Nir David


Nir David is a kibbutz in northern Israel. Located in the Beit She'an Valley and near the city of Beit She'an, it falls under the jurisdiction of Valley of Springs Regional Council. In it had a population of.

History

Nir David was founded on the 10 December 1936, under the name of Tel Amal. It was established as the first tower and stockade settlement and the first kibbutz in the Beit She'an Valley.
In the 1940s, the kibbutz was renamed Nir David in honor of David Wolffsohn, second president of the World Zionist Organization. The communal dining room and two children's homes were designed by Zeev Rechter, architect of some of Israel's most iconic buildings. A group of Holocaust survivors joined the kibbutz in the 1940s.
In the 1990s, Nir David developed a tourism industry based around the Amal River, which flows through the middle of it. Around 2010, the kibbutz fenced off the community and installed a locked steel gate at the entrance, after protest from people, who wanted access to the scenic Asi river. In 2021, the kibbutz claimed that 40% of its population was Mizrahi.

Economy

The kibbutz's main income is from agriculture, e.g., field crops, orchards, and fish. Nir David Fish Breeding Farms has developed Tilapia strains with unique properties. The kibbutz's "Nirotek" factory produces self adhesive and carbonless copy paper, and a metal factory exports horticultural vehicles and tools.

Landmarks