Fake Kibbutz, Secret Bullet Factory: Ayalon Institute Bullet Factory Museum

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqifhNaZmfc

Watch the YouTube Video above, and step into a special place in Israel's history.

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A fake kibbutz, a hidden factory, a secret staircase. A story of mystery, intrigue, brilliance, and a critical part in the establishment of the State of Israel.

The kibbutz lifestyle in Israel began even prior to the establishment of modern Israel in 1948. It's part of the Israeli fabric. This trend allowed a fake kibbutz to hide a very big secret— key to the survival of the Jews and vital for the establishment of the State of Israel.

Hidden under a fake kibbutz in Rehovot, was an ammunition factory operated by the Haganah (underground military) from 1945-1948. Through TAAS, their military industry, a secret ammunition factory was built to produce bullets for their elite soldiers in the Palmach.

The generic “Kibbutzim Hill” was the name of the fake kibbutz that’s entire purpose was to hide the secret bullet factory below. Kibbutzim Hill Kibbutz, was referred to as the hill because it was located on a hill.

Galit Rosianski, Education Manager, Ayalon Institute explained, “Kibbutzim Hill, between 1932 and 1942 served as a training spot for young pioneers who wanted to learn how to eventually build their own kibbutz, or to join one.”

When it came time to choose workers for the secret bullet factory, they had no shortage of eager and dedicated candidates.

“For this job, they actually chose 45 members of Scouts A (Tzofim A), young pioneers who were very thrilled to do something in order to have the new Jewish State, even though they didn’t know what they were going to do. Their dream was to establish their own kibbutz, which they eventually did after the war," Rosianski explained.

The location was a bit isolated, yet close to the center, near the main offices of the Haganah, the British army bases, and the police. It was also on a hill where it was easy to dig.

Jews Under Attack

Pre-State Israel was already faced with violence in anticipation of building an official Jewish State. The Haganah organized the building and implementation of a secret bullet factory to provide ammunition for the Jewish soldiers.

“In the 1940s we are talking about 600,000 Jews, more than 1 million Arabs, and constant conflict between them and above all, the British Mandate,"  Rosianski said.

"The Jews living in the country knew that there would eventually be a Jewish State after WWII and after the British rule ended. Given the ongoing conflict with the Arabs, they knew that there would be a war if a Jewish State would be established," she added.

In a war you need guns as well as ammunition. This concern led the Haganah to build a secret factory that would produce and supply all of their ammunition. They produced about 2.25 million, 9mm bullets between 1945 and 1948. During the start of the War of Independence in 1948 and until the end of war, they produced about another 2.25 million bullets, so a total of about 5 million bullets, according to Rosianski.

Interesting Facts:

• The grounds were used as a training spot for young pioneers from 1932-1942 to learn how to build their own kibbutz, or to join one.

• The fake kibbutz was called "Kibbutzim Hill" since it was on a hill and became the perfect cover for the Haganah (underground military) to build and hide an ammunition factory.

• There were between 75 and 100 residents living on the fake kibbutz.

• No one else other than the factory workers knew the kibbutz was a cover for the bullet factory.

• The factory took three weeks to build.

• It was operated by the Haganah from 1945-1948.

• It is 8 meters underground, 33 meters long and 8 meters wide.

• About 2.25 million bullets were produced over three years (1945-1948).

• The factory ran 12 machines, about 10 hours per day.

• There were 45 pioneers from (Tzofim A) Scouts A that were chosen to play a role in the secret bullet factory.

• The 45 bullet factory workers opened their own kibbutz after the war.

• The museum was founded in 1987.

• The Ayalon Institute is a designated heritage site.

The ammunition factory was built in just three weeks. Shortly after, the bakery and the laundry room were strategically built above the factory to mask the noise below.

The Bakery and Laundry Room

The Bakery and the Laundry Room (Photos: Israel Sites and Sights / Janis Raisen)

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A noisy laundry room and an equally noisy bakery were built above the loud ammunition factory, located eight meters below.

The laundry room however, hid yet another secret: a staircase hidden in the floor that led to the ammunition factory.

“This place actually served two purposes. The first was to wash the laundry, but the most important purpose was to disguise the noise from the factory below, eight meters below, with 12 machines,10 hours per day working below. They had to disguise the noise," Rosianski explained.

There were between 75 and 100 living on the kibbutz, and there wasn’t enough people to justify having a laundry room running 10-12 hours a day, explained Rosianski.

“So what they did was," she explained, "they opened a shop in Rehovot, called 'Spring Shop.' There they got large clients that needed laundry services, like hospital factories. This is how they got a lot of laundry and could operate the machine for several hours each day."

“Ironically,” Rosianski added, “their biggest clients were the young British soldiers, so the British helped to hide the secret.” Under the British Mandate, Jews were not allowed to carry guns, and definitely would not have been allowed to produce ammunition, so hiding the factory was essential.

The kibbutz banned regular visitors and the factory workers did everything to keep the web of secrets, including about the secret tanning room in the factory. It was installed to prevent the workers from looking pale and weak, which would arouse suspicion. They worked underground for about 10 hours each day so the Haganah doctor arranged for a special quartz tanning lamp.

The bullet factory was not discovered during those critical years and it was instrumental in leading up to the establishment of the State of Israel by protecting the land and the Jews. In 1948, all 45 workers left to build their own successful kibbutz.

One massive secret, the bullet factory, led to many more. The story is fascinating and even more so when you hear the in-depth version during a tour of the museum.

The Ayalon Institute Bullet Factory Museum was founded in 1987, and is a designated heritage site.