and the operation was Ori Horazo (1939–1966). The members tried to get funds from the Jewish Agency but failed. Eventually, they received funding from the Israeli Trade and Industry Minister, Pinhas Sapir. In its first year, the dairy produced 500,000 liters of milk. By 2008, it was producing 62 million liters a year and controlled 63% of the Israeli dairy-beverage market (making NIS 400 million a year), and 49% of the fortified milk market (making NIS 250 million a year). It employed 130 workers and had 700 cows. The dairies of Kibbutz Yahel, Lotan, and Ketura provide milk for Yotvata. In 1960, the first children of the community were born, and six years later the school opened with three first graders; today there are 200 kids in the kibbutz, and 600 students from all of the region communities attend the Maale Shaharut School in Yotvata from 1st grade until 12th grade. Archaeology Judging by the numerous historic forts surrounding the Kibbutz, Yotvata's location was a strategic one: Southwest of the kibbutz lies a Roman fortress built during the reign of the Emperor Diocletian (dated c. 300 AD) as part of a line of border fortresses (the Limes Arabicus) in the Negev, in order to protect the trade route from marauding Arab nomads. East of the kibbutz lies an ancient Arab resting fortress with towers in its corners, dating from the Nabataeans era (c. 700 AD) and served as a resting station for the convoys crossing the desert. On a hill west of the kibbutz (50 m), there is an ancient fort dating from the Iron Age (c. 12th century BCE). The fort overlooks the wellspring, and is considered to have served the Egyptians copper miners. East of the kibbutz to the north and to the south there is a wells-chain (known as Fugaras) connected with a tunnel that leads the aquifer water to the surface. Fugaras is an ancient but sophisticated irrigation system. North of the kibbutz are two ancient leopard traps. Leopards are known to have inhabited this area. Economy and community Yotvata is a cooperative community, where most adult residents work on the kibbutz in production, services or education. The revenues are equally distributed among the members regardless of their position, along the idea of each one gives as much as he can and gets as much as he needs. Most of daily affairs are conducted communally: education,