By Rahamim Hajaj
All the residents of the moshav came from the exile of Tripoli in Tunisia, from a mountainous region known as “Gharian Hagrana.” According to tradition, some of them came from the Spanish exile around 475 years ago, and others even earlier, during the Second Temple period - about two thousand years ago.
During times of peace in the country, the Jews also experienced good conditions, and their community life was well organized. They helped the poor, ensured livelihoods, and observed all the commandments of the Torah. During World War II, their situation was difficult, but when Jewish soldiers from the Land of Israel (a unit called the Jewish Brigade) arrived and told them about the country, a strong desire to immigrate to Israel was awakened in the hearts of the Jews. With the establishment of the State, that dream was realized.
In 1949, all the Jews gathered in the city of Tripoli and from there made aliyah to Israel. At first, they lived in the Binyamina transit camp, and from there they moved to a moshav that was then called Kfar Yavetz. Initially, they lived in tents and some old buildings until they moved to Porat. There, they lived in small huts, and only in 1952 did the construction of permanent homes begin. Most of the people looked for work in the surrounding area and at the quarry in Migdal Tzedek. Later, they began planting citrus orchards. Some remained working in the orchard under “Yakhin,” and eventually moved on to working the moshav’s lands. At that time, there were no roads or organized transportation, and the people suffered greatly.
Even today, our situation is still difficult because all the families are large, and a single farm unit cannot support all the members of a family. Our children are very attached to the family and do not want to move and live far away.
Today, we have a regional school that serves the three communities - Azri’el, Yavetz, and Porat - and we are members of the Hefer Valley Regional Council, which helps us greatly in solving our problems.
From: “HaDar HaSharon Shelanu – Gush Tel Mond,” published by the Hefer Valley Regional Council, 1972.