Ein HaShlosha
Ein HaShlosha (Hebrew: עין השלושה, lit. 'Spring of the Three') is a kibbutz in the western Negev desert in Israel. It falls under the jurisdiction of Eshkol Regional Council.
Ein HaShlosha
עין השלושה عين هشلوشا | |
|---|---|
 Ein HaShlosha's wheat field. | |
| Etymology: Spring of the Three | |
  Ein HaShlosha  Ein HaShlosha | |
| Coordinates: 31°21′1″N 34°24′9″E | |
| Country |  Israel |
| District | Southern |
| Council | Eshkol |
| Affiliation | Kibbutz Movement |
| Founded | 1950 |
| Founded by | South American immigrants |
| Population (2021)[1] | 369 |
History
The kibbutz was named in memory of three of the founding members who were killed during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. It was established during the 1950s by a Nahal group of Zionist youth from South America, members of the youth movement HaNoar HaTzioni, on lands of the former kibbutz Neve Yair (Neve Yair was established in 1949 by members of the Lehi but was abandoned in June 1950). During its first years the kibbutz suffered bombardment by the Egyptian army.[2]
Almost adjacent to the Gaza border with Khan Yunis, the kibbutz was regularly hit by Palestinian gunfire during the Gaza–Israel conflict in 2008.[3] On 15 January 2008, an Ecuadorian volunteer, Carlos Chavez, was shot and killed by a Hamas sniper while working on the kibbutz.[4]
During Operation Protective Edge, at least 825 rockets were fired at the Eshkol region, where the kibbutz is located. In some cases, asbestos roofs were damaged after being hit with rocket fire.[5] The kibbutz, being near the border, has a rocket alarm only 5 seconds before the probable hit. When there are tensions, villagers stay long hours and sometimes days in bomb shelters, being unable to leave it even for a short period of time. People reportedly said they were afraid to shower, and were unable to even cook.
2023 massacre
On 7 October 2023, armed terrorists from the Hamas organization infiltrated the kibbutz, as a part of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, and massacred residents of the kibbutz.[6]
Economy
The kibbutz is largely agricultural, relying on turkey and dairy farming. It also has a small factory that manufactures lever arch files. In March 2006 hundreds of turkeys were found dead, spreading fears of the bird flu virus in Israel.[7]
Notable people
- Yizhar Shai (born 1963), member of the Knesset
The main lawn in Kibbutz Ein Hasholsha
The Dining room
Residences
synagogue
References
- "Regional Statistics". Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
- El'azari, Yuval, ed. (2005). Mapa's concise gazetteer of Israel (in Hebrew). Tel Aviv: Mapa Publishing. p. 413. ISBN 965-7184-34-7.
- Israeli hurt by Palestinian gunfire on Negev kibbutz Haaretz, 26 March 2008
- Rettig Gur, Haviv (15 January 2008). "Kibbutz Ein Hashlosha mourns Carlos Andres Muscara Chavez". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
- Udasin, Sharon (4 August 2014). "State and local council to replace asbestos roofs in the line of fire from Gaza". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
- Rosenberg, Michelle (8 October 2023). "What happened on my kibbutz was apocalyptic". Archived from the original on 2023-10-13.
- Yasur-Beit Or, Meital (16 March 2016). "Fear: Bird flu reaches Israel". YNet News. Retrieved 17 April 2019.