"When we looked upon the Sea of Galilee and the Horns of Hattin to the east, and Mount Tabor to the west, we were captivated by the surrounding beauty and knew then and there that we belong here" – the founders of Kibbutz Lavi.
The story of Kibbutz Lavi (lion) begins somewhere in Germany and Austria, with the children of affluent Jewish families who after Kristallnacht sought refuge from the clutches of the Nazis.
When the English government agreed to receive children in the Kindertransport, parents saw this as the only opportunity to save their children, and so with a heavy heart they sent their children aged 4 to 16 to a foreign safe shore.
In England, the children were sent to foster families or hostels, and some found refuge with the BAHAD movement (Alliance of Orthodox Pioneers). As part of the movement’s work, they established a training farm, engaged in agriculture, learned Hebrew, and trained for a community life ahead of their immigration to Israel and establishment of an orthodox kibbutz.
In England, they formed the "English Group" and in 1949 a group of young people came to settle on a bare hill in the heart of the Lower Galilee, and so it was documented by the Names Committee: “…the committee decided to name your community Lavi, after the name of the historical place from the Second Temple period. In addition to its historical significance, the name Lavi symbolizes the revival of the Jewish people and the establishment of the State of Israel in the land of Israel. This symbolism is implied in the verse '...they rouse themselves like a lion' (Book of Numbers, 23)".
And so, these inspiring young people toiled and established kibbutz Lavi – a magnificent orthodox kibbutz, which beautifully integrates the Jewish way of life with English attitude and Israeli pioneering.
Lavi was among the first kibbutzim to house families with their children, and the first orthodox kibbutz with its own rabbi as spiritual leader.
In the heart of the kibbutz is its synagogue, built in the style of ancient Galilean synagogues, with an adjacent magnificent Beth Midrash (study hall), both of which serve as community gathering venues to study Torah and Judaism.
kibbutz Lavi is home to a variety of businesses and enterprises - various areas of agriculture such as field crops, plantations, cattle sheds and chicken coops; a very successful shop that produces furniture and Torah arks for synagogues in Israel and abroad; and the Lavi Hotel - which supports the founders’ vision and the kibbutz tradition, and enables guests from Israel and the world to experience a Jewish-kibbutz-Israeli atmosphere.
At a short distance from the hotel are the Lavi Forest, mount Horns of Hattin and Nabi Shuayev – all popular hiking sites.
The Lavi Hotel offers a variety of conference and banquet halls of different sizes, high-quality, diverse kosher food and ample parking.
Among the hotel's facilities you may find a synagogue, a children's club, a gym and various activities to soak in the spirit of the kibbutz.
