Nahalal, founded in 1921, was the first moshav in Israel and the birthplace of a settlement model that would become as influential as the kibbutz. While the kibbutz was based on full communal ownership, the moshav gave each family its own plot of land while maintaining cooperative purchasing and marketing. The idea was simple: collective strength with individual responsibility. It worked.
The Circle
Nahalal was designed by the architect Richard Kauffmann in a distinctive circular plan, with the public buildings at the center and the family farms radiating outward like spokes of a wheel. Seen from the air (or from Givat HaMoreh), the circular layout is immediately recognizable and has become one of the iconic images of the Jezreel Valley.
Moshe Dayan
Nahalal’s most famous son was Moshe Dayan, the one-eyed general and defense minister who became one of the most recognizable figures in Israeli history. Dayan grew up in Nahalal, attended its agricultural school, and is buried in the moshav cemetery. His childhood home is part of the moshav’s heritage.
The Agricultural School
The WIZO Nahalal Agricultural School, established in 1929, was one of the first girls’ agricultural schools in Palestine and trained generations of young women in farming, animal husbandry, and community leadership.
Visit with Hoshen Tours
Nahalal adds pioneering history to any Jezreel Valley itinerary. Hoshen Tours connects it to the story of Jewish settlement, from the first moshav to the modern agricultural landscape of the valley.