At age 97: Dr. Gideon Naor, one of the first builders of the southern settlements, has passed away
Naor, one of the founders of Kibbutz Gevim and a fighter in the Palmach's Negev Brigade, served as head of the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council and was only 29 years old when he was elected the first head of the Kiryat Gat local council. Over decades, he held a series of senior public positions and dedicated his life to developing the periphery. After losing his sight, he founded and managed, as a volunteer, an association for macular degeneration patients. At his request, he will be laid to rest in Kiryat Gat, which recently awarded him the title of Honorary Citizen of the City.
Dr. Gideon Naor, one of the first builders of the Negev, the first head of the Kiryat Gat local council, and someone who was called the "first mayor of Sderot," has passed away at the age of 97. Naor's life path, which began in Europe on the eve of World War II, was intertwined for decades with the story of the establishment and development of the southern settlements and the State of Israel.
From Palmach fighter to municipal leader in the Negev
Naor was born in Czechoslovakia in 1929. In his childhood, he witnessed the Nazis entering Prague, and in 1939 he immigrated to Eretz Israel with his family. In August 1947, after training in the Geva group, he arrived in the Negev with his friends from the HaNoar HaOved youth movement and became one of the founders of Kibbutz Gevim. He served as a fighter in the Palmach's Negev Brigade, and during the War of Independence, he even served as the area commander in the kibbutz.
In 1955, during a period when the western Negev was dealing with fedayeen infiltrations and a complex security reality, Naor was elected to head the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council. Alongside the ongoing work on security, he worked to promote regional cooperation in the fields of economy, services, and society. In those years, nearby Sderot also began to grow rapidly, but an independent administration had not yet been established there. The responsibility for providing municipal services and creating jobs for its residents was effectively placed on Sha'ar HaNegev, and thus, according to the Federation of Local Authorities, Naor found himself functioning as the "first mayor of Sderot" for all intents and purposes.
Building Kiryat Gat and promoting development towns
Later in his path, Naor moved to Kiryat Gat, which in its early years was managed through an inter-ministerial committee headed by the Director-General of the Ministry of Labor. Initially, Naor was appointed as the committee coordinator, and in 1958 he was elected head of the settlement committee. With the transformation of Kiryat Gat into a local council, Naor became its first head, thus becoming the youngest head of a local authority in Israel at that time, at only 29 years old.
He served in the position for two terms until 1965. During this period, he dealt with the enormous challenges of establishing a new city, absorbing immigrants from different communities and countries, and the constant struggle to bring industry and jobs. According to data from the Federation of Local Authorities, the city's population grew during his tenure from about 3,500 residents to about 23,000. Naor saw the establishment of Kiryat Gat as the realization of the Zionist vision and an attempt to create a shared and cohesive society for immigrants from all backgrounds. He was among the initiators of the "Development Towns Bloc" — an organization intended to strengthen the power of the towns in their struggle for resources — and became the first representative of the development towns in the management of the Federation of Local Authorities.
Public service, academia, and the struggle for the visually impaired
In 1965, Naor went with his family to the United States to study for a doctorate in social sciences and local government. After returning to Israel, he continued to work in public service and held a series of senior positions. Among other things, he served as Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Labor, Deputy Director-General of the Shikun Ovdim company, Director-General of the Israel Export Institute, and Director of the Center for International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At the same time, he managed master's degree programs at Tel Aviv and Haifa universities and dedicated research to the issue of affirmative action for members of different communities.
Even after his retirement, Naor did not cease his public activity. After losing his sight as a result of macular degeneration, in 2001 he founded the Namag association for patients with age-related macular degeneration and their families. The association works to raise awareness for early diagnosis and provides guidance, information, support groups, and rehabilitation assistance. Naor managed the association on a fully voluntary basis for about 18 years, until he retired from the position at the age of 90.
He documented his rich life story in the autobiographical book "No Dull Moment." Recently, as part of the events marking 70 years since the establishment of Kiryat Gat, he was awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of the City in recognition of his long-standing contribution to the city and the entire State of Israel. At his request, he will be laid to rest in the city in whose establishment he was a central and significant partner.
