Merhavia is a kibbutz in northern Israel. Located to the east of Afula, it falls under the jurisdiction of Jezreel Valley Regional Council. In 2022 it had a population of 1,331. In the figurative sense, the phrase connotes 'freedom from distress and anxiety', which resonated with the experience of Jews immigrating to the Land of Israel and achieving a new homeland with…Merhavia is a kibbutz in northern Israel. Located to the east of Afula, it falls under the jurisdiction of Jezreel Valley Regional Council. In 2022 it had a population of 1,331. In the figurative sense, the phrase connotes 'freedom from distress and anxiety', which resonated with the experience of Jews immigrating to the Land of Israel and achieving a new homeland without the straits, or distress, of persecution.