Building Jewish Communities in Israel

I have a startling figure that I would like to share with you, and I struggle to understand it.

When the British Mandate began in the fall of 1918, there were 51 Jewish agricultural settlements: 30 towns, 10 kibbutzim, eight farms, two moshavim and one agricultural school. The entire Jewish population, both urban and agricultural, numbered about 50,000 people. In 1948, at the end of the British Mandate, there were 302 Jewish agricultural settlements in the Land of Israel with a population of about 165,000 (out of about 650,000 Jews in the Land of Israel). Of which: 145 kibbutzim (about 43,000 residents), 72 moshavim (about 18,000 residents), 85 towns (about 100,000 residents) and two agricultural schools.

This means that during the 31 years of the British Mandate, Jewish agricultural settlement increased by 251 new communities across all of Israel, that’s a 492% growth rate.

The current total number of Israeli settlements across the whole country is 1,268, which includes Arab towns and villages. Twenty years ago, in 2002, there were 1,187 Israeli settlements, including Arab towns and villages. That is a 6.8% growth rate.

In the past 20 years there has been no where near as much settlement growth as there was during the British Mandate.

Now it is certainly true that Israel’s population has increased in the past 20 years, and the size of our cities have increased as well. But we are becoming more and more concentrated in the cities, and neglecting the periphery which is the Biblical heartland of the country.

This is a huge problem for Israel’s security. We need to build Jewish communities in the Negev, Galil, and Judea and Samaria. Settling the land is the number one issue in national security. But instead of promoting the development of new towns and cities, we are using our power to stop Jews from building up our country.

Not too long ago in the book of Bamidbar, we read about the spies who sought to disconnect the Jewish people from the Land of Israel, and destroy the Zionist vision. Only two men, Joshua and Kaleb, stood up for what was right. They were not intimidated by the enemy, and they were not willing to give up on the Land of Israel.

We need more Joshuas and Kalebs. Though they are always in the minority, it is their fortitude that ultimately saves the Jewish people. Likewise, the book of Bamidbar comes to a close with a reference to the story of the daughters of Zelophehad from the tribe of Manasseh. They wanted nothing more than an inheritance in the Land of Israel, and as such petitioned Moses for their share.

I hope that the voices of Joshua, Kaleb and the daughters of Zelophehad will overpower those who seek to diminish Jewish settlement in Israel, and in 20 years from now the Negev, Galil and Judea and Samaria will be filled with Jewish communities.

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All the best,

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Brigadier General (res.) Amir Avivi
CEO and Founder of IDSF Habithonistim

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