Page 13 - C.A.L.L. #43 - Winter 2017

Urban Kibbutzim: A

growing movement

Urban kibbutzim like Mishol are revitalizing the principles of egalitarianism and

social responsibility and applying them to life in 21st century Israel

Anton Marks, Nazareth Illit, Israel; Communties Magazine (Winter 2017)

The first kibbutz was established over 100 years ago, and over the following century, a network of almost
300 full income-sharing agricultural communes was established all over Israel. The plan was based on
anarchist principles, whereby this federation of communities would coalesce into a whole cooperative
society, without centralized government or borders.

Fast forward to the year 2017. The rural kibbutz communities are in retreat, there’s a strong central
government and, albeit for very different reasons, the country has no clear borders.
However, there are those who have taken up the mantle of taking responsibility for shaping the society,
young people who are establishing hundreds of urban communes that, both individually and as
movements, are effecting change in the inner cities—communes of educators who are working against
violence, racism, homophobia, and poverty.

I am a member of
Kibbutz Mishol, one of
the many intentional
communities that have
been established over
the past 20 years. We
are 130 people, all
living under one roof,
making decisions
together, bringing our
children up together,
sharing all of our
income, 10 cars, our
living spaces, and a
handful of dogs, cats,
and chinchillas.

Our kibbutz is in the
city; in fact, we are
situated in one of the
most deprived
neighbourhoods in the country—and it’s a choice. We’ve made this choice to work together with our
partners in the local municipality, and together with our partners who live in this city, to shape the wider

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