Export to Damascus, vegetable seeds and first fruit vegetables -
First vegetable export from Eretz Yisrael

1913 - By this time, many workers have already acquired experience in the various agricutural sectors, but in growing vegetables there was still very little knowledge.
As a result, I decided to establish the "Greengrocers group".
I proposed to the members of "Migdal" to take charge of growing vegetables, instead of base on profit and loss partnership with the estate management. The idea appealed to the members and very soon we settled adjacent to the Kinneret. The "Kvutza" (collective farmstead) established later became the "Gar'een" (small group of people planning to establish a new settlement) in "Hamra" and later on "Kfar Yehezkel. Although I was very well experienced in growing irrigated crops and the crops were successful, we encountered one night a big disaster - most of the vegetables froze, especially the tomatoes. This incident discouraged us and by the beginning of the new year the partership was dissolved. The authorities requested that all settlers should be of Turkish nationality, and I became a Turkish citizen

I was still the coordinator of the irrigated corps, we exported to Damascus a large quantity of vegetables, beans and eggplants. After the first successful vegetable export from Israel, I was asked by the members of "Kvutzat Degania" to assist them with vegetable marketing to Damacus. At the time I was a member of the Estate labor committee. My monthly salary was 100 Franks, which was more than 60 Franks, the salary of an experienced laborer. The fact that I received more money due to my position as a "Merakez Anaf" (Branch coordinator) was not accepted by another members of the union, but the end of the story is that other members disagreed with him. Hava Pesach, my partner, arrived in May. She joined the irrigated crops sector. We have established a small commune of four members. Hava has been with me ever since.

1914 - During this year I continued to arrange vegetables export from the settlements on the shore of the Kineret to Damascus. We also marketed products to Tiberias, Haifa and Safed. Once World War I broke out and being a Turkish citizen, I was requested to join the army like everyone else. It was the "Mukhtar" (the head of a village) who cancelled this command.
The first organized agricultural marketing and export efforts. From the book "Second Aliyah" (1971)

Start of Organized Agricultural Exports

1911 - The laborers' activity at Migdal consisted of four branches - field crops, nursery & planting, dairy farming and irrigated crops. My responsibility was the irrigated crops. These crops included various vegetables, lucerne and cotton. My cousin mainly dealt with the cotton. At that time, I was assigned to study irrigation and irrigated crops in Damascus. While I was at Damascus, I checked the option of exporting various vegetables and seeds from Migdal to Damascus area. After this successful export, I was asked by the members of "Degania" and " Bitanya" to help them with vegetable export to Syria. At the same time, the vegetable marketing expanded from the settlements on the Kinneret shores to the nearby cities - Tiberias, Haifa and Safed. In 1924, the "Agricultural Center" established a special department next to the "HaMashbir", to be involved with the agricultural farm produce marketing. I was offered the management of this department and so I stopped working at the Public Works Department. I initiated the construction of temporary warehouses in Tel Aviv and Haifa and designated to absorb and sell the produce. I had to solve the problem of fresh milk transportation from the villages to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The new department was very successful already in its first year of operation. Additional warehouses were built for selling eggs, poultry, vegetables, bananas, honey etc. This produce had previously been sold by the Arabs. We built milk products production plants in the big cities, especially in Haifa. We arranged for the necessary equipment like: cooling machines, dairy mechanical separation machines. In 1925 I arranged an experimental shipment of trees to Warsaw. Based on the experience, in 1926, we shipped cauliflower abroad. The original plan was to load the cauliflower on a ship and sail from Haifa Port to Trieste. Due to some problems, we had to transport the cargo to Alexandria and from there on a ship to Trieste and again on a train to Vienna. I was waiting in Vienna for the shipments and took care of its marketing. The quality of the cauliflower was quite and we managed to sell all of it at a reasonable price. I have sent telegrams to the settlements as well as to the news paper "Davar" saying that everyone in Vienna admired the imported cauliflower. "Tnuva' was created in 1926, following a decision by kibbutz-movement leaders to turn the marketing department next to the "HaMashbir" into an independent organization. Eliezer Yaffe was elelcted to be the manager of "Tnuva'. I was appointed as coordinator of BIA"F (eggs, vegetables, poultry, fruits) department located in Tel Aviv.

1927 - 1932

For about five years I was the manager of the Tnuva BIA"F (eggs, vegetables, poultry, fruits) department located in Tel Aviv. Several times I traveled to Egypt, taking with me produce such as: honey, bananas and grapes. I even managed to organize the bananas blanching on a national scale (including the private sector).
Throughout the years I was working for Tnuva, my relationship with the late Eliezer Yaffe, was very poor. The Twelfth Congress brought about the decision to establish two settlements. A second settlement by the Zionist socialist association of Jewish workers "Ahdut HaAvoda" (Unity of Labor) and a settlement by the Zionist socialist political party
"Hapoel Hatzair" (The Yound Worker) headed by the late Eliezer Yaffe.
At that time I was abroad (with my late brother in Paris). Upon my return, I found that the Tnuva members developed hard feelings towards me. I then made up my mind to resign.
I left Tnuva in early April, thus abandoning my mission of 25 years at the Histadrut.
With my heart filled with sorrow I left. Not because of lack of physical or organizational ability, not because of greediness or breach of trust, but simply because unjustified hatred and personal revenge.
In an act of protest I chose to be engaged in the marketing of the private sector's produce. I established the "Palestine Fruit and Vegetable Selling Co." named
"The Bursa". One can say: " A man might lose his world in one hour"

1932 - 1952

The Establishment Of The State Of Israel
As the manager and shareholder of "Bursa" for 20 years, I was responsible for the company's selling the private sector produce. I tried to prove that even in the private trade one can be fair. During this time I made attempts to prevent conflict of Interests
concerning marketing matters. When I realized that the management of "Bursa" was not following the company's policy, I had to leave. I was hired for a part time job at "Tene" as a counselor and instructor in marketing metters, especially in the fruit department.
My four children grew up and married between the years 1943 - 1957. Since 1944,
9 grandchildren were born in our family- 5 boys and 4 girls. Next year we shall be celebrating the first Bar Mitzva of our grandson.
Is there any greater satisfaction after all these years of hard work ?
I have been engaged in public activities and in the management of the neighborhood institutes even since I came to Borochov neighborhood. During the first three years I was active in the neighborhood committee, thereafter I took part in the establishment of various institutes, such as: The grocery store supermarket ("HaTzarchania"), "Mis'ad" (Members provident for loans), "Members justice" and assisting various loans. I was also involved in the environment protection. When the neighborhood was founded, its boundaries were exposed to pogroms and unrest. We were there to defend it. At the outbreak of the Second World War, I was nominated by the local "Defense" committee to coordinate recruitment activities.
Together with my wife, we founded "The Student loan fund" at the "Bank HaPoalim".
In the past years I have been active in the income tax public committee, in loan funds, in the Givatayim veteran's club and last but not least I initiated the establishment of Parents home in Givatayim, a big enterprise on the verge of realization.