeeded? Not yet. They have gone far.
problems, started to hum the melody. It was Very far. The contradictions and
grand – a genuine cultural moment ". superstitions of Diaspora life have been left
behind.” Eventually they overcame their
Whenever I read the description of this problems and the group grew in size and
meeting, I feel the frisson of excitement that bonded.
Shalom must have felt. It still echoes down
from 70 years ago. The Garin stayed at Kvutzat Kinneret for
several months before moving to Kibbutz
In October 1936, thirteen chaverim were Afikim and joining the Latvian contingent
made supernumerary policemen. They were there. Together they became known as the
given rifles and uniforms, and they were
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