'Rosh HaNikra' (also 'Rosh HaNiqra'; ) is a
kibbutz in the
Matte Asher Regional Council in
Israel along the border of
Lebanon. It is named for the nearby
Rosh HaNikra grottoes, and today includes 600 members.
The Kibbutz was founded on June 1st, 1949, by deactivated members of a
Palmach nucleus group (, ''gar'in'') trained in
Kibbutz Hanita, as well as assorted members of
Zionist youth movements and young
Holocaust survivors. The Kibbutz raises banana, avocado, and turkeys, as well as other domesticated animals. In 1974, Kibbutz members founded a
biotechnology company called Rahan Meristem, which included the first commercial
tissue culture laboratory in the country.
The coastal rail line used to continue from the
Nahariya Train Station to
Lebanon by way of Rosh HaNikra where there was a bridge and railway tunnel. Built by the
British during
World War II in order to move troops and supplies in the area during the
Syria-Lebanon campaign, it was part of the
Haifa-
Beirut-
Tripoli line. Israeli forces bombed the rail bridge during the
Israeli War of Independence and the remnants of this line can be seen at Rosh HaNikra where a virtual "train ride to peace" movie is shown inside the sealed tunnel that used to go into Lebanon.
External links
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Official website
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Jewish Agency detailed information
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Virtual Israel Experience site
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Volunteers' memories
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Rahan Meristam profile