The following was posted as a comment on the "How To Use" page. It has been moved here as a "Post" to get wider viewing. Ruth's story is a reminder of the early days.
If you have any additional information contact Ruth Cohen at -0775520251 or 0548388699
I was born 13 June `1953 at bet holim haemahot in haifa apparently no longer around. My brother ariel wanted to come into the world when the moshav folks were watching a movie and it had to stop as the driver was also showing the movie.
i think ayela was also born there or maybe in rishpon where we moved to after that we went to south africa.
I was madly in love with a little boy who i used to hug passionately at the age of 3 -4 and am dying to know who he is and why i found him so irrestible.
a few years ago i did meet the nursery school teacher with my mother visiting from SA.dont remember her name. she said we all looked the same in little blue shirts and shorts and she knew the name of the boy that i so adored. wonder if he remembers. and where he is. his parents still live there. i would love his name.
my first home was moshav habonim.as a baby i was put on the ground and worked with vegtables from birth. and herded a few cattle as a toddler.so i told. i do remember the beach.my late father yoseph krinsky from poland to south africa said he was one of the founders of the moshav with other polish jews from south africa . i want to research this.
today i live in jerusalem and make pretty gardens. that are very popular and well loved and photographed. a little public garden started by a remarkable man called skippy a sports man who is obsessed with moshe montifore started this out of his own pocket. he asked me to help him 3 years ago.it is fast becoming the most popular garden here. and part of the endless tours in this area where they come to see famous shuls, 2 huge ecylaptus trees from time of montifore, and my gardens.
so the moshav strengthened my connection to the land. in fact where i live at no 3 shirizly st, mizcarit moshe, the previous owner shulamit who has passed on 5 years ago, started the first garden here outside her home. she also came from a moshav. she brought in rocks from the golan and tree trunks and it is still called gan shulamit. i just made it more artistic and pretty. i have a giraffe on the window, and other little animals, and all sorts of weird and wonderful things.it is very loved.
Shalom Rav,
Moshav Ha-Bonim was our family's incredibly fascinating home during my formative years from 1963-1972.(age 13-22)it was almost unique in Israel at the time because it had a distinctive Anglo flavored culture derived from the many members who hailed from the England, South Africa, Kenya, Scotland, Canada, and the U.S. One was as likely to hear English being casually spoken there as Hebrew. A more beautiful picturesque sea-side location would be almost impossible to imagine. I returned to the U.S. in 1972 (from which we had emigrated to Israel in 1963) after completing my military service in the IDF and unfortunately, over time, completely lost touch with my friends and fellow Moshavniks. I was a graduate of Kfar Galim High School as were most of my peers. The pursuit of a higher education, marriage, family, and other obligations put the Moshav experience far into the past but now at age 60, there remains some lingering curiosity as to what has happened in the 40+ year interim. My younger brother David, who also grew up at Ha-Bonim, came back to the states but later returned to Israel in the 1980's where he and his family remain in Netanya. He and I seldom communicate, so my knowledge of how Ha-Bonim has evolved in past decades is quite limited. I have not been back for an Israel visit since my departure in 1972. I searched for any links connecting to Ha-Bonim alumni who might be from the period when it was our home but have not found any on Facebook or other social media sources. I'm afraid my knowledge of modern Hebrew has steeply declined from decades of secular living in the Diaspora...so any contacts with former Moshav friends would best be conducted in English. Ha-Bonim has a very interesting history (as noted here in the history of the Ha-Bonim movement which led to the Moshav's founding) but was periodically plagued with problems from failed enterprises and mass departures. I'm so pleased that somehow the community has found the will to survive for this long. If any former or current Moshav members from those long-ago days wish to re-establish contact you are most welcome to do so: [email protected] Shalom, Yohanan (John Shiflet)
Posted by: John Shiflet | August 28, 2011 at 10:43 PM
John Shiflet
I just came across this post, had no idea it was here at all. So sorry it took me so long to find it but was very happy to read what you wrote.
I now live in Jerusalem in city centre, hope you find this message.
Posted by: Ruth Cohen | April 15, 2020 at 03:09 PM
just came across this by accident. i was a volunteer at habonim twice 1979 and 1980 loved every minute worked in bananas with doran and others im now 66 but still think of my time at habonin was known as gingie john shalom to everyone,
Posted by: john birkett | February 21, 2021 at 12:39 AM
I'm sure I had relative who lived on the Moshav. They were Cecil and Rose Plotkin from South Africa. Anybody can help?
Posted by: Hilton Teper | March 10, 2021 at 11:24 PM