Kibbutz Barkai is located in central Israel on the western side of Wadi Ara. The name of Kibbutz Barkai means the star of dawn, the first light that heralds the coming of a new day. Barkai is also an acronym (in Hebrew) for “Workers, Romania, Kibbutz, Palestine” – a commemoration of the founding nucleus from Romania and Poland who arrived from the darkness of World War II into the light of a new day in Israel. This light was joined a few years later by a large group from the Hashomer Hatzair movement from North America, and its members greatly influenced the character of the kibbutz. It is said that at certain times, UN soldiers used to come to the lawns of the kibbutz to partake in spontaneous baseball and softball games.
Visit Kibbutz Barkai
Nowadays, baseball bats are gone, and so are UN soldiers. On the kibbutz lawns, or rather in the soccer field children, youth and adults, Arabs and Jews, from all over the region participate in soccer training and matches. The field in Barkai also serves as a home for the the local Menashe Regional Council rugby club, which has won several state championships and sent many players to the Israeli national teams.
You can do a kibbutz tour with Yizhar Hass, a certified tour guide who also runs workshops on the kibbutz. You can also partake in an arts workshop at the local “Makoma” Art Studio.
As for food, you’ll find the Tomoko Sushi, handmade by a japanese resident of the kibbutz and for dessert you can contact Michal’s home bakery.
Photos: Kibbutz Barkai
