Nir Am
{{Short description|Kibbutz in southern Israel}}
{{Infobox Israel village
| name = Nir Am
| hebname = ניר עם
| meaning = Nation Meadow
| image = 102060 kibbutz nir am PikiWiki Israel.jpg
| founded = 19 August 1943
| founded_by = {{nowrap|Bessarabian Gordonia members}}
| country = {{ISR}}
| district = south
| council = Sha'ar HaNegev
| affiliation = Kibbutz Movement
| popyear = {{Israel populations|Year}}
| population = {{Israel populations|Nir Am}}
| population_footnotes = {{Israel populations|reference}}
| pushpin_map = Israel northwest negev#Israel
| pushpin_mapsize = 250
| pushpin_label_position =
| coordinates = {{coord|31|31|10|N|34|34|51|E|display=inline,title}}
| area_dunam = 20000
| website = {{URL|www.nir-am.org.il}}
}}
Nir Am ({{langx|he|ניר עם||Nation Meadow}}) is a kibbutz in southern Israel. Located next to the city of Sderot and around two kilometres from the Gaza Strip, the kibbutz covers 20,000 dunams. It falls under the jurisdiction of Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council. In {{Israel populations|Year}} it had a population of {{Israel populations|Nir Am}}.{{Israel populations|reference}}
History
Nir Am was established on 19 August 1943 by immigrants from Bessarabia who were members of the Gordonia youth movement, including Zvi Guershoni, later a member of the Knesset. Over the years the kibbutz has also absorbed immigrants from Argentina, France and South Africa.
During the 1948 war it was the headquarters of the Negev Brigade.{{Cite web|url=http://info.palmach.org.il/show_item.asp?levelId=38530&itemId=6347&itemType=0&obj=145860&picI=8|title=דף הבית|access-date=2017-11-25|archive-date=2017-12-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201041034/http://info.palmach.org.il/show_item.asp?levelId=38530&itemId=6347&itemType=0&obj=145860&picI=8|url-status=dead}} In a report written in March 1948 by Yaakov Riftin investigating abuses in Haganah and Palmach units, it emerged that an Arab was seized, tortured and killed.Ofer Aderet, [https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium.MAGAZINE-israel-still-covering-up-murders-committed-by-jewish-militia-in-48-1.6245599 'Why Is Israel Still Covering Up Extrajudicial Executions Committed by a Jewish Militia in '48?,'] Haaretz 7 July 2018.
During the October 7 attacks, Nir Am was one of few villages near Gaza that avoided casualties due to the quick action of its security team, which managed to repel attacks by Hamas gunmen. The team was led by Inbal Rabin-Lieberman, the village's security coordinator who planned the defense, and included a retired Israeli special forces soldier living in the village.{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/defenders-of-kibbutz-nir-am-say-they-killed-2-terrorists-saturday-preventing-takeover/|title=Defenders of Kibbutz Nir Am say they killed 2 terrorists Saturday, preventing takeover|website=The Times of Israel|date=9 October 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-ofakim-one-womans-graceful-bravery-offers-precious-solace-to-a-grieving-nation/|title=In Ofakim, one woman's graceful bravery offers precious solace to a grieving nation|website=The Times of Israel|date=10 October 2023}}{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-67089113 | title=Ex-soldier fought off Hamas and saved kibbutz neighbours | work=BBC News | date=12 October 2023 }}
File:ניר עם - מראה כללי-JNF040425.jpeg|Nir Am 1947
File:Nir Am ii.jpg|Palmach Pilots at Nir Am, 1948
File:Nir Am.jpg|Nir Am after fighting in 1948
Economy, culture and landmarks
File:8-0348-002 Nir-Am Water Museum, 8-5-15 - 076.jpg
File:מאגר המים ניר עם.jpg in the Gaza Strip in the background]]
An innovative work area was created in kibbutz Nir Am (Incubator),{{Cite web|url=http://southup.org/en/innovation-center/|title = Innovation Center}} Offices and workplaces for rent to start-ups, small companies in high-tech activities).
The Museum of Water and Security in the Negev is located at Nir Am, next to Mekorot's Nir Am reservoir.
The Assaf Siboni Scenic Lookout and memorial, at a vantage point near the Nir Am Reservoir, offers excellent views of the Gaza Strip and especially of Jabalia.[https://www.kkl-jnf.org/tourism-and-recreation/scenic-lookouts/south/assaf-siboni-lookout-nir-am.aspx Assaf Siboni Scenic Lookout] at KKL-JNF website. Accessed Sep 2021.
Notable people
- Zvi Guershoni (1915–1976), politician, co-founder of the kibbutz in 1943
- Baruch Kamin (1914–1988), politician, member of the Knesset for Mapai (1953–55)
- Adam Neumann (born 1979), Israeli-American businessman, co-founder of WeWork
- Inbal Rabin-Lieberman (born 1998), security coordinator
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Nir-Am}}
- [http://www.nir-am.org.il Official website] {{in lang|he}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20140726145935/http://eng.negev-net.org.il/HTMLs/article.aspx?C2004=12750 Nir Am] Negev Information Centre
- [http://southup.org/en/innovation-center/ SouthUp innovation-center] for the Gaza envelope and Israel's "periphery" (disadvantaged regions, mostly near the borders); offices in Sha'ar Hanegev and Nir Am
- [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Negev_water_and_security_museum Wikimedia photos from the Museum of Water and Security in the Negev]
{{Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Argentine-Jewish culture in Israel
Category:Populated places established in 1943
Category:Populated places in Southern District (Israel)
Category:1943 establishments in Mandatory Palestine
Category:French-Jewish culture in Israel