|
The nation of Israel, just under 8,000 square miles, is about the size of the state of Massachusetts.
In the nation of Israel there are communities known as Kibbutz, and also some known as Moshav. In this article we will explore some of the contrasts between the two.
The first Kibbutz to be established in Israel was Degonia, near the Sea of Galilee, in 1909. More followed in the 1920's. These communal farming settlements were established to avoid the mistakes of earlier immigrants. Their motto was "Work and Believe".
There are about 230 kibbutzim in Israel. They started at the turn of the century as agricultural co-operatives protected by armed settlers.
Life on a kibbutz varies somewhat according to the main focus of each particular group. Most are mainly agricultural; while others make toys, shoes, blow glass, or a number of other things.
A number of kibbutzim operate tourist facilities or arrange for young people from other countries to spend time living at the kibbutz and sharing in the work and other aspects of life there. I found quite a number of these online as I was researching for this article.
There are different levels of prosperity in kibbutzim. There are kibbutzim where the people live comfortably and there are poor kibbutizim where life is hard. No matter what type it is, they all use the same form of government.
Committees are what govern kibbutz life. The various parts of community life are dealt with by committees dedicated to that aspect. There are committees of finance, education, and care of children--just to name a few. They have a special meeting once a year where they confer and elect officers, take care of policies, and other aspects of kibbutzim life.
In a kibbutz all property is shared equally by everyone living in a certain village. There is equality of opportunity and responsibility. Residents do not receive salaries but they are given housing and other necessities, including medical services and education.
Women work as the men do, and everyone eats at a common table. Some kibbutzim have modern kitchens, swimming pools, and gymnasiums. There are art galleries, concert halls, and cultural centers. Kibbutz hotels are popular vacation spots.
Originally the children on a kibbutz lived in a separate house apart from their parents. Their parents were working all day. They could visit in the afternoons and on weekends, but the children slept in special quarters and not with their parents. Today, in an effort for more family stability and closeness, the children spend their days with other children but sleep in their parent's quarters at night.
Members from one kibbutz can transfer to another or move to independent farms or other jobs.
Less than 4% of the people of Israel live in kibbutzim. Others look up to those who do because they are responsible for most of Israel's successful scientific farming.
The moshav is also a cooperative but has more independence for the people.
Each family owns their own farmland. They own their own homes. Purchasing and selling are both done cooperatively.
At a moshav,people make their own decisions, cook in their own kitchens, and eat at their own tables.
There are a number of villages grouped around a central town in a moshav. The town collects and gives out the produce and furnishes the needed equipment and materials. The town is the administrative center.
Within this central town there is a secondary school, a concert hall, a theater, and classes in cultural subjuects for adults.
While the kibbutz and the moshav are both cooperatives there is a marked difference, especially in the independence of the people involved.
The information for this article was, for the most part, taken from two books:
Enchantment of the World: Israel by Martin Hintz and Stephen Hintz
Enchantment of the World: Israel by Helen Hinckley Jones
I would recommend these books to anyone who is interested in further study of the nation of Israel.
| 
