Dear readers I have been thinking it would be a good time to delve into a little of the history of Kibbutz Metzer where I was staying, especially in the light of the ongoing conflict in Gaza. I must admit I was a little unclear of its story. I didn’t think about it much when I was there and the little I did know has been somewhat lost in my memory. Now I do not understand why I neglected to learn more when I was there. Life there was full of sunshine and laughter and, with the energy and enthusiasm of youth, life was for living in the moment. (Just a quick aside, I still feel I am the same person, though some may disagree but, perhaps it’s the world that is no longer so kind.) So now a little learning for all of us on the formation of Kibbutz Metzer.
Kibbutz Metzer is located in the north of Israel. I am now chuckling because of the next piece of information. In turns out that the Hapoel Tel Aviv basketball team is sponsored by SP Metzer – an acronym for “Super Pipe” made by the super successful pipe factory at the kibbutz. You will recall my outrage at being asked to roll pipes around a huge spool and the laughter by the workers that followed. Perhaps my attempts made them realise how much better they could be and spurred them on to make their factory such an industrial success. Just think, I could have been the impetus to improve, perhaps! . By the way, the factory started out as a pillow factory (yes, pillows) called “Kermetz”. It’s not really clear how pillows turned into pipes, but apparently they just needed a comfortable pillow to lay their head on and dream.
Metzer was built in the heart of an Arab population. Founded in 1953 by young pioneers from Argentina. Over the years the Kibbutz maintained friendly relations with its Arab neighbours and with a continued desire for peaceful coexistence. This co-operation went both ways. When the kibbutz could not locate a viable source of water, the nearby Arab village of Meiser connected Metzer to its own small well. The two communities worked together over the decades, dousing a threatened bush fire together, shared sports activities and even formed a soccer team that competed in the regional league. In 2002 the kibbutz board had protested Israel’s plan to build a security fence through their area because it would cut through the olive groves belonging to the West Bank Arab village of Kefin and would deprive the farmers of 60% of their fields. Then came a murderous attack. An Arab man from another area entered the Kibbutz and killed 3 adults and 2 children. But the long history of coexistence between the kibbutz and the neighbouring villages prevailed, despite the crises. In 2004, when the security fence was constructed, the kibbutz offered to construct a tunnel under the wall to receive sewage and to pump water back to their neighbours for irrigation. Contrast this with what was going on in the West Bank and in Gaza at that time, a walled prison containing more than a million people and now today it is worse than one can ever have imagined. Let us hope that, like the Jews of Metzer and their Arab neighbours after the attack in 2002 that in the darkest hours, humans are capable of drawing from their common well of humanity.
Well, dear readers, this has been educational for us but I am sorry to end on such a note although with a tinge of hope. I wonder how the Kibbutz is fairing now? I had planned to regale you with some of my travels and move on to other travels and adventures I have experienced but, once again, I leave you all in anticipation of the next chapter. How about lying in the Dead Sea reading a book or the desert in a sand storm. I will leave you with these pictures in your mind. Until the next time.
Marguerite Ruffle
0 Comments