Mishmar HaEmek Colony

Mishmar HaEmek is a kibbutz established in 1926, located less than one kilometer south of the Palestinian village of Abu Shusha, and near the village of al-Ghubayya al-Fawqa, whose lands were traditionally used for livestock grazing, as well as in proximity to the village of al-Nughayna. The area was appropriated by the Zionist settlement enterprise.

The kibbutz was founded by members of the Hashomer Hatzair (“Young Guard”) movement, most of whom had arrived from Europe during the Third Aliyah (Zionist immigration wave to Mandate Palestine). It was the first Zionist settlement in the southern part of the region, established as part of efforts by the Jewish National Fund to colonize the valley. Mishmar HaEmek soon became a central hub for the Hashomer Hatzair movement, particularly after Kibbutz Artzi (its affiliated kibbutz federation) chose it as the location for its first regional school.

As a stronghold of Hashomer Hatzair, many of the early pioneers from the movement trained in the kibbutz before founding other kibbutzim. In April 1948, during the ethnic cleansing campaign in Mandate Palestine (1947–1948), the kibbutz was the site of the Battle of Mishmar HaEmek, during which it repelled the first major offensive by the Arab Liberation Army, led by Fawzi al-Qawuqji.

Historically, the kibbutz’s economy focused on agriculture. In 1950, it also began operating a plastic manufacturing plant in partnership with Kibbutz Gal’ed, which later became a key economic asset for the community.

In collaboration with the Jewish National Fund, the Mishmar HaEmek Forest was planted near the kibbutz and has since been designated as a UNESCO biosphere reserve. It now forms part of the Megiddo Park, formerly known as Ramot Menashe Park.

Geographical Context:
Mishmar HaEmek is located in the southwestern part of the Jezreel Valley, between Highway 66 to the northeast and the foothills of the Menashe Heights to the southwest. It can be accessed via Highway 66, specifically the section between Megiddo and Yokneam.

A tributary of the Kishon River flows through Mishmar HaEmek. This stream is named after the kibbutz itself. In Arabic, it is known as Wadi Abu Shusha, in reference to the Palestinian village of Abu Shusha, which once stood nearby. The stream originates just south of the kibbutz, between the hills of the Menashe Highlands. Additional water flows from Ain al-Shajara al-Fawqa, today renamed “Ein Shulamit,” meaning “Spring of the High Tree.” The stream passes through the kibbutz and flows into the Kishon River, roughly 4 kilometers to the north, in the heart of what is today called the Jezreel Valley.