Tzora

Tzora (Hebrew: צָרְעָה) is a kibbutz in central Israel. Located about 20 km from Jerusalem, near the city of Beit Shemesh, it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Yehuda Regional Council. At the beginning of 2009, the kibbutz had a total population of 800, of whom 350 were members.

Etymology

The kibbutz is named for the biblical village of Tzora, which may have been a Canaanite town. The name was taken from the Biblical Book of Judges (13:25): "And the spirit of the Lord began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol."

History

The kibbutz was founded in December 1948 by former Palmach members. In the 1980s a ham radio club operated under the call 4Z4YJ.

In the early 2000s, Tzora underwent a privatization of its communal living structure, with a community tax levied on income and the residual retained as income by members. In April 2008, the kibbutz was fully privatized.

Economy

One of the main branches of the kibbutz economy was Tzora Furniture Ltd., which began in 1957 as a metal factory. At first, the company produced bicycles, but in 1974 it began to manufacture office chairs, before moving on to a full range of office furniture. However, the factory burned down in July 2007. In 1993, Tzora opened the first kibbutz winery, Tzora Vineyards, which produces 60,000 bottles of wine a year. More recently, Tzora is now home to the Teperberg Winery. Tzora operates a dairy in partnership with Tzova and Netiv HaLamed-Heh. Tzora Active Systems produce advanced lightweight wheelchairs. There is also a large wedding hall, built of tents. These tents, produced in Tzora are now used throughout Israel for weddings.