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Kibbitz Kfar Blum was founded in November 1943 by the Labor Zionist Habonim (now Habonim Dror) youth movement. The kibbutz, named for Leon Blum, a Jew and former Socialist premier of France.
The young pioneers waited five years for the land and budget for settlement to become available.
This period was spent in the center of the country in the village of Binyamina working for local farmers. The original group consisted of people from the Baltic countries (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia), from England, the United States and Canada.
Subsequently, newcomers from thirty different counties joined the kibbutz. When the new settlers arrived in the Huleh valley they found a malaria-ridden swamp. There were no roads, no trees, no houses and most of the land was waterlogged.
What is a kibbutz?
A kibbutz was originally a cooperative community governed by the general assembly of its members. Property is collectively owned and all share in the work of the community. All members have equal rights and each contributes his labor and skills, according to his ability, to the economic, social and cultural advancement of the kibbutz. In return, the kibbutz assumes responsibility for the well-being of its members and provides for their physical, cultural, educational and social needs.
The kfar Blum you see today is the result of devotion, hard work and building over a period of 50 years. Our community now boasts a population of about 600, 250 members, 150 children and about 200 temporary residents.
In the last ten years the kibbutz chose to privatize many of its services and decided to offer market-value salaries to its members. As a result the kibbutz of the 21st century is no longer an equal society and no longer offers its services for free to its members and residents.
What do we produce?
AGRICULTURE We farm our 4,500 dunams (1,225 acres) of land intensively. Kfar Blum's red grapefruit is well-known in israel. We pick 1,200 tons of fruit every year from our 100 acre orchard. Prize-winning cotton is grown on another 700 acres. Our 650 head dairy herd, half of them milkers, produces 3.5 million liters of milk annually. Poultry houses send about 600 tons of meat to the market each year. We also raise sunflowers for oil and grow peaches and nectarines for the European market.
INDUSTRY AND WORKSHOPS We own 50% of Galcon - Irrigation Control Systems, battery-operated computerized controllers for sprinkler and drip systems. Managerial and engineering staffs are composed partly of kibbutz members. There are workshops and facilities serving the needs of the entire kibbutz: shops for repairing farm machinery, a garage to service our motor pool, electrical appliance repair shop and a bicycle repair shop.
TOURIST INDUSTRY Our kibbutz hotel opened in 1957 as a single six-room facility built to accommodate members' guests. Due to the growing demand, it developed into a small intimate hotel comprising 147 four-star double rooms, a lobby, a restaurant, a spa, convention halls and the usual hotel amenities. For recreation, we offer our Olympic-size swimming pool, tennis courts, cinder track and kayaking down the Jordan River. Near the kayak site, there is an adventurous activity park, a refreshment stand and picnic areas.
PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS:
EDUCATIONAL, CULTURAL AND SPORTS FACILITIES
Located on our grounds are the following:
* Communal dining room and kitchen. Clothing department: kibbutz laundry and members store.
* "Supermarket" (general store) for members.
* Auditorium (650 seats) for theater, concerts and meetings.
* Kibbutz Social Center includes 2 libraries, a meeting room,
* an archives and a Museeum.
* Synagogue: services held on the Sabbath and holy days.
* Kindergarten and pre-kindergarten facilities.
* Regional Elementary School – 350 pupils.
* Regional high school – 1,300 pupils.
* The Clore Center for Music and Dance.
* Nature Museum: Flora and Fauna of the Hulah valley.
* Gymnasium and sports Center.
* Tennis Courts – floodlit for evening use.
* Cinder running track.
* Soccer field.
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