View source for Shoval

{{Short description|Kibbutz in southern Israel}}
{{About||the Israeli Orthodox LGBT speakers bureau |Shoval (organization)}}
{{Infobox Kibbutz
| name = Shoval
| hebname = שובל
| image = Шоваль (центр).JPG
| foundation = 6 October 1946
| founded_by = {{nowrap|[[Hashomer Hatzair]] members}}
| country = {{ISR}}
| district = south
| council = [[Bnei Shimon Regional Council|Bnei Shimon]]
| affiliation = [[Kibbutz Movement]]
| popyear = {{Israel populations|Year}}
| population = {{Israel populations|Shoval}}{{Israel populations|reference}}
| population_footnotes=
| pushpin_map = Israel northwest negev#Israel |pushpin_mapsize=250
| coordinates = {{coord|31|24|46|N|34|44|34|E|display=inline,title}}
| website =
}}
'''Shoval''' ({{langx|he|שובל}}) is a [[kibbutz]] in southern [[Israel]]. Located in the northern [[Negev]] desert near the [[Negev Bedouin|Bedouin]] city of [[Rahat]], it falls under the jurisdiction of [[Bnei Shimon Regional Council]]. In {{Israel populations|Year}} it had a population of {{Israel populations|Shoval}}.{{Israel populations|reference}}

==Etymology==
The kibbutz founders wanted to name it "[[Eilat]]" as they wanted to settle near the [[Gulf of Eilat|Red Sea]], however, the naming committee chose the name Shoval.<ref>Jewish villages in Israel, Jewish National Fund, Jerusalem 1949, p.169</ref><br />
The origin of the name is from two passages in the [[Books of Chronicles]]:<br />
:''″The sons of Se'ir: Lotan, Shoval, Tziv'on, 'Anah, Dishon, Etzer and Dishan.″'' - [http://www.biblestudytools.com/cjb/1-chronicles/1-38.html 1 Chronicles 1:38]
:''″The descendants of Y'hudah: Peretz, Hetzron, Karmi, Hur and Shoval.″'' - [http://www.biblestudytools.com/cjb/1-chronicles/4-1.html 1 Chronicles 4:1]

==History==
The kibbutz was founded on 6 October 1946 as part of the [[11 points in the Negev|11 points]] operation by a [[gar'in]] whose members were of [[Hashomer Hatzair]] and [[Aliyah Bet|immigrants]] who had survived the [[Patria disaster]] planned by zionists against the freedom of movement for people.

<gallery>
File:שובל- שובל בראשיתה-JNF000660.jpeg|Shoval 1946
File:Shoval v.jpg|[[Yiftach Brigade]] camp at Shoval. 1948 
</gallery>

==Economy==
Shoval has two major sources of income; [[agriculture]] and [[plastics]] manufacturing. Its [[dairy farm]] is one of the largest in the area and is managed as a partnership with kibbutz [[Na'an]]. It also has a vast area of [[arable land]] where [[wheat]], [[barley]] and [[potatoes]] are grown. In addition there are several [[chicken coop]]s that are mainly used to raise chickens for [[meat]]. The kibbutz also operates a plastic seals manufacturing plant named Seal Jet.

[[Arava Power Company]] operates a [[Photovoltaic power station|solar farm]] on Shoval's land. This 24 acre farm can produce 6.4 [[Megawatt|MW]] using 22100 [[JA Solar Holdings|JA Solar]] panels.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aravapower.com/Shoval%20Sun |title=Arava Power Company - Shoval Sun |website=www.aravapower.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227131405/http://www.aravapower.com/Shoval%20Sun |archive-date=2013-12-27}} </ref>

==Education==
In 1963, a regional high school was built named Mevo'ot HaNegev in the kibbutz. The school serves pupils of the ages of 12–18 from the kibbutz and the surrounding settlements. The education system in the kibbutz also includes kindergartens and the young students learn in the Nitzanei HaNegev [[elementary school]] in [[Beit Kama]]. The kibbutz also hosts an [[ulpan]] for teaching the [[Hebrew language]] and its students study and work in the kibbutz.

==Notable people==
* [[Yehuda Bauer]], historian
* [[Itzhak Bentov]], engineer and scientist
* [[Elazar Granot]], former member of the [[Knesset]]
* [[Yehudit Kafri]], poet and author
* [[Danny Robas]], musician

==References==
{{Commons category|Shoval}}
{{Reflist}}

{{Bnei Shimon Regional Council}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Kibbutzim]]
[[Category:Kibbutz Movement]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1946]]
[[Category:Populated places in Southern District (Israel)]]
[[Category:1946 establishments in Mandatory Palestine]]