Yotvata is a kibbutz in southern Israel. Located on the Arabah road in the southern Negev, it falls under the jurisdiction of Hevel Eilot Regional Council. In it had a population of. The Arabah valley is an arid desert where the average annual rainfall is less than 30 mm and temperatures often exceed 40 °C in summer, and 21 °C in winter.
Location
Located approximately 40 km north of the Red Sea, Yotvata is the first, biggest, and most prosperous Kibbutz in Hevel Eilot Regional Council. Being relatively far from major urban centers, it is the center of the region, where most regional facilities are based: regional school, regional council offices, community center, sports center, movies and concerts hall and local airfield.
History
Establishment
Yotvata started in 1951 as a Nahal settlement named Ein Radian. In 1957 it was established as the first kibbutz in the southern Arabah region by Ihud HaKvutzot VeHaKibbutzim. The kibbutz is named after an Israelite encampment mentioned in Numbers 33:34 and Deuteronomy 10:7: "…from there they went to Gudgodah, and then to Jotbatha, a land of streaming water." Althme debates over the exact location of the biblical Yotvata, the idea of a desert oasis for Israelis was in the founders' mind; the local oasis was the Ein Radian wellspring. The founders, a small group of men and women 20 years of age and just out of the military service, decided to pursue a life of pioneering and built their home in the desert. They had massive challenges presented by the desert: the burning sun, the heat, shortage of water, salty land and water, limited transportation and no secure source of income. They started making all kinds of agricultural trials growing grapes, pomegranates and vegetables; they raised cattle and chickens - all with little success. The dates plantation proved more suitable to the arid conditions. And then came the initiative to found a dairy that would provide milk to Eilat, which was expected to grow rapidly. Breeding milking cows in the desert was considered an impossible mission. In 1962 the dairy was founded, with four cows, the member who led the vision and the operation was Ori Horazo . The members tried to get funds from the Jewish Agency, but failed. Eventually, they received funding from the Israeli Trade and Industry Minister, Pinhas Sapir. In the first year, the dairy produced 500,000 liters of milk. By 2008, it was producing 62 million liters a year and controlled 63% of the Israeli dairy beverages market, and 49% of the fortified milk market. It employed 130 workers and had 700 cows. The dairies of Kibbutz Yahel, Lotan, and Ketura provide milk for Yotvata. In 1960 the first children of the community were born, and six years later the school opened with three first graders; today there are 200 kids in the kibbutz, and 600 students from all of the region communities attend Maale Shaharut School in Yotvata.
Archaeology
Judging by the numerous historic forts surrounding the Kibbutz, Yotvata's location was a strategic one:
Southwest of the kibbutz lies a Roman fortress built during the reign of the Emperor Diocletian as part of a line of border fortresses in the Negev, in order to protect the trade route from marauding Arab nomads.
East of the kibbutz lies an ancient Arab resting fortress with towers in its corners, dating from the Nabataeans era and served as a resting station for the convoys crossing the desert.
On a hill west of the kibbutz, there is an ancient fort dating from the Iron Age. The fort overlooks the wellspring, and is considered to have served the Egyptians copper miners.
East of the kibbutz to the north and to the south there is a wells-chain connected with a tunnel that leads the aquifer water to the surface. Fugaras is an ancient but sophisticated irrigation system.
North of the kibbutz are found two ancient leopard traps. Leopards are known to have inhabited this area.
Economy and community
Yotvata is a cooperative community, where most adult residents work on the kibbutz in production, services or education. The revenues are equally distributed among the members regardless of their position, along the idea of each one gives as much as he can and gets as much as he needs. Most of daily affairs are conducted communally - education, holidays, dining and more. Yotvata Dairy is a milk products factory which provides the kibbutz with its main source of income and occupies the highest number of members. Agriculture ranks second in terms of income but perhaps first in importance to the community character and pride. Agriculture branches are irrigated land, plantations and a big and modern dairy farm. There is also a big road stop shop on the Arabah Road providing refreshments for travelers. Other small branches are a picturesque horse stable that lies in the date plantation east to the kibbutz and few artistic studios. All members take turns contributing to the kibbutz service branches - kitchen, dining-room, laundry, security, etc. The kibbutz gets all its drinking and irrigation water from aquifer wells in the Arabah valley.
Attractions
is dedicated to reintroducing extinct species mentioned in the Bible, as well as other endangered desert animals, to the wild. It has three parts: a park for herbivorous animals; the Predators Center that displays reptiles, small desert animals and large predators; and the Desert Night LifeExhibition Hall to observe nocturnal animals during their active hours. 15 km south of Yotvata lies Timna valley, where the sandstone and calcareous rock formations present some breathtaking desert features such as the Solomon's Pillars, Mushrooms, Arches and more. Timna is also known for its ancient copper mines. The area provides many great desert walks including canyons, roman routes, sand dunes, fossil hunting, rock-climbing and more.
