EIN GEV

EIN GEV (Heb. עֵין גֵּב), kibbutz on the east shore of Lake Kinneret in Israel, situated on the narrow lowland strip between the lake and the rim of the Golan Plateau below Mt. susita . It was founded in 1937 as a "tower and stockade " settlement by a group of pioneers from Germany, Austria, and the Baltic countries who had previously worked at kinneret . The kibbutz, which came under frequent attack during the Arab riots before World War II, was particularly vulnerable in its initial years when it was accessible only by boat from Tiberias. In the war of independence (1948), Ein Gev was again isolated and suffered a severe Syrian air and artillery attack, which it repulsed. After the armistice it remained exposed to the Syrian positions on the Golan rim and on land north of it, which the Syrians held until the six-day war of 1967. Early in its history the kibbutz developed fishing in Lake Kinneret as well as tourism. The kibbutz operates a holiday resort, fish restaurant, and sailing boats. The Ein Gev Music Festival is held annually during Passover, and a 2,500-seat concert hall was erected. Farming is intensive, including bananas, dairy, and ostrich breeding. Near the kibbutz is the archaeological site of Susita. In 2002 the population of Ein Gev was 521. The name ("Waterhole Spring") is Hebraized from the Arabic designation of the site, "Nuqayb." -WEBSITES: www.eingev.org.il ; www.eingev.co.il/main.html . (Efraim Orni / Shaked Gilboa (2nd ed.)