Sdeh Boker

Lost amidst endless Negev desert, verdant Sdeh Boker is named for the mountain behind it. Arabs called this mountain “Jabal Baqara” (Mt. Cow), which Israelis later changed to the closest Hebrew cognate, “Har Boker” (Cowboy Mt.). The kibbutz, established in 1952 on a plain, adopted the name Sdeh Boker (Cowboy Field). This aviary/oasis produces olives, kiwis, and other fruit for domestic and international markets, as well as wheat, corn, and livestock.

David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s founding father and first prime minister-and a Sdeh Boker member-considered settlements in the Negev a top priority. When experts advised that developing the Negev was a waste of money and time, Ben-Gurion insisted on searching for unconventional methods of taming the desert. Referring to water preservation techniques employed by an ancient people of the region, he asked, “If the Nabateans can do it, why can’t we?” He was so taken with the young Pioneers building fledgling Sdeh Boker in a 1953 visit that he decided, at the age of 67, to resign from office and settle in the middle of the Negev desert.

Beside the plethora of Ben Gurion sites and memorabilia, non-B.G. fans will find Sdeh Boker a base for some awesome desert exploration in the nearby Ein Avdat Natural Reserve.