Neẓer Sereni

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NEẒER SERENI

NEẒER SERENI (Heb. נֶצֶר סִירֶנִי), kibbutz in central Israel, between Nes Ẓiyyonah and Ramleh, founded on June 20, 1948, during a short cease-fire of the Israel *War of Independence, by "Kibbutz Buchenwald," composed of young survivors of the Holocaust who, while still in a displaced persons' camp, had formed a pioneering group for settlement in Palestine. The site, a German farm from the beginning of the century, was temporarily used during World War i as Gen. *Allenby's headquarters. After the 1951–52 split in *Ha-Kibbutz ha-Me'uḥad a large minority group from *Givat Brenner decided to join Kibbutz Neẓer which was affiliated with Iḥud ha-Kevuẓot veha-Kibbutzim. In 1968 the kibbutz numbered 510 inhabitants, in 2002 it was 499. The kibbutz engaged in intensive farming and started up three industrial plants, for foodstuffs, metal, and wood products. The name "Neẓer" ("Young Shoot") refers to Kibbutz Buchenwald's origins. After the members of Givat Brenner joined, the kibbutz was named Neẓer Sereni to commemorate the Haganah parachutist Enzo *Sereni, who had been a member of Givat Brenner.

[Efraim Orni]