Kfar Etzion: The Community of Memory and the Myth of Return

Abstract

THE ESTABLISHMENT, DEFENSE AND FALL of four settlements of Gush Etzion (the Etzion Bloc) in 1948 was one of major episodes of State of Israel-in-the-making and played a significant role in formation of collective memory of Israelis. In period between War of Independence and Six-Day War, Community of Memory of sons of Kfar Etzion nurtured of Gush Etzion of which, according to one of women concerned, the prevailing tone was one of remembering past and hoping for its restoration.' Poet Haim Guri used loaded term myth of to reflect on saga of Kfar Etzion.2 In more than fifty years of Israel's existence, politics of memory has probably not known any achievement more impressive than that of a small group of skullcap-wearers, sons of Kfar Etzion. The orphans and widows of 240 fighters who fell at Kfar Etzion had an extraordinarily developed consciousness of memory and sense of national mission. They consistently practiced a politics of memory for nineteen years, in period from 1948 to 1967. For majority of Israelis, commemorative activities of sons of Gush Etzion created a common past that became a central element enjoying wide consensus in general national consciousness.3 The of fall of Kfar Etzion in 1948 exemplifies view of Ernest Renan that defeat and mourning have greater importance for national memory than victories because they produce a feeling of indebtedness and give rise to co-operation.4 Until 1967, realms of memory connected with Gush Etzion were secular and Israeli in character, connected to war of independence. The return of sons to their parents' settlements after Six-Day War gave added meaning to two components of memory of Gush Etzion: time and place. The time-1967-became a rectification of1948, while place-Kfar Etzion-became a symbol of Israeli-Jewish right of return. The Kfar Etzion Community of Memory,