Page 17 - Holyland Magazine - 2018 Edition
P. 17
Avdat National Park
Photo: Ron Peled
1952. Ben-Gurion embraced and admired Ben-Gurion lived in Sde Boker for 20 years. Ben-Gurion's burial
these young pioneers who settled in the During that time he resumed his role as sitePhoto:Tal Glick
desert. He decided to realize his own dream Prime Minister, but still remained a member Ben-Gurion's house
by moving to this kibbutz in the Negev to live of the kibbutz and maintained close contact Photo:Hanan Epshtein
alongside the people he admired so deeply. with the community during those eight years
He lived in a simple, modest home in Sde in office (1955-1963). Before his death, Ben-
Boker with his wife during the first years Gurion left the following legacy, "I ask that
following the establishment of the state. the structure that was my home in Sde Boker
After their death, this humble home was until my dying day be preserved in its current
converted into an interactive museum that form, including the furniture, books and
allows visitors and guests to experience, manuscripts it holds. The furniture, books,
first-hand, the challenges faced by the first manuscripts and other items in the hut may
pioneers to settle in the Negev. Ben-Gurion be removed to a permanent structure, if a
moved to the Negev in 1953. He made the structure of this kind is constructed near
decision while serving as Prime Minister and the hut, provided that the original style is
resigned in order to become a full member preserved in the new structure. I request
of his beloved kibbutz. Ben-Gurion settled that after my death, my home, including the
in Sde Boker at age 67, after dedicating his library and the items that it holds, be made
life to establishing the State of Israel and accessible to the public."
shaping Israeli society. He was quoted as
saying, "Not everyone who is insane came And indeed, David Ben-Gurion home
to Sde Boker, but there is no doubt that remains precisely as he left it, offering a
anyone who came to Sde Boker must be wonderful opportunity to see how the first
insane." Prime Minister of Israel lived, and to learn
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