Sedeh Eliyahu

SEDEH ELIYAHU (Heb. שְׂדֵה אֵלִיָּהוּ), kibbutz in central Israel, in the Beth-Shean Valley, affiliated with Ha-Kibbutz ha-Dati. Sedeh Eliyahu was founded in 1939 by religious pioneers from Germany. In 1970 Sedeh Eliyahu had 375 inhabitants, increasing to 656 in 2002. Farming was intensive and fully irrigated, based on field crops, dates, vineyards, vegetables, organic farming, fish breeding, and dairy cattle. The kibbutz manufactured spices and biological pest control products (Bio-Bee). The name of the kibbutz commemorates Rabbi Elijah *Gutmacher.

Sources: Encyclopaedia Judaica. © 2007 The Gale Group. All Rights Reserved.