Gevim
established
Regional Council
Population (Pre 7/10/2023)
Distance From The Gaza Border
Type Of Community
Economy
Kibbutz Gevim (Hebrew for “Cisterns“) was established on August 28, 1947, about three months before the UN vote on the establishment of the state. The founding members of the kibbutz were from the Palmach and had been members of a Labor Zionist Youth Movement. The kibbutz served as a headquarters for the Israel Defense Forces during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
The original name of the community was Sde Akiva, after the well-known agronomist Akiva Ettinger. Subsequently, members of the kibbutz chose the name Gevim, a Hebrew word meaning cistern or holes in rocks where rainwater can accumulate.
The kibbutz is a diverse, multi-generational community which places education, culture and environmental protection at the center of its community life. Volunteering and social entrepreneurship serve as ways to empower the community and its members.
The kibbutz is involved in agriculture and has an avocado plantation, a dairy farm, and a poultry farm. There is also a plastics factory which operates two plants, one onsite and the other in Germany and is jointly owned by the kibbutz and a private German company. The kibbutz also has varied service providers and entrepreneurs. Since the kibbutz is located within a short distance of several cities and municipalities, many residents work outside of the kibbutz.
October 7, 2023
With the start of the surprise attack, terrorists advanced towards Kibbutz Gevim. Security chief Ziv Aviv together with the members of the Gevim civil defense team prevented terrorists from entering the community. Aviv was seriously wounded by gunfire.
“Sunset, the kids are playing in the grass, mothers sitting around drinking coffee, images of a pastoral kibbutz. Only if you truly pay attention, you see the puffed eyes from all the tears, the sleepless nights, the bad news about all those people murdered that constantly haunt us and the kids longing for some kind of normalcy. No matter how you may try to soften the trauma or hide the horrible truth, they know what happened and feel the world shake as we do.” These words were written by Sivan Shalchin Amoyal, a Kibbutz Gevim resident who was evacuated and taken in by a kibbutz in the Jordan Valley.
