Manara, Israel

Menara

מְנָרָה‎
Menara מְנָרָה‎
	Menara
	Coordinates: 33°11′45″N 35°32′40″E / 33.19583°N 35.54444°E
Country	Israel
District	Northern
Council	Upper Galilee
Affiliation	Kibbutz Movement
Founded	1943
Founded by	German and Polish Jews and ; HaNoar HaOved members
Population (2022)	284
Website	www.manara.co.il

Menara (official name, Hebrew: מְנָרָה, pronounced Menará), popularly known as Manara, is a kibbutz in northern Israel. Located on the Ramim Ridge [he] of the Naftali Mountains, Upper Galilee, adjacent to the Lebanese border and overlooking the Hula Valley, it falls under the jurisdiction of Upper Galilee Regional Council. In 2022 it had a population of 284.^[1]

History

The village was formerly inhabited by Arabs, when it was known as Kh el Menarah.^[2] In 1881, the PEF's Survey of Western Palestine (SWP) described it as "ruins of a modern Arab village, several rock-cut cisterns, and one wine-press"^[3]

In the 1940s, 2538 dunams of land were purchased by the Jewish National Fund from Asa'ad Bey Khuri of Beirut.^[4]

The kibbutz was established in 1943 by members of the HaNoar HaOved VeHaLomed youth group and young immigrants from Germany and Poland. Leon Uris used an incident from the history of the kibbutz in his novel, Exodus. The scene of the night hike with the children from Gan Dafna as the kibbutz faced attack was based on the war-time transport of the children of Kibbutz Manara from the mountaintop to what was presumed to be a safer place on the valley floor.^[5]

In June 1948 the kibbutz requested land from the newly depopulated Palestinian village of Qadas, as it was "suitable for winter crops."^[6]

Former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's sister Rachel Ya'akov was a founding member.^[7]

As Manara lies less than 100 metres from the Lebanese border, problems have arisen during fighting between the two countries. The Menara bypass project was completed in 2005 to provide safe access to the kibbutz.

Manara is boasted to be 888 metres above sea level and is a rare style for a kibbutz, with apartments providing the accommodation, due to the limited space.^{[citation needed]}

Hezbollah attacks during Israel–Hamas war

During the Israel–Hamas war, Hezbollah targeted northern Israeli border communities, forcing evacuations, including in Bar'am.^[8]

On October 19, at least two anti-tank missiles were fired from Lebanese territory, hitting Manara without causing any casualties.^[9]

Manara under construction 1944
Manara barracks 1944
Manara 1944
Manara 1944
Manara 1947
Yiftach Brigade bringing supplies to Kibbutz Manara. 1948
Bulgarian Company of Yiftach Brigade with a convoy to Manara. 1948

Economy

Manara's main industries are agriculture (primarily cotton fields, apples and chickens), tourism to the scenic cliffs via its cable cars descending from the Upper Manara Cliff down to Kiryat Shmona in the valley below,^[10] and a technical glass manufacturing plant.