Biriya - Pioneering in Israel

Tuesday, February 7, after visiting Rosh Pina, we went to Biriya, just north of Tsfat. Biriya was established on January 8, 1945 as a fortress and outpost with a wide view of the surrounding area. The top photo shows Esther Weinstein and myself inside the fort. The middle photo shows the view of the surrounding area from one of the peepholes in the wall of the fort.

On March 6, 1946, during the period when present day Israel was under the governance of the British mandate, the British Army arrived and discovered an illegal cash of arms. The arrested and imprisoned the occupants at Acra prison.

Then, on March 15, some 3,000 Jews - many 16, 17 and 18 years old - arrived at the site at 6:00 a.m. and began rebuilding the outpost and planting crops. Later in the day, the British moved them out of the area once again.

The next day, March 16, more Jews returned and the British realized they could not just keep moving people away. A Commission of Inquiry was called.

In 1948, during the War of Independence, Biriya was held by twenty-two 16 and 17 year olds.

The story of Biriya is told and retold to highlight the pioneering of Jewish settlers early on in the history of present day Israel. It is one reason the "pioneering" tradition has continued to be a strong tradition, and why settlers are continuing to pioneer at places like Amona. In today's Israel, there is a growing sense that the attitude to pioneering needs to change. It is this conflict which is at the heart of the huge protests over what happened at Amona.

One of the wonderful developments near the fortress of Biriya, is the investment by JNF-KKL in the development of a park and in planting trees nearby. I was very interested to see that today's Israeli parks now all include efforts to ensure that there is access for those with disabilities to many areas in the park. The bottom photo shows the park near Biriya and the wide gradually sloping paths which can easily be used by those who come in wheelchairs.