Nechemia Argov's file / נחמיה ארגוב, תיק אישי

Nehemiah Argov (1914–1957) was a key figure in the history of the settlement in Ein Gev and in the security system of the State of Israel, and served as David Ben-Gurion's close military advisor. (Note: The year of birth 1914 is not explicitly stated in these sources, but it is known from the general historical record).

The beginning of his journey and immigration to Israel

• Zionist activity: Nehemiah immigrated from Latvia, where he was a central activist in the movement. eternity (Youth Scouts and Pioneers).
• Joining "Betlem": Upon his arrival in Israel, he joined the "Betelhem" group (which founded Ein Gev). He was a key figure in the union between the Netzach core and the German immigrants in "Betelhem", a union intended to create a mission-oriented kibbutz.

The leader and founder of Ein Gev (1936–1939)

Nehemiah is considered one ofThe pillars Of Ein Gev in its early years:

• Key roles: He served as treasurer, secretary, and representative of the kibbutz vis-à-vis the institutions.
• The struggle for land: Nehemiah conducted stubborn negotiations to purchase the Ein Gev lands, insisting that the area be continuous and extend north to the Syrian border for strategic reasons.
• Establishing the economy: He coordinated the purchase of the kibbutz's first equipment: the first tractor, the first defensive weapon, and the fishing and sailing equipment intended to renew Jewish fishing in the Sea of ​​Galilee.
• The ascent to the ground: He was among the founders who arrived at the point on **July 6, 1937** as part of the "Wall and Tower" settlements.

The State Period and the Connection with Ben-Gurion

• Leaving the kibbutz: In the spring of 1939, Nehemiah left Ein Gev with a heavy heart due to "family matters" and private reasons for which no solution could be found on the kibbutz.
• Ben-Gurion's third: Nehemiah became David Ben-Gurion's right-hand man, a relationship based on loyalty and great love. In a 1954 letter to Ben-Gurion, he wrote: "I know what a great privilege I have had to serve you… I was happy."
• Eye protection: During the War of Independence, Nehemiah acted as a "recommender of integrity" and support for the kibbutz against the military establishment, and assisted with equipment, weapons, and fortification of the isolated point.

Circumstances of his death

In 1957, Nehemiah Argov took his own life. The background to his suicide was Car accident in which he was involved, in which he hit a cyclist. Nehemiah, who was a man of conscience with extreme sensitivity, mistakenly believed that he had killed the man. Out of deep remorse and a heavy sense of responsibility, he ended his life. (After his death, it turned out that the injured man remained alive).

His character and legacy

His friends described him as a man who devoted himself entirely to his duties "without regard for personal factors." Although he left the kibbutz, he maintained warm ties with his friends and visited Ein Gev for the last time on the 20th anniversary of his arrival on the land, a few months before his death. His memory is immortalized in the "Yad Nehemiah" plant in Kfar Blum and in the book "Nehemiah Argov," which collects his writings. Ben-Gurion paid him a painful eulogy, calling him "a great and beloved friend."

For more information and photos Click here

P7-1 – A letter to Ben Gurion

P7-2 – A letter from Ben Gurion to n. Argov

P7-3 – Pages of the history of Ein-Gev

P7-4 – A letter to Yitzchak Navon

P7-5 – Nechemia Argov : "Yom Hashana"

P7-6 – Yad Nechmia in Kfar-Blum

P7-7 – "Everything goes somewhere else"

P7-8 – A letter to Major General Yaakov Dori

Click for more information in the archive of the association about Nehemiah Argov

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