war, an Egyptian plane was downed near the kibbutz and its pilot was caught and put in the kibbutz' cowshed, which drew the children's attention. The kibbutz helped the war effort by donating its only truck and also using the local facilities to help Israel's military industries. Culture Cultural and communal activities flourished in the kibbutz. A folk-dancing festival organized by Gurit Kadman in 1944 was held at the "Khan" on the kibbutz during the festival of Shavuot. The Book of Ruth (Megilat Ruth) was the theme of the festival, and residents of the various settlements in this region took part. Among the participants was Yemeni Jewish Sara Levi-Tanai, who founded the Inbal Dance Theater company in 1949. The festival lasted for two days, with 200 dancers and 3,000 viewers. Three years later, in 1947, a second dance festival was held in the natural amphitheater beside the kibbutz. At this festival, several hundred dancers participated, watched by some ten thousand people from all over the country. Kibbutz theatre director Shulamit Bat-Dori directed the last two dance festivals held at Kibbutz Dalia, in 1958 and 1968. The 1958 production spotlighted 1,500 dancers, while the 1968 festival featured 3,000 dancers and attracted 60,000 audience members. See also Dance in Israel footage of folk dance festival 1940s at Kittutz Dalia from Fred Monosson archive References External links Kibbutzim Kibbutz Movement Populated places established in 1939 Jewish villages in Mandatory Palestine 1939 establishments in Mandatory Palestine Populated places in Northern District (Israel) German-Jewish culture in Israel Romanian-Jewish culture in Israel