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Ayalon Institute
Located on Kibbutzim Hill, on the outskirts of the city of Rehovot (approximately 25 km south of Tel-Aviv), the Ayalon Institute is one of Israel’s most fascinating pieces of history and a testament to the bravery and resourcefulness of the Jewish citizens of Palestine during the time of the British rule.
A lesser known tourist destination and one that many tours to Israel skip over for lack of convenience, The Ayalon Institute is nothing short of a historical gem. When on a tour to Israel and thinking of passing over the Ayalon institute, be warned: a visit to this clandestine destination off the beaten track just might turn out to be the highlight of your Jewish heritage tour, family tour or Bar Mitzvah tour to Israel.
Ayalon Institute – Secret Production of Ammunition
The Ayalon Institute’s history begins with the Haganah—a partisan military group that operated in Palestine during the time of the British Mandate, beginning in the 1920s and up until the Independence of the State of Israel in 1948, and served as the core group that built the IDF, the Israel Defense Forces of the independent state of Israel. While the Haganah operated under the general knowledge and consent of the British authorities in Palestine , many of its riskier operations where kept secret and did not receive the express concent of the British rule.
One such operation began in early 1945, lasted a record-breaking three weeks and was dubbed the “The Construction of the Ayalon Institute”. Indeed, it was in 1945 that members of the Haganah foresaw the end of the British rule over Palestine and predicted that once they leave, a war would break out between the Jewish and Arab citizens of Palestine whose animosity was kept at bay, until that time, by the British presence in the area. To protect the Jewish towns and agricultural kibbutzim from Arab invasion, members of the Haganah began operation Ayalon Institute—the construction of a secret, underground, ammunition plant that would help the Jewish citizens of Palestine protect themselves from their Arab neighbors.
Above ground the factory was nothing more than another innocent Kibbutz bakery, like hundereds of others spread out on British soil. 25 feet below the ground, however, there was nothing innocent about the goings on. A stove supposedly used by the Kibbutz bakery concealed the entrance to the staircase which led to the factory. It was through the opening underneath the 10 ton stove that the machinery and equipment used by the factory was lowered into it. Below ground a moderate sized factory, fitting 50 workers, studiously produced over 2 million bullets in its three years of operation (1945-1948). At the height of its operation, the factory manufactured 40,000 bullets a day, a number that could have matched any large-scale factory in Europe or America at the time.
As a matter of pride in their work, the workers stamped the bullets with the letters EA—E standing for Eretz (short for Eretz Israel meaning State of Israel) and A for Ayalon (short for the Ayalon Institute). The few bullets that were not used during the War of Independense have been collected by the Historical Institute of Israel and placed in museums for safekeeping.
Ayalon Institute - A Key Player in Israel's Success in the War of Independence
David Ben-Gurion, Israel's first Prime Minister and Defense Minister of the independent State of Israel has proudly noted that the arsenal manufactured by the Ayalon Institute over its short lived operation was cardinal to Israel's success in the War of Independence.
While acting as Defense Minister, Ben-Gurion called the workers of the Ayalon Institute ‘national heroes’, claiming that their pre-war labors have been as dangerous and vital to the war efforts as those of the soldiers who fought the war itself.
Ayalon Institute – Visiting the Old Arsenal Factory
Visitors to the Ayalon Institute are welcome to go down the once-hidden stairs and visit the work area where the heavy machinery was situated. Once done touring the factory grounds, be sure to stay for the movie screening that ensues (in English). The movie proved a comprehensive look at the factory’s operation and production line and tells yet another interesting story of how the Haganah managed to obtain a license for its raw materials (such as copper and zink) from the unsuspecting British authorities.
Note that, whether on a group travel or an Israel 60 tour, you must call ahead and make reservations to visit the institute, as entrance into the museum is only permitted via a guided tour.
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