The Mail-Journal, Volume 9, Number 5, Milford, Kosciusko County, 1 March 1972 — Page 14

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' THE MAIL-JOURNAL—Wed M Mar. 1, 1972

THE MIDDLE-EAST— Fifth In A Series Kibbutz: An Experience In Communal Living In Israel

By ARCH AND DELLA BAUMGARTNER KIBBUTZ AYELET HASHAHAR. Upper Galilee, Israel, Fri., Feb.ll — We had our first experience in living in a Kibbutz this week when we spent two nights at the Ayelet Hashahar here. From this point we made a number of excursions into biblical pointe of interest which we hope to relate later. For now we would like to describe this unique way of life. A Kibbutz, foreign to most Americans, is a communal form of living, and it appears very successful. We can report we were treated royally, the food was great, and we felt no pressure to purchase from the small shops in the main building. We just wish they would have had a little better beds. Our full description follows. Communal Living There are different forms of cooperation in Israel’s agriculture, one of them is the Kibbutz of Collective Settlement, in which not only the production but also the household is communal. The first Kibbutzim were founded over 55 years ago in the Jordan Valley The young people, who established such a collective in 1910 at Degania, aimed at founding a new societv based on communal labour and a complete equality among its members. Not being used to the difficult local conditions, they thought this the only way to turn the uncultivated areas of the land of their forefathers into productive land as free and independent farmers Doing their own work, without exploiting others was for them a basic principle, in contrast to the practice in the few existing Jewish villages of the period, where the peasants employed hired labour. Foregoing private ownership of means of production and assets, they farmed land leased to them by the Jewish National Fund (K.K.L.). The fruits of their labour went to maintain a communal household which took care of their and their children’s needs. Other pioneers followed the example set by the settlers of Degania and founded Kibbutzim in many parte of the country; in most cases as the avantgarde of the new Jewish colonization. Frequently they had to defend

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their isolated settlements against unfriendly neighbours. Because of this the Kibbutzim were outposts of defense of the outlying regions, and it is no mere chance that at the establishment of the State of Israel they formed the natural borders of the country. In the course of the decades the number of Kibbutzim increased to 230; about 4 per cent of the population of the country live in them. However, the part played by, the Kibbutzim in the development of the country is much greater than this figure indicates. Above 30 per cent of the agricultural production of Israel comes from the Kibbutzim; some varieties of farm products are almost exclusively marketed by them. They have a marked influence on public life. Today, as in the days before the establishment of the State, there are Kibbutz members in many public positions. They are to be found in Government, Parliament and in high posts in the Defense Forces, but mainly in the General Federation of Labour, the HISTADRUT. The tasks of this organization in the development of the country cannot be compared to those of a labour union in the usual sense of the word. The Histadnit, among whose founders were the members of the first Kibbutzim, has always seen the agricultural resettlement of the country as one of its main tasks. A major part of all farming communities, among them all Kibbutzim, are affiliated to it. The economic functions of the Histadrut are manyfold. In all sectors of the national economy there are cooperatives run or affiliated to • the Histadrut. All public buslines | •are run by cooperatives. The largest building firm in the country is a Histadrut enterprise. Produce of the agricultureal collectives and cooperatives are marketed by a Histadrut outlet. Goods needed by the settlers and their enterprises are bought from a similar supply organization. Kibbutz members hold important positions in all these organ izations. Collective Ownership Despite all changes in living conditions and in the standard of living, the Kibbutzim still maintain those same principles of equality, of communal household and collective ownership of assets and means of

production as the first collectives did. The main activities of the Kibbutz are still agricultural and the branches are numerous. Orchards, field crops and all kinds of livestock can be found in Kibbutzim. In addition to those, many Kibbutzim also have industrial branches, partly for the utilization of their farm products, but frequently are they of a type unconnected with agriculture, i.e. plywood factories, light industries, rest houses etc. These are set up on modern principles. The combination of agricultural and industrial enterprises in one and the same community has proved to be economically successful. Kibbutzim hold many interests in other enterprises as well. They own shares in the National Bus Cooperative and have set up regional transport and fruit-packing cooperatives and factories. Today, as in the past, the communal dining hall is the center of the Kibbutz. Here, members meet for their main meals. Here, the meetings of the Kibbutz General Assembly take place. Here, artistic and cultural performances are given and celebrations held. Meals are prepared in the adjoining kitchen. The laundry and clothes stores are located nearby. Seamstresses, cobblers, electricians, house-painters, carpenters, a barber and all other artisans take care of the requirements of the community. As Kibbutz members receive neither salary nor other monetary remunerations, these services are free. The kitchen prepares the food and rpakes an effort to cook the meals to the members’ liking. For their clothes and shoes they have at their disposal a yearly allowance, which enables them to choose from the Kibbutz stores as they see fit, or else may be used for

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purchases in town. As members of the Histadrut they are automatically taken care that organization’s sick fund, which maintains clinica and doctors in the Kibbutzim and pays for hospitalization. They have yearly vacations, part of which they spend — at the expense of the community — in a recreation home. Active Cultural Life There is an active cultural life in the Kibbutz. Members enjoy theater performances given by national companies or, in sume cases, by local amateur groups. Music is frequently heard and most Kibbutzim have a choir and often also a small orchestra. A Symphony Orchestra, formed by members of a number of Kibbutzim, exists. There are radios in every apartment and the Kibbutz subscribes to the dailies for its members. Evening courses on a variety of subjects are held and lectures given. The Kibbutz enables the creative artiste among its members to develop their talents freely. Children are brought up both by their parents and the community. They live in their own quarters divided into age groups, where they are looked after by “housemothers,” In most Kibbutzim they also sjeep in these quarters. They come to their parents rooms to spend afternoons and evenings with them. They are given a twelve year school education. Smaller Kibbutzim send their children, mainly during high school years, to a regional Kibbutz school. This school system was in force in the Kibbutzim even at a time when elementary school was not yet compulsory in this country. It is enjoyed by all Kibbutz children without exception. At the age of 18 they finish school and are then accepted to membership of the

Kibbutz by a vote of the General Assembly. They then join the armed forces and upon completion of their military service begin their adult life in the Kibbutz. Equality of members is not confined to the sharing of the fruits of labour. It also extends into management and administration of the Kibbutz. The highest authority in the community is the General Assembly of its members. It convenes regularly once a week and discusses the more important affairs of the community, deciding on them by a majority vote. All other matters are dealt with by an executive committee and a number of boards, the members of which are elected annually or bi-annually by secret ballot. The executive committee consists of the secretary, the economic manager, the treasurer and several other key functionaires. The secretary also serves as chairman of the General Assembly. There are boards to regulate all aspects of life, such as cultural activities, job assignment, education, security, health and construction. There is also a board for social problems, which serves also as an arbitration board. Board meetings take place during its members leisure time. In this fashion every member has the possibility of taking part in the running of the affairs of his community. Membership in the executive committee or service on one of the boards entails no special privileges. Generally, there is no connection between tite rights and duties of a member and his field of activity. Every member has to put his workpower and talents at the disposal of the community and all have an equal claim to a share of the fruits of labour, regardless of seniority, origin, age or sex. Only apartments are assigned to members on a system of seniority. This is due to the fact that the rate of building cannot keep pace with development. Inability to work because of age,

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Alness or infirmity does not curb a member’s privileges in any way. The Kibbutz takes care of all members and their families under all circumstances. One of the Oldest One of the oldest Kibbutzim in the country is Ayelet Hashahar. It was founded towards the end of 1915 by young people from Russia, who took over arid land as lessees. The settlers worked and lived under hard conditions during the first decades. They suffered from lack of water and they were isolated from other Jewish settlements. The number of members increased only slowly. When the first well were dug in the early thirties, the first orchards were planted. Other Kibbutzim were founded in the vicinity. As the largest settlement of the region, Ayelet Hashahar was its center of defense. Immigrants, coming to the country during the British mandate without visas, found their first haven here. Members of Ayelet Hashahar played an important role in keeping contact with other settlements of the region and with the rest of the country in the years of unrest preceding the War of Independence and during the hostilities. In May 1948 the Kibbutz was subjected to heavy attacks by Syrian forces and was shelled and bombed intensively, suffering many casualties. The parte of an enemy airplane shot down over the settlement, were left lying where they fell, to serve as a reminder of this difficult period. The Kibbutz prospered after the war. The water problem was solved by connecting the Kibbutz to tiie central water pipe system, thereby enabling the various agricultural branches to enlarge their production. Today, Ayelet Hashahar is one of the larger fruit producers in the country. Citrus plantations have been enlarged, cotton is being planted each year and the Kibbutz, based largely on dry-farming in former years, has developed into a diversified and intensive

agricultural enterprise. There are all types of livestock and the bee-hives have made Ayelet Hashahar one of Israel's largest honey producers. The newly added fish ponds get their water supply from canals draining the former Huleh swamps. Lately, various non-farming activities were added, such as a bookbinding shop and, mainly a Guest House. This Guest House gives large numbers of visitors a possibility to tour the Upper Galilee and gain an insight into Kibbutz life. Among the members of Ayelet Hashahar are remnants of the various waves of immigration of the last decades. After the founders, who arrived from Russia, came immigrants from Poland during the twenties. In the thirties they were followed by arrivals from Central Europe. After the War of Independence came immigrants from various Mediterranean countries, and today the Kibbutz has members

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of some twenty Countries of origin. However, all differences of origin and language disappear during the years and for the new generations, born in the Kibbutz, Ayelet Hashahar is the true home. Memory is something that makes you aware of what you forgot to do.

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