Eilon

views updated

EILON

EILON (Heb. אֵילוֹן), kibbutz in northern Israel, near the Lebanese border, affiliated with Kibbutz Arẓi Ha-Shomer ha-Ẓa'ir. It was founded in 1938 as a "tower and stockade" outpost by pioneers from Poland and joined by Israel-born youth. All its fields necessitated heavy reclamation work to clear the rocky ground. Fruit orchards and livestock were prominent farm branches. It also operated a metal and other factories. In 2002 the population of Eilon was 635. The name Eilon refers to the local vegetation of oak and pistachio trees ("allon, elah").

[Efraim Orni]