Dan () is a
kibbutz
A kibbutz ( / , ; : kibbutzim / ) is an intentional community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. The first kibbutz, established in 1910, was Degania Alef, Degania. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economi ...
in northern Israel. Located in the north of the
Hula Valley, at the foot of
Mount Hermon, it falls under the jurisdiction of
Upper Galilee Regional Council. As of it had a population of .
History
Dan was founded in 1939 by Jewish farmers from
Transylvania
Transylvania ( or ; ; or ; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjen'') is a List of historical regions of Central Europe, historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and ...
as part of the
Tower and Stockade campaign. It is affiliated with the
Hashomer Hatzair movement. In 1947, the population was 340.
Dan was one of two villages established in honour of
Menachem Ussishkin and counted among
the "Ussishkin Fortresses". It was named after the Israelite town of "
Dan" mentioned in
Genesis 14:14,
1 Samuel 3:20 and
1 Kings 12:29, which has been identified with the nearby
Tel Dan. Kibbutz Dan is located in the territory of the Israelite
tribe of Dan delineated in
Joshua 19:47. It suffered heavy losses during the
1948 Arab–Israeli War, bearing the brunt of the
Syria
Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
n invasion.
Yiftach Brigade
The 11th Brigade (also known as the Yiftach Brigade) is a reserves unit in the Israel Defense Forces, composed mainly of fighters that completed their compulsory service in the Egoz Unit, Unit 621 – 'Egoz'.
History
In the 1948 Arab–Israeli ...
stationed at Dan, 1948
File:PikiWiki Israel 4454 Agriculture in Israel.jpg, Working in the field, 1948–49
File:PikiWiki Israel 47202 Kibbutz Dan.jpg, Dan during early 1950s
Economy
One of the first economic branches in the kibbutz was a cooperative trout-breeding venture with neighbouring kibbutz of
Dafna.
The Caviar Galilee Company, which exports
caviar
Caviar or caviare is a food consisting of salt-cured roe of the family Acipenseridae. Caviar is considered a delicacy and is eaten as a garnish or spread. Traditionally, the term caviar refers only to roe from wild sturgeon in the Caspi ...
under the brand name "Karat Caviar," is based on the kibbutz. The caviar is well-regarded;
Eric Ripert, chef and proprietor of
Le Bernardin, and Jean Francois Bruel, chef of
Restaurant Daniel, have stated their preference for the brand.
The kibbutz exports caviar to the United States, Europe, Russia, Japan, Singapore and Canada. In 2011, the company produced 3,000 kilograms. It has plans to increase production gradually to 8,000 kilograms a year.
[
A museum for the nature and history of the area, "Bet Ussishkin," operates at the Kibbutz.Bet Ussishkin official website]
(in Hebrew).
Landmarks
*
Tel Dan
* Dan is the starting point of the
Israel National Trail.
References
{{Authority control
Kibbutzim
Kibbutz Movement
Populated places established in 1939
Jewish villages in Mandatory Palestine
1939 establishments in Mandatory Palestine
Populated places in Northern District (Israel)
Romanian-Jewish culture in Israel