Esther Levit

Esther Levit was born in 1904 in Metula

Esther Levit was born in Metula in 1904. Her father Zalman died when she was a baby and was buried in Beirut. Her mother remarried and moved to Yesod HaMa'ala, while Esther stayed in Metula with her grandparents, who were among the founding families of the village.

As a young woman she worked in construction in Haifa and connected with the Labor Battalion groups in the Galilee. There she met Yosef Levit and married him. The couple were among the founders of Kibbutz Ein Harod, moved around the north with the battalion, and later returned to Metula.

In Metula she set up a farm and opened her home as a meeting and hosting place for IDF soldiers. She became known as Aunt Esther, linking soldiers on the northern border with their families and passing their requests for help to commanders. She also chaired WIZO Metulla.

In 1977 she received the Israel Prize for a special contribution to society and the state. She and Yosef had 3 sons. She died in 1987 and was buried in Metula, and her grandchildren later turned her house into a restaurant.