Hafetz Haim חָפֵץ חַיִּים‎
Etymology: desirous of life
Hafetz Haim Show map of Central Israel Hafetz Haim Show map of Israel
Coordinates: 31°47′19″N 34°48′0″E / 31.78861°N 34.80000°E / 31.78861; 34.80000
Country	Israel
District	Central
Council	Nahal Sorek
Affiliation	Poalei Agudat Yisrael
Founded	15 August 1937 (Kfar Szold) 25 April 1944 (Hafetz Haim)
Founded by	German Jews Polish Agudat Yisrael Members
Population  (2021)	586[1]

Hafetz Haim (Hebrew: חָפֵץ חַיִּים, lit. desirous of life) is a religious kibbutz in central Israel. Located in the Shephelah, it falls under the jurisdiction of Nahal Sorek Regional Council. In 2021 it had a population of 586.^[1]

History

The land on which Hafetz Haim was established was purchased by the Jewish National Fund.^{[citation needed]} The land had traditionally belonged to the Palestinian village of Al-Mukhayzin.^[2]

The first Jewish settlement was established there on 15 August 1937 as part of the tower and stockade movement. It was named Sha'ar HaNegev, "Gate of the Negev", and then Kfar Szold, "Szold Village" (after Henrietta Szold). However, on 13 November 1942 the community moved to the Finger of the Galilee, where they established a new kibbutz, also called Kfar Szold.^{[citation needed]}

On 25 April 1944 a new kibbutz was established. The founders were religious pioneers from Germany and members of the Ezra youth movement and Agudat Yisrael who had been preparing near Kfar Saba. It was the first village founded by Poalei Agudat Yisrael and was named after rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan, who was also known as the Hafetz Haim after one of his famous works with the title “Chofetz Chaim”, trans. Desirer of Life.^[3]

Archaeology

In 2010, a Byzantine-era octagonal wine press measuring 6.5 meters by 16.5 meters was discovered in excavations near Kibbutz Hafetz Haim.^[4]