Ground was broken in ceremonies held today in the barren region of Dvir, in the Hebron hills, for a new settlement which will ultimately include 21, 000 acres of newly reclaimed land on the Jordanian border. In Biblical times, the area was known as Kiryat Sefer. The ceremonies launched the first step of the reclamation project, comprising 2, 225 acres, being financed with a gift of $1, 500, 000 from the Jewish National Fund of Canada.
This first, Canadian-sponsored settlement will be manned by a Nahal youth group that will be provided with the most modern agricultural equipment. A feature of the settlement will be the creation of a 20-acre artificial lake.
Rabbi Milton Aron, president of the JNF at Winnipeg, Canada, handed a $1, 000, 000 check for the financing of the project to Joseph Weitz, chairman of Israel’s Land Development Authority. The contribution was called by Rabbi Aron “a first installment. ” Prior to the ceremonies in the Hebron hills, Rabbi Aron and Harris Gulko, executive director of the JNF at Winnipeg, were received by President Zalman Shazar at his home here.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
