Year Founded: 1949

Founders: A group of young Holocaust survivors from Hungary, later joined by groups from Poland, France and Argentina. Origin of Name: Symbolic, taken from Biblical passage “And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the standing corn (Hebrew: kama) ...” [Isaiah 17:5].

Population: 360.

Principal Sources of Livelihood: Dry crops, field crops, fruit orchards, avocado plantation, hothouse strawberry nursery, poultry run, Kama-Da medical product factory.

Year Founded: 1951.

Founders: Groups from South America and Israel.

Origin of Name: Biblical city of Dvir.

Population: 390.

Principal Sources of Livelihood: Mixed agriculture, dairy barn, poultry run, plantations, fruit orchards, Dolev plastics factory (in cooperation with Kibbutz Lahav), software development (QText Hebrew-English word processor), Kefofan Motor Park.

Year Founded: 1946.

Founders: Group of Palmah soldiers. Israel Scouts veterans and "Tehran Children" one of eleven localities established in the Negev in one night.

Origin of Name: Biblical.

Population: 840.

Principal Sources of Livelihood: Dry crops, field crops, plantations, poultry run, dairy barn and the Netafim irrigation products plant - the chief source of kibbutz income. The kibbutz operates a regional dance studio.

Year Founded: 1981.

Founders: Urban Hashomer Hatzair group.

Origin of Name: Hebrew for Vineyards, symbolizing viticulture.

Population: 70 members and candidates.

Principal Sources of Livelihood: Field crops, poultry run and vineyards; partnership with Kibbutz Lahav in Kafrit Shoket rural accommodations.

Year Founded: 1952.

Founders: Veterans of Hashomer Hatzair in Israel and members of a Hungarian-born youth group.

Origin of Name: Founding Nahal group.

Population: 420.

Principal Sources of Livelihood: Field crops, plantations, livestock. The Livestock Research Institute at the kibbutz is developing a herd of gobexes - a cross between a goat and an ibex. The kibbutz also operates the Dolev plastics factory in cooperation with Kibbutz Dvir and the Kafrit Shoket rural accommodations in cooperation with Kibbutz Keramim. Lahav Forest, that surrounds the kibbutz, is an attraction for visitors.

Year Founded: 1946.

Founders: One of eleven localities established in the Negev on the same night.

Origin of Name: Symbolic (Hebrew: Negev Watch).

Population: 730.

Principal Sources of Livelihood: Field crops, dairy barn, poultry run, Polivid - Israel's largest styrofoam plant, Pama electronics plant.

Year Founded: Brosh, Tidhar and Teashur founded 1953.

Founders: Brosh and Tidhar - primarily immigrants from Morocco; Teashur - immigrants from various countries.

Origin of Name: Biblical passage: “ ... I will set in the desert the cypress (Hebrew: Brosh), the plane tree (Hebrew: Tidhar) and the larch (Hebrew: Teashur) together (Hebrew: Yahdav).” [Isaiah 41:19].

Population: 760.

Principal Sources of Livelihood: Agriculture - vegetables, plantations, fruit orchards and flowers, as well as outside jobs.

Year Founded: 1946 - One of eleven localities established in the Negev on the same night.

Founders: Nevatim was under siege in the 1948 War of Independence but held its ground thanks to airlifted supplies. The kibbutz disbanded after the war and was resettled in 1954 by immigrants from Cochin, India. The moshav synagogue is an exact duplicate of a Cochin synagogue, elements of which were brought to Israel for this purpose.

Origin of Name: Symbolic (Hebrew: Sprouts).

Population: 580.

Principal Sources of Livelihood: Flowers for export, poultry run, Cochin Jewry Heritage Center.

Year Founded: 1946 - One of eleven localities established in the Negev on the same night.

Founders: Veterans of Hashomer Hatzair from Israel and South Africa and a group of immigrants from the “illegal” immigrant ship Patria. Origin of Name: Based on Arab name of site, Hirbet a-Zubla.

Population: 610.

Principal Sources of Livelihood: Dry crops, field crops, plantations, fruit orchards, dairy barn, poultry runs, metalwork plant, Saricraft stitchery, silkscreen plant.

Year Founded: 1985.

Founders: Veterans of Hashomer Hatzair in Israel and veteran kibbutz members. Origin of Name: Marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of Hashomer Hatzair.

Population: 70 members and candidates.

Principal Sources of Livelihood: Dry crops, poultry run, almond plantation, vineyards and fruit orchards; cafeteria at Joe Allon Center.