A New Beginning
New life in Our Ancient Land New Life in Our Ancient Land
about the existence of the secret weapons (I was not one of them). The weapons had been covered with paper and wax for protection. Using huge magnets, the British found a large number of rifles, ammunition, mines, and machine guns. They emptied us out. We mourned the loss. It was a very difficult time in Israel and Yagur, but we did not give up. We were intent on working and training, learning disci- pline, judo, the firing of weapons, and other combat skills. Kibbutz Yagur’s economy combined manufacturing, agricultur- al products, and income from outside work. We produced tin cans that were used for soda, fruits, vegetables, fish, and other goods. At the time, we were actually the largest can factory in the Middle East. We bought fully automated machinery that was considered obsolete in the United States. We fed the metal in at one end and a complete can emerged at the other, properly rolled and soldered. Older members, for whom work in the fields was too physically strenuous, could sit and work in the factory. We also had a large agricultural training school on our grounds, with its own facilities and dormitories. The school belonged to the Jewish Agency and students came from all over the country to study. Agricultural products were very lucrative for the kibbutz. We sold chickens, eggs, milk from our hundreds of cows, sheep, wool, flowers, especially roses, and fruit, such as apples, pears, and grapes. Dairy products were distributed from the kibbutz, using at least ten of our own trucks, via a dairy cooperative called Tnuva. Some of our members taught at colleges and six of the kibbutz members were bus drivers — bus drivers and college professors had equal status, though driving a bus might have been slightly more prestigious. All outside salaries went into the kibbutz treasury. There were a small number of permanent, full-time jobs within the kibbutz, such as the secretary and some of the senior people in the bookkeeping department, but everyone else worked wherever they were needed most. Each person checked in when he went to
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