Yehoshua Hankin

  • Issue: December 2003
  • Designer: Ruth Beckman-Malka
  • Stamp Size: 40 mm x 25.7 mm
  • Plate no.: 537 (no phosphor bar)
  • Sheet of 15 stamps Tabs: 5
  • Printers: E. Lewin-Epstein Ltd.
  • Method of printing: Offset

Hankin was known as "Redeemer of the Jezreel Valley". He came from a family of the First Aliya, Yehuda Leib and Sara Hankin, of the Rishon Leziyyon settlers. The Hankin, Fineberg, Wilbuschewitz and Krauze families were related and pioneered settlement, education, industry, and security and established the National Library in Jerusalem. However they rebelled against institutionalization and were expelled from Rishon Leziyyon because they participated in an uprising against the Baron's bureaucracy. In 1892 Yehoshua took the initiative and purchased land for a group of settlers that were looking for agricultural land in Eretz Yisrael. He purchased the land for the founding of Rehovot and Hadera. Acquisition of land in those days was complicated and the purchase of land for Hadera was devastating for Hankin since the authorities would not allow the establishment of the village.

Hankin was asked by the Jewish Colonization Association to help purchase land in the Lower Galilee and he worked for the Palestine Land Development Corporation to purchase Merhavia in the Jezreel Valley. Already then he started negotiations for the purchase of the whole Jezreel Valley. During the First World War, Hankin was exiled to Turkey and when he returned after the war he began the enormous project of purchasing the valleys: the Jezreel Valley, Zevulun Valley and the Hefer Valley. Hankin recognized the vast potential of acquiring this land that had been totally deserted. He also worked to purchase other areas of land from the Negev to Yokne'am.

In his sixtieth year the institutions decided to call a new village after his name: Kfar Yehoshua.

Hankin was particularly active in Hachsharat Hayishuv, a society for purchasing of land connected with the Zionist Movement, until it stopped its agricultural activities.

Hankin and his wife are buried in a grave he built above Ein Harod and overlooking the valleys he loved.

Muki Tzur
Kibbutz Ein-Gev

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Yehoshua Hankin (1865-1945)