Distinguished guests,

In conclusion of this wonderful, fascinating conference, I don’t know what dignity have I gained to speak here: maybe, it is, since I am attached to several important “beauty marks” in the Israeli society. As long as these “beauty marks” will flourish, we shall be a source of light to the Jewish people, and a light to the gentiles.

60 years and 3 months ago, we were sent, young boys and girls, to settle in the widely opened, short with water Negev, as a part of a settlement operation of 11 posts, on the evening ending the Yom Kippur fast, 1946. Due to this settlement operation, the Negev was included in the UN decision as a part of the Jewish state. In favor of the PALMACH brigade and the later-formed IDF, the Egyptian enemy was diminished and retreated, and the Jewish state’s new borders were set.

In the end of the War of Independence, my Kibbutz, Hatzerim, faced a severe agricultural problem: it seemed that the ground was sour, and the field fruits were few and non-profitable. Assisted by a scientific effort, and while exploiting the water of the national water carrier, we had the salt washed away, and we initiated new field grows who carried themselves.

However, we knew that we could not be based on agriculture only:

We initiated drip irrigation systems- a new, self developed system, of watering through slow-dripping, carried by plastic pipes. This factory exports its goods all over the world, in a scale of 350,000,000 dollars.

And so, Israel, who’s short of water, reaches every corner of the globe. The business development did not harm the Kibbutz values:
There is no contradiction between loyalty to values and prophecy, including awareness, caring, sympathy and activeness in the Israeli society.

I would like to add something about education: that it is the infrastructure of each and every society on the whole and of our state specifically. And why is that important? It is linked to 3 dimensions of time: it must endow ancient legacy; it must educate for today and for tomorrow. We have to do this for all youngsters, regardless of social standing.

In conclusion, 150 years after Achad Haam was born, our generation’s Zionism should combine both Herzel, who called for all Jews to make Aliya, and did not believe that Jews in the Diaspora will stick to their Judaism, and Achad Haam who did not believe that Israel could contain millions, and planned to build here a spiritual center only.

May our camp be pure.

I am sure that the endlessness of Israel will prevail:

The lords will grand his nation with courage. The lord will bless his nation with peace.