District Northern Region Golan Heights Population (2015) 338 | Council Golan Regional Council Affiliation Kibbutz Movement Founded 1971 | |
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Founded by Members of the Zionist youth movement Weather 7°C, Wind N at 2 km/h, 82% Humidity | ||
El Rom (Hebrew: אֶל רוֹם, lit. To Height) is a kibbutz, in the northern Golan Heights which lies in the municipal territory of the Golan Regional Council. The international community considers Israeli settlements in the Golan Heights illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this. In 2015 it had a population of 338.
Contents
Map of El-Rum
Geography
The kibbutz is located about ten kilometres south of Mount Hermon, at an elevation of 1,050–1,070 meters (3,440–3,510 ft) above sea level. Both El Rom and the nearby moshav Odem are the two Jewish settlements in Israel with the highest elevation, after Nimrod.
History
The kibbutz was founded in 1971 by a core group of settlers from the Machanot HaOlim Zionist youth movement. Although they had intended to settle in Beit HaArava in the southern Jordan River Valley, they were eventually persuaded to move to the Golan Heights. The original settlement was shelled during the Yom Kippur war, most buildings were repaired, except for one or two prefabs.
Climate
El Rom has Mediterranean-type climate, with warm and dry summer followed by cold and humid winter. Being situated at the northern part of the Golan Heights and at an altitude of over one thousand meters above sea level gives it a unique year-round weather in comparison to most of Israel. Summer time, in between May and September, is dry with almost no precipitation at all and temperatures of 25–30 degrees Celsius during the day in the hot months of July and August. Nights are mostly cool due to the continental wind blowing from the vast desert to the east. Winter temperature averages seven degrees Celsius in the cold months of January and February during the day and lows of 2-3 degrees Celsius, at times dropping below zero up to minus fifteen. The rains start in September and go on until May giving life to the area, filling up the reservoirs and a lot of precious water to the Sea of Galilee. The annual rainfall averages 940 millimeters of rain and occasional snow, but last few years show lesser precipitation and higher temperatures. Fog is very common throughout the year.
Economy
The economy is based primarily on agriculture. Crops include apples, pears, strawberries, grapes for wine. A cider house producing British-style alcoholic cider operates on the kibbutz. They also raise cattle for food, and chickens. In 1984, the kibbutz established El Rom Studios to provide an alternative employment opportunities and revenue stream. The studios command a large share of the market for adding subtitles as well as other translation services for film and television. In Israel, since foreign language movies and TV programs are rarely dubbed, there is a constant need to provide these services.