Kabri, Israel

Kabri כַּבְרִי‎
The kibbutz's dining room was designed by the architect Hanan Havron
Kabri Kabri
Coordinates: 33°1′15″N 35°8′56″E
Country	Israel
District	Northern
Council	Mateh Asher
Affiliation	Kibbutz Movement
Founded	14000 BCE (First settlement) Post-Crusader period (Arab village) 1949 (Israeli kibbutz)
Founded by	Beit HaArava Residents and Youth Aliyah Refugees
Population  (2022)	1,120
Website	www.cabri.org.il

Kabri (Hebrew: כַּבְּרִי, also transliterated Cabri) is a kibbutz in northern Israel. Located in the Western Galilee about 4 kilometres (2 mi) east of the Mediterranean seaside town of Nahariya, it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Asher Regional Council. In 2022 it had a population of 1,120.

The kibbutz is located on lands which used to belong to the ethnically cleansed Palestinian villages of Al-Kabri and al-Nahr.

History

Prehistory

Further information on the early history of Kabri: Tel Kabri § History

The area of Kabri Springs was first settled 16,000 years ago , during the Neolithic period. Permanent structures appeared around the year 10000 BCE . Archaeological digs uncovered the remains of an ancient city. The city was built around the year 2500 BCE and its territory ranged over 32 hectares (79 acres), which were surrounded by dirt embankments 7 metres (23 ft) high and 35 metres (115 ft) thick, on which were built guard towers.

The ancient city that existed 1 km to the southwest is known to archaeologists as Tel Kabri, though its Canaanite name is not known. It was a city-state in the heart of which was placed by the palace of the ruling monarch. The two-story palace was decorated with colourful frescoes and ornaments in Minoan style. Residents of the city (their number is estimated at 5,000) earned their living through agriculture and international commerce. Leftover bits and pieces of merchandise whose origins lay in Egypt, Turkey and Crete were found in the ruins and graves during the excavations. The city was connected to a port on the coast, apparently under Achziv. The city-state was completely abandoned around the year 1600 BCE for unknown reasons.

Ancient history

Further information on the history of Kabri in this time-period: Tel Kabri § Post-palatial

After a few generations, the Phoenicians established next to the abandoned city a fortress town on 1.5 hectares (3.7 acres), in which were found the weapons and kitchen equipment of Greek mercenaries, as well as a scarce bowl, in which was prepared the colour purple, the Phoenicians' main export. That settlement survived from the 9th century BCE until the end of 7th century, at which time it was destroyed by the Babylonians.

Modern history

The Palestinian village of al-Kabri existed at the site from the post-Crusader period until 1949. In 1948 the Yehiam convoy was ambushed while passing the village. According to Israeli historian Benny Morris, a subsequent Haganah attack led to the flight of most of the villagers, and others were killed in what became known as the al-Kabri incident. The Haganah planned to "destroy and burn" Al-Kabri and neighbouring villages in western Galilee. Later, Al-Kabri was among the villages razed to ensure that its residents "could and would never return."

Notable people

• Yardena Arazi, singer and entertainer
• Avishai Cohen, jazz bassist, composer, singer and arranger
• Elam Rotem, Early music expert, especially of the Jewish-Italian Baroque composer Salamone Rossi, attended High School here
• Eival Gilady, general
• Ori Reisman, painter
• Daniel Rosolio, politician and member of the Knesset
• Aviva Rabinovich-Vin (אביבה רבינוביץ'-וין), professor of botany, chief scientist at the Israel Nature and Parks Authority and an environmental activist, lived and was buried here

External links

• Kibbutz website