The Kibbutz

[Guest guest]

The following is something on the Israeli Kibbutz phenomena that would be useful to compare with ISKCON Hare Krishna Movement urban and rural centers. Center and community developers take note of this resource. The Kibbutz is a successful and respected in Israel. Of importance is COOPERATION, the key ingredient, something that Srila Prabhupada is keen with. Bangalore Temple has something comparable to the Kibbutz though perhaps dispersed.

 

It is more useful for the rural centers. though also for others in getting the feel of cooperation.

 

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The kibbutz (Hebrew word for "communal settlement") is a unique rural community;

a society dedicated to mutual aid and social justice; a socioeconomic system based

on the principle of joint ownership of property, equality and cooperation of

production, consumption and education; the fulfillment of the idea "from each

according to his ability, to each according to his needs"; a home for those who have

chosen it.

 

The first kibbutzim (plural of 'kibbutz') were founded some 40 years before the

establishment of the State of Israel (1948). Their founders were young Jewish

pioneers, mainly from Eastern Europe, who came not only to reclaim the soil of their

ancient homeland, but also to forge a new way of life. Their path was not easy: a

hostile environment, inexperience with physical labor, a lack of agricultural

know­how, desolate land neglected for centuries, scarcity of water and a shortage

of funds were among the difficulties confronting them. Overcoming many hardships,

they succeeded in developing thriving communities which have played a dominant

role in the establishment and building of the state.

 

Today some 270 kibbutzim, with memberships ranging from 40 to more than 1,000,

are scattered throughout the country. Most of them have between 300 and 400

adult members, and a population of 500­600. The number of people living in

kibbutzim totals approximately 130,000, about 2.5 percent of the country's

population. Most kibbutzim belong to one of three national kibbutz movements,

each identified with a particular ideology.

 

Organization

 

Most kibbutzim are laid out according to a similar plan. The residential area

encompasses carefully­tended members' homes and gardens, children's houses and

playgrounds for every age group, and communal facilities such as a dining hall,

auditorium, library, swimming pool, tennis court, medical clinic, laundry, grocery and

the like. Adjacent to the living quarters are sheds for dairy cattle and modern

chicken coops, as well as one or more industrial plants. Agricultural fields, orchards

and fish ponds are located around the perimeter, a short tractor ride from the center.

To get from place to place within the kibbutz, people either walk or ride bicycles,

while electric carts are provided for the disabled and elderly.

 

The kibbutz functions as a direct democracy. The general assembly of all its

members formulates policy, elects officers, authorizes the kibbutz budget and

approves new members. It serves not only as a decision­making body but also as a

forum where members may express their opinions and views.

 

Day­to­day affairs are handled by elected committees, which deal with areas such

as housing, finance, production planning, health, and culture. The chairpersons of

some of these committees, together with the secretary (who holds the top position in

the kibbutz) form the kibbutz executive. The positions of secretary, treasurer and

work coordinator are, as a rule, full­time, while other members serve on committees

in addition to their regular jobs.

 

Making the Desert Bloom

 

For the founders, tilling the soil of their ancient homeland and transforming city

dwellers into farmers was an ideology, not just a way to earn a livelihood. Over the

years, kibbutz farmers made barren lands bloom, with field crops, orchards, poultry,

dairy and fish farming, and-more recently-organic agriculture becoming the

mainstays of their economy.

 

Through a combination of hard work and advanced farming methods, they achieved

remarkable results, accounting for a large percentage of Israel's agricultural output to

this day.

 

Production activities of the kibbutzim are organized in several autonomous branches.

While most of them are still in agriculture, today virtually all kibbutzim have also

expanded into various kinds of industry.

 

Although manufacturing a wide range of products, from fashion clothing to irrigation

systems, the majority of kibbutz industry is concentrated in three main branches:

metal work, plastics and processed foods. Most industrial facilities are rather small,

with less than a hundred workers.

 

In many areas, kibbutzim have pooled their resources, establishing regional

enterprises such as cotton gins and poultry­packing plants, as well as providing a

gamut of services ranging from computer data compilation to joint purchasing and

marketing. The contribution of the kibbutzim to the country's production, both in

agriculture (33 percent of farm produce) and in industry (6.3 percent of

manufactured goods) is far greater than their share of the population (2.5 percent).

In recent years, increasing numbers of kibbutzim have become centers for tourism,

with recreational facilities such as guest houses, swimming pools, horseback riding,

tennis courts, museums, exotic animal farms and water parks for Israelis and foreign

visitors alike.

 

As Israel's population grew and urban centers expanded, some kibbutzim found

themselves virtually suburbs of cities. Due to this proximity, many of them now offer

services to the public such as commercial laundries, catering, factory outlet stores

and child care, including summer camps.

 

The Work Ethic

 

Work is a value in and of itself, the concept of the dignity of labor elevating the most

menial job, with no special status, material or otherwise, attached to any task.

 

Where Kibbutz Members Work

 

Branch

%

Agriculture & Fisheries

24

Industry & Quarries

24

Tourism, Commerce & Finance

11

Transportation & Communication

5

Building & Utilities

1

Public & Community Services

18

Personal Services

17

 

 

 

Members are assigned to positions for varying lengths of time, while routine

functions such as kitchen and dining hall duty are performed on a rotation basis.

Each economic branch is headed by an elected administrator who is replaced every

2­3 years. An economic coordinator is responsible for organizing the work of the

different branches and for implementing production and investment plans.

 

Although management positions are increasingly professionalized, the kibbutzim have

adopted various methods of administration and organization to adapt their economic

structure to the needs of the times without losing a sense of mutual responsibility and

equality of work.

 

Women are equal participants in the labor force, with jobs in all parts of the kibbutz

open to them. However, in contrast to kibbutz women two generations ago who

sought to prove their worth by doing "men's work," the majority today are reluctant

to become involved in agriculture and industry, preferring jobs in education, health

and other services. Older members receive suitable work assignments according to

their health and stamina.

 

Most members work in the kibbutz itself. However, some are employed in regional

kibbutz enterprises, a few are sent by the kibbutz to perform educational and

political functions under the aegis of its national movement, and others pursue their

own special talent or profession outside the kibbutz framework. The income of these

outside workers is turned over to the kibbutz.

 

The occasional lack of personnel for factories, agricultural tasks, tourism services

and other jobs necessitates hiring paid workers, although this practice is contrary to

the kibbutz principle of self­reliance in labor. Many kibbutzim host young volunteers

from Israel and abroad for periods of one month or longer in exchange for work,

thus partially solving the dilemma of obtaining outside labor.

 

Raising Children

 

Unlike former times when they lived in communal children's houses, children in the

majority of kibbutzim today sleep at their parents' home until they reach high school

age. However, most of their waking hours are still spent with their peers in facilities

adapted specifically for each age group. At the same time, parents are becoming

increasingly involved in their children's activities, and the family unit is gaining more

importance in the structure of the kibbutz community. Thus the granddaughters of

women who 75 years ago insisted on being released from domestic chores are now

he leading force within the kibbutz for more parental involvement in the upbringing of

young children and for allocating women more time at home with their families.

 

Children grow up knowing the value and importance of work and that everyone

must do their share. From kindergarten, the educational system emphasizes

cooperation in daily life and, from the early school grades, youngsters are assigned

duties and take decisions with regard to their peer group. Young children perform

regular age­appropriate tasks, older children assume certain jobs in the kibbutz and,

at high school level, they devote one full day each week to work in a branch of the

kibbutz economy.

 

Elementary schools are usually on the kibbutz premises, while older children attend a

regional kibbutz high school serving several area kibbutzim, in order to experience a

broader range of academic subjects and social contacts. At all age levels,

accommodations are available for youngsters with special talents or needs.

 

Some 40 percent of all kibbutz children return to settle on their kibbutz after army

service. The majority of kibbutz members today grew up in the kibbutz and decided

to build their life there.

 

Meeting Individual Needs

 

Based on the voluntary participation of its members, the kibbutz is a communal

society which assumes responsibility for its members' needs throughout their lives. It

is a society that strives to allow individuals to develop to their fullest potential, while

demanding responsibility and commitment from each person to contribute to the

welfare of the community. For some, the feelings of security and satisfaction

engendered by belonging to a small, closed community are among the advantages of

kibbutz living, while others might find communal life very confining.

 

At first kibbutz society as a whole took precedence over the family unit. In time, this

priority shifted, as the community became increasingly family­centered. Today, in the

context of a normal society of grandparents, mothers and fathers, aunts and uncles,

sons and daughters, the kibbutz still offers a level of cooperation which provides a

social framework and personal economic security.

 

Compared to the past, kibbutzim today offer their members a much wider range of

individual choices. Members have more latitude in all aspects of their lives, from the

selection of clothing and home furnishings to where and how to spend their

vacations. More opportunities are available to participate in higher education, and

the special needs of artists and writers are recognized, with time given them to

pursue their own projects. Although no money actually changes hands, members

allot themselves a predetermined amount of credit each year to spend as they wish.

 

Contributing to the State

 

The kibbutz is not only a form of settlement and a lifestyle, it is also an integral part

of Israeli society. Before the establishment of the State of Israel and in the first years

of statehood, the kibbutz assumed central functions in settlement, immigration,

defense and agricultural development. When these functions were transferred to the

government, the interaction between the kibbutz and the society at large decreased,

though it never stopped completely. Besides active involvement in the country's

political life, the kibbutz has also carried out various national tasks over the years.

 

A considerable number of kibbutzim run five­month study courses for new

immigrants, which combine intensive Hebrew language instruction, in­depth tours of

the country and lectures on various aspects of Israeli life with periods of work on the

kibbutz. Participants who decide to stay in the kibbutz may apply for membership.

Some kibbutzim take part in a project in which they accept youth from

disadvantaged families for their high school years. Some of these young people

choose to continue living on the kibbutz and become members.

 

Traditions

 

Over the years, the kibbutzim have evolved unique ways of celebrating traditional

Jewish festivals and national holidays, as well as personal milestones such as

weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs and anniversaries. Seasonal and agricultural events,

which were commemorated in biblical times, have been revitalized through song,

dance and the arts.

 

Cultural activity abounds, with films and professional performances presented

frequently in kibbutz auditoriums, in addition to closed­circuit television several

hours daily, offering programs geared to the interests and tastes of the members.

Pooling the talents of kibbutz members all over the country, the kibbutz movements

sponsor a number of professional groups, including a symphony orchestra, chamber

ensembles, modern and folk dance troupes, choirs and a theater company, which

perform regularly in Israel and abroad.

 

Museums which specialize in subjects such as archaeology, nature, art, Jewish

history and the development of the land of Israel have been established by some

kibbutzim, attracting members and visitors in large numbers.

 

Looking to the Future

 

The kibbutz is a social and economic achievement that grew out of a pioneering

society, prospered along with a rapidly expanding economy and distinguished itself

with its contribution to the establishment and development of the state.

 

Today's kibbutz is the accomplishment of three generations. The founders,

motivated by strong convictions and a distinct ideology, forged a society with a

unique communal way of life. Their children, born into the kibbutz framework,

worked hard to consolidate its economic, social and administrative structures. The

present generation, which grew up in an established and prosperous society, is

applying its energies and talents to meet the challenges of modern life in the

technological age.

 

Some fear that by adjusting to changing circumstances, the kibbutz is abandoning

many of its original principles; others believe that this ability to adapt and

compromise is the key to its survival. Whatever lies ahead, as long as the kibbutz

maintains its democratic nature, and the spirit of voluntarism, commitment and

idealism continues to motivate its members, it will have creative and compelling

resources with which to meet the demands of the future.

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

interesting.

 

hare krishnas build and like to live in krishna centered varnasrama society where there are no slaugher houses, bars, brothels, or casinos.