Welcome to Kibbutz Samar!
Samar is a Kibbutz in the Arava valley in the far south of Israel. Located near Eilat, it falls under the jurisdiction of the Eilot Regional Council. The Kibbutz was founded in 1976 by a group of young people who wanted to form a different kind of community, one that offered more independence and responsibility to its members. The name “Samar” comes from the Hebrew name of the plant Juncus, a type of wild rush. Samar is one of the few Kibbutzim that continues to maintain a lifestyle consistent with the original socialist ideals of the Kibbutz movement.
Climate
Samar is located in the Arava, an extreme desert region. This means that the area receives less than 70mm annual rainfall, which leaves the soil very arid. The area surrounding Samar has very little vegetation, except for irrigated locations. But the kibbutz itself is a small oasis, with green grass, trees and plants, and birds of all kinds.
For most of the year, Samar’s weather is very hot and dry. Summer temperatures range from 35-40°C in the daytime and 25-35°C at night. Because humidity is also extremely low (around 20% in the summer), the heat is more endurable here than in places with high humidity, and summer nights are very pleasant. The winters (mostly January and February) are mild, with afternoon temperatures usually around 20-25 degrees celcius. Some winter nights can drop to 10 degrees or lower, but almost never near zero. Should you decide to visit this region, remember one thing: you need to drink plenty of water to avoid becoming dehydrated!
Location
Samar is a small kibbutz located approximately 37 kilometers north of Eilat, between two beautiful mountain ranges of the southern Arava valley. We are 449 km from Haifa, 319 km from Tel Aviv, and 289 km from Jerusalem. This means that you can drive here with a car from Tel Aviv in less than four hours. Regularly scheduled flights from Tel Aviv take less than an hour to arrive at Ramon International Airport, which is 15 minutes from Samar.
History
Kibbutz Samar was founded in 1976 and has evolved into the successful place it is today. It is home to about 60 families, with a total population of about 350 people, almost half of them children..
Arts and Culture
Many of Samar’s members share an interest in art and culture. Some members paint, some write, some play music, while others find their own ways of expressing themselves creatively. Because we share common daily tasks, most people have leisure time to pursue hobbies and avocations, whatever their usual workday jobs. Samar is a small and friendly place, everybody knows everybody else; social interactions of all kinds are easier and more common than in a big city.
Little Tukul on the Prairie
© Noga Braun