Source: Gantz, Pnina. “The Immigration, Absorption, and Integration of the Cave Dwellers from Libya into Israel,” Seminar Paper, University of Haifa, 2001
Arrival and Initial Settlement
Upon their arrival in Israel in 1950, the immigrants from Gharyan - known as the Cave Dwellers of Libya - were initially housed in the Binyamina transit camp (ma’abara). They were later relocated to Moshav Porat, a new agricultural settlement in the Sharon region.
For the first year and a half, they lived in tents and small wooden huts, enduring challenging conditions. In 1952, construction began on permanent homes.
Life in Moshav Porat
Moshav Porat was established as a workers’ moshav affiliated with the Hapoel HaMizrachi movement. Each family received a private agricultural plot, which typically included a citrus orchard and a chicken coop. The community’s livelihood was primarily based on agriculture, though over time, some residents found employment in education and various external professions.
The residents of the moshav belonged to three extended family clans, all related by marriage and kinship. These family units formed the social and cultural backbone of the village, and their unity and cooperation remain strong to this day.
The three clans are:
• Hajaj
• Hassan
• Goyata
Transition from Cave to Homeland
In the early days of the moshav, some families initially attempted to replicate the living style of Gharyan. For instance, Kalifa Hajaj, whose two sons were soon to be married and had no homes of their own, proposed building underground dwellings like those they had known in Libya.
He said to them:
“Why not dig yourselves a little cave here and live like kings?”
A trial attempt was made to dig a subterranean room - but it collapsed almost immediately. That marked the first and final effort to revive the cave tradition in Israel. As the residents later reflected:
“The soil here isn’t like Gharyan. There, the ground was like concrete.”
From Darkness to Light
Yaakov Goyata, one of the early residents, described the transition from life in the caves to life in Israel as:
“A move from darkness to light - like foxes coming out of the ruins.”
He continued:
“Life in the caves was harsh and primitive. We lived without technology, without electricity. We used kerosene lamps. We drew water from wells. It was difficult - almost impossible to compare those conditions with the life we live today.”
Thus, the Cave Dwellers of Libya began a new chapter in Moshav Porat - transforming from an ancient, subterranean existence to productive, modern lives in the State of Israel.