REVIVIM

REVIVIM (Heb. רְבִיבִים), kibbutz in southern Israel, 21 mi. (34 km.) S. of Beersheba, affiliated with Ha-Kibbutz ha-Me'uḥad. It was founded in 1943 as the southernmost of three observation outposts established to explore natural conditions and farming possibilities in the Negev and to create contacts with the Bedouin. Revivim was initially named Tel Ẓofim ("Mound of Scouts") and had only 15 young men and women. Lack of water constituted their central problem. In 1944, a system was worked out to divert flash flood waters from a nearby wadi to irrigate plantations of date palms, pomegranates, and olives. In December 1947, after the outbreak of hostilities which culminated in the Israel *War of Independence, the kibbutz rebuffed strong attacks of Bedouin irregulars; later, completely cut off by the invading Egyptian army, it held out until Israel forces broke through in Operation Yo'av (December 1948). After the war, Revivim had to be entirely reconstructed. In 1970, it had 429 inhabitants, increasing to 644 in 2002. Farming became feasible on a larger scale after the kibbutz was connected with the national water network. Field crops (in partnership with nearby kibbutzim), olive orchards and an olive press, dairy cattle (in partnership with Kibbutz Nir Eliyahu), and poultry were the mainstays of its farm economy. Its factories produced plastic products and ventilation systems. Revivim has a local museum in a patio courtyard reconstructed from the original observation post. Northwest of Revivim are the ruins of ancient Ḥaluẓa (see *Elusa). Its name, meaning "Dew Drops," is mentioned in Psalms 65:11.

websites:

www.revivim.org.il; www.revivim.kibbutz.org.il.

[Efraim Orni]