Following the sheep

photo: Revital Kagan Ben-adar

When the jouvenille Moshe Kagan, a native of the Polish city Kremenets, wanted to immigrate to Eretz-Israel, though painting was his great love - Hashomer Hatzair activists encouraged him to acquire a profession before he arrives in Israel. So, when a relative of him came to Kremenets from another city, Moshe learned from him his profession - a dental technician.

In 1948, while a soldier in the Polish army led by Władysław Anders, Moshe came with his division to the devastated Warsaw and burning Berlin, and discovered that his parents and sister had been murdered by the Nazis. He made Aliyah to Israel, and settled in kibbutz Shamir, where he worked as a shepherd for ten years. He would go out to pasture with fabrics, papers, pencils and brushes, and paint the landscapes, and of course - lots of sheep.

Following the sheep he found in the area ancient pottery, tools, coins and flintsones - which he passed to the Israel Antiquities Authority - where they learned that those archeological findings testified of some twenty pre-historical settlements in the area. The archaeological hobby became "half a profession" when Moshe helped the American team digging in Tel-Anafa located beneath kibbutz Shamir. He also set up a small archaeological museum in the kibbutz, and became an expert of dolmens.

Today, the 89-year-old Kagan collects stamps, coins, antiques and drawings. He handles his garden, and of course - paints.