Shlomo Gur (Gerzovsky) (1913-2000), founder member of Kibbutz Tel Amal, is credited with creating and then managing the construction of 57 ''homa u'migal'' (

tower A tower is a tall structure, taller than it is wide, often by a significant factor. Towers are distinguished from masts by their lack of guy-wires and are therefore, along with tall buildings, self-supporting structures. Towers are specifi ...

and stockade settlements) during the 1936–39 Arab revolt in Palestine. Following the establishment of the state of

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

, he was project manager of the

Hebrew University The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; he, הַאוּנִיבֶרְסִיטָה הַעִבְרִית בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם) is a public research university based in Jerusalem, Israel. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Dr. Chaim Weiz ...

, the

National Library A national library is a library established by a government as a country's preeminent repository of information. Unlike public libraries, these rarely allow citizens to borrow books. Often, they include numerous rare, valuable, or significant wo ...

and the

Knesset The Knesset ( he, הַכְּנֶסֶת ; "gathering" or "assembly") is the unicameral legislature of Israel. As the supreme state body, the Knesset is sovereign and thus has complete control of the entirety of the Israeli government (with ...

. In summer 1936, the expanding Arab revolt endangered the Jewish population of

Beit She'an Valley The Beit She'an Valley ( he, בקעת בית שאן or he, עמק בית שאן) is a valley in Israel. The valley lies within the Beit She'an rift, part of the Afro-Syrian Rift (Jordan Rift Valley), which opens westwards to the Harod Valley. I ...

. Concerned with safety and security, Shlomo Gur and other members of Kibbutz Tel Amal built the first ''homa u'migal'' settlement. Subsequently, Shlomo Gur consulted

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

architect Yohanan Ratner and was provided with blueprints for the other settlements.Segal, Rafi & Weizman, Eyal (editors) (2003) ''A civilian occupation. The politics of Israeli architecture''. Verso. . p.54 (Sharon Rotbard) Shlomo Gur was the first director of Israel's Military research department.

Gallery

File:Duff p.192 001.jpg, Preparing the foundations; watch tower being assembled on left; two

Palestine Police The Palestine Police Force was a British colonial police service established in Mandatory Palestine on 1 July 1920,Sinclair, 2006. when High Commissioner Sir Herbert Samuel's civil administration took over responsibility for security from Gener ...

men in center. File:Duff p.204 001.jpg, Fully constructed Homa Umigal in the Galilee; drilling for water in foreground. File:Shavei Tzion wall.jpg,

Shavei Tzion Shavei Tzion ( he, שָׁבֵי צִיּוֹן, ''lit.'' Returnees to Zion) is a moshav shitufi in northern Israel. Located between Acre and Nahariya and covering 2,000 dunams, it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Asher Regional Council. In ...

under construction. File:Duff p.154 001.jpg, Gun positions and observation platform. File:Farago p.209 001.jpg, Wall filled with earth and barbed wire perimeter fence. File:Tower and Stockade settlement, aerial view 1938.jpg, Aerial view of Bet Yosef, 1938. File:Sha'ar Hagolan 004.jpg, Sha'ar Hagolan, Palestine, 1937 File:Sha'ar Ha Golan 003.jpg, The watchtower being erected at Sha'ar Hagolan, 21 August 1937.

References

{{Israel-bio-stub 1913 births 2000 deaths Israeli architects Jews in Mandatory Palestine Kibbutzniks Hebrew University of Jerusalem National Library of Israel

Gallery

See also

References