Kibbutz Bet-Zera was founded in 1921, and establish in the Jordan Valley in 1927 by a group of young Zionists from Europe.
The Founders House was built that year to house the 30 members of the group who dreamed of small and family like settlement.
The architectural design for the kibbutz was done by the famous architect Richard Kaufman of the Bauhaus School, believing in simple and functional design adapted to the local landscape and climate of Israel.
Two years later, as their population increased, two children’s houses were built, also designed according to the philosophy of a cooperative and autonomous children’s society.
Simple in lines, and functional blocks with strong structures, the houses were built to last for generations.
“The Founder’s Yard” embodies the visionary ideals of Bet Zera. The community as an extended family: public buildings in the center surrounded by individual family housing.
Indeed, with the passage of time, the kibbutz and the community spread out and grew, surrounding the original house and yard.
The centrality of the First House in the kibbutz life lasted throughout the years: it was the sight of community events and celebrations, and was the home for various institutions.
A few years ago the Founder’s Yard of Bet Zera was recognized by UNESCO and the Israeli Council for the Preservation of Historical Sites as an historical site. The Council helped in financing the preparation of a renovation plan for the Founders House, destined to be the social and administrative center for the renovating community of the kibbutz.
In order to turn the entire historic kibbutz center into a living monument to the past and an inspiration for future generations, a complete landscape design project has been undertaken in accordance with Richard Kaufman’s original plan.
As part of rebuilding and renovating our community, we open our doors to new comers and to the sons and daughters of the kibbutz, and we rethink the traditional social structure of the kibbutz in order to adjust it to the changing reality in which we live.
All that, while preserving the kibbutz characteristic of an intimate and united community which base its life on the belief in tolerance and fraternity.
We strive to build a bright future for our community by honoring the past, and we are requesting your help with a contribution to enable our plans for the Founders Yard and the Founders House of Bet Zera to be realized.
