(haipo) – The Valley Museum in Kibbutz Yifat, which tells the story of the pioneers of settlement in the Jezreel Valley, was forced to close its doors due to the fighting, but has found a creative way to continue telling the story of the first ones. Through a new initiative called “Museum in a Suitcase,” the museum is packing up history and taking it to schools, communities, and groups across the country.
The museum closes and the pioneers set off.
The Valley Museum in Yiffa is much more than a tourist site. It is a living testament to the vision of Zionist settlement, to the story of the pioneers who arrived at the beginning of the 20th century and established the first kibbutzim in the Jezreel Valley. Communities built on shared work, mutual responsibility and community life - values that are taking on renewed meaning these days.
With the outbreak of the latest round of fighting, the museum was forced to close its doors to visitors. But instead of stopping, its people chose to reinvent themselves and bring the museum to the public.
"Museum in a Suitcase": History Comes to You
As part of the new initiative, parts of the museum are packed into one suitcase and from there they embark on a journey across the country. The suitcase includes:
- Authentic artifacts from the beginning of settlement
- Pioneer stories and experiences from early kibbutz life
- Experiential activities tailored to the age and type of group
The activity combines an encounter with historical items and practical experience in the spirit of the period: setting up pioneer tents, solving puzzles that require joint decision-making, and childhood games of the past that emphasize teamwork, creativity, and being content with little.
Supplementary activity: "Pioneers in the Living Room"
Alongside the mobile project, the museum also offers "Pioneers in the Living Room" – a series of short activities for children and adults, including:
- Games and puzzles
- Coloring Pages
- A work inspired by the poems of Panya Bergstein, a member of the Hechalutz movement and a member of Kibbutz Gvat.
The activities allow every family or community to connect with the pioneering spirit even from home.
"These stories are not just history"
Iris Gruman, Museum Director, explains the importance of the project: "The stories we tell at the museum are not just history. They are stories about a community, about settlement, and about people who chose to take responsibility for the place where they live. In a time like this, there is a special value in bringing these stories to the communities and connecting the past with today's reality."
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There is grave concern for the entire culture because of the war.
The theaters, the orchestras, the museums, the cinema.
Everything is built on an audience, and when they are closed for so long without municipal and government support, it will be difficult to rehabilitate them.
And it is precisely during and after the war that culture is needed to provide sanity and build the Israeli heritage.
We must find ways to help all of Israeli culture flourish again, and not just restore the economy but also the spirit.