If you like to see more than the usual attractions when you travel then the underground ammunition factory on Kibbutz Hill in Rehovot is for you! It is not one of the museums in Israel included in group tours but if you have a private tour guide in Israel you could include this site.
Making Bullets Underground
The site brings alive an exciting period of Israel’s history when the British ruled the land and underground Jewish groups fought for the country’s independence. Here the Palmach, the Jewish pre-state military strike force, ran a munition factory 8-meters underground. And it wasn’t just a one-room operation. The factory was about as big as a tennis court.
They manufactured 9mm bullets that the Palmach fighters used in Sten submachine guns. About 45 members of a Jewish youth group worked secretly to produce over 4 million bullets.
The young bullet makers pretended to be field laborers, but once out of sight would disappear below ground to the factory. To protect their cover story, and look like laborers who had worked in the sun all day, factory workers would sit under a sunlamp for several minutes a day.
What to Expect from a visit to the Bullet Factory Museum
On top Israel private sightseeing tours you’ll be taken through the secret entrance hidden in a laundromat. Descend a spiral staircase to the underground factory where you’ll see the original machinery used to produce bullets for the Jewish freedom fighters. Also see the factory’s restored dining room, halls, and living quarters.
Visitors can see an audio-visual presentation about this fascinating period of history and the activities of the Jewish underground forces. Ask your guide about including the Bullet Factory in your private tour in Israel.
