Balfouria בַּלפוּרְיָה | |
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 Aerial view of Balfouria | |
  Balfouria  Balfouria | |
| Coordinates:32°37′49″N35°17′47″E / 32.63028°N 35.29639°E /32.63028; 35.29639 | |
| Country | Israel |
| District | Northern |
| Council | Jezreel Valley |
| Affiliation | Moshavim Movement |
| Founded | 1922 |
| Founded by | American Zion Commonwealth |
| Population (2022)[1] | 556 |
Balfouria (Hebrew:בַּלפוּרְיָה) is amoshav in northernIsrael, south ofNazareth. Located nearAfula, it falls under the jurisdiction ofJezreel Valley Regional Council. As of 2022 it had a population of 556.[1]
The initial core of settlers assembled in 1919 and began training for the establishment of an agricultural settlement. A tract of land was purchased with the funds of theAmerican Zion Commonwealth, andKeren Hayesod acquired equipment. Themoshav was founded in 1922, the third to be established inPalestine, and was named afterThe 1st Earl of Balfour, writer of theBalfour Declaration (who consented to lending his name to the settlement[2]), which embraced Zionist plans for a Jewish "national home". According to acensus conducted in 1922 by theBritish Mandate authorities, Balfouria had a population of 18 Jews.[3] According to aJewish National Fund publication of 1949, Balfouria was the first village to be founded in Palestine after the Balfour Declaration.[4]
The founders were joined by formerkibbutz residents, a number of people from theCo-operative in Merhavia, as well as many settlers fromPetah Tikva. The houses and dairy barns built with the funds of the Commonwealth were of concrete and had shingled roofs, thus earning the settlers of Balfouria the sobriquet "the millionaires". Lord Balfour visited the moshav in 1925 and gave the settlers his blessings.
In 1939, the lands of the moshav were transferred to theJewish National Fund and leasing agreements were signed withKeren Hayesod. In 1934, the settlers completed the digging of a new well which increased agricultural activity in the area. In 1959, the connection with theMekorot water company was sealed.
North-east of the moshav are an ancienttell and springs - remnants of the Valley's swamps - that were declared a 45-dunam nature reserve, in 1979.[5] Atop of the tell, a monument was erected in honor of the moshav's founders and those who fell in Israel's wars.
The local football club,Hapoel Balfouria, spent two seasons in the top division in the mid-1950s. However, they later folded.
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