HITLER'S MASSACRE OF WARSAW JEWS HAS STIRRED THE CONSCIENCES OF 36 YOUNG GERMANS. ASHAMED OF THEIR PARENT'S SINS, THEY HAVE QUIT THEIR JOBS IN WEST GERMANY TO HELP THE MENTALLY RETARDED IN ISRAEL.

TODAY THEY ARE BRINGING BACK LIFE TO THE ABANDONED KIBBUTZ (COMMUNAL FARM) AT GIVAT ZEID, NEAR HAIFA. IT WILL BE TURNED INTO ISRAEL'S FIRST PERMANENT HOME FOR MORE THAN 250 OF THE MENTALLY RETARDED.

THEY ARRIVED IN NOVEMBER, BRINGING WITH THEM A COMPLETE CARPENTRY WORKSHOP AND AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT, ALL OF WHICH WILL BE HANDED OVER TO THE COMMUNITY WHEN THE KIBBUTZ IS READY FOR USE NEXT MONTH (JANUARY). SOME ARE PROFESSIONAL ARTISANS WHO CLOSED DOWN THEIR ONE-MAN BUSINESSES BACK IN THE WURTEMBERG PROVINCE OF WEST GERMANY. THEY RETURN HOME NEXT MONTH.

ALL ARE MEMBERS OF THE BEIT-EL ORGANISATION, FORMED AFTER WORLD WAR TWO BY A MR FRIEDRICH NOTHACKER. WHO VOWED TO "ATONE" WITH HIS OWN HANDS THE CRIMES THE NAZIS DID TO THE JEWS IN THE WARSAW GHETTO. HE HIMSELF WAS SERVING IN THE WEHRMACHT AT THE TIME OF THE HISTORIC WARSAW UPRISING.

THE FIRST OCCUPANTS TO MOVE INTO THE REPAIRED KIBBUTZ WILL BE TRAINED IN THE WORKSHOP. THE MORE MENTALLY-ADVANCED CASES WILL BE REHABILITATED AND HELPED TO START NORMAL LIVES, WHILE THE REMAINDER WILL BE ABLE TO STAY PERMANENTLY AT THE VILLAGE. HELPING TO PAY THEIR WAY WITH WHATEVER WORK THEY CAN DO.

AKIM -- THE ISRAEL ASSOCIATION FOR THE REHABILITATION OF THE MENTALLY RETARDED -- WILL HELP RUN THE VILLAGE IN C-OPERATION WITH THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT. AKIM WAS CREATED IN 1951 BY PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION TO CARE FOR BACKWARD PEOPLE.

ONE OF THEIR PROJECTS IS A REHABILITATION CENTRE IN JERUSALEM. KNOWN AS A "SHELTERED WORKSHOP", IT WAS OPENED FOUR YEARS AGO TO CATER FOR THE MENTALLY RETARDED OF ALL AGES.

ITS WEAVING WORKSHOP HAS PRODUCED GOODS EXPORTED TO MANY COUNTRIES. WOVEN GOODS RANGING FROM RUGS TO CLEANING RAGS ARE SNAPPED UP ENTHUSIASTICALLY IN ISRAELI SHOPS.

THE WEAVERS THEMSELVES RECEIVE ONE-THIRD OF THE PROCEEDS. THE REMAINING TWO-THIRDS IS DIVIDED BETWEEN THE PURCHASES OF RAW MATERIALS AND THE SUPPORT OF THE WORKSHOP ITSELF, WHICH IS SUPERVISED BY 15 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES.

JUST ONE PHASE OF AKIM'S CARE FOR THE HANDICAPPED WHICH HAS WON WORLD RECOGNITION.