Page 19 - C.A.L.L. #21 - Spring 2003

In our new section, “Kibbutz

Shorts”, we discover what’s new
KIBBUTZ SHORTS
on the Kibbutz in an update

from around Israel.

Translated by Ribi Kalifon, Kibbutz Tzuba

Building on Members
A new building project is rising out of the ground in Kibbutz Meggido. 20 new apartments are
being built to accommodate those who had left the kibbutz, but want to re-join, and others who
just like the scenic area. All the new occupants will be members of the kibbutz and will pay for
their apartment as an entrance fee to the kibbutz. Another 80 houses will follow. At a later stage,
the kibbutz intends to register the houses in the occupant’s name: a process which is planned for
all members. Overall cost of the project will be 12 million dollars.

Kibbutz as an Educational Project
Starting a new kibbutz and living in it for only one week, is a popular high-school seminar
program for twelve-graders in religious kibbutz, Kvutzat Yavne. In a few empty buildings on the
school-grounds, the students set up a kitchen, dining room and sleeping compartments, living a
communal life according to their own set of rules, and working in nearby factories. A lively
discussion erupted when, at the end of their work-period, some students were handed a present
by their employer: to whom does this belong, me personally or the kibbutz as a whole?

A Ray of Hope for Peace in the Middle East
Middle Eastern youths take a courageous step towards promotion of peace. The Israeli leftwing
Hashomer Hatza’ir movement (“Young Guards”) and the Association for Independent Youth of
Palestine and the Arabic Youth Movement met for a full week in Europe to discuss the operational
plan for 2003: a peace-camp with 150 youths, courses for youth-leaders, a joint news-letter, a
joint internet-site are just some of the items on the itinerary. Schoolbags will be donated to
Palestinian children as a humanitarian gesture. Participants on both sides declared themselves
committed to promoting the peace amongst their populations. The meetings in Europe find place
under the auspices of the European socialist “Falcon” organization. (The senior leaders of
Hashomer Hatza’ir are kibbutz members.)

Kibbutz Movement Website - Impressive Results
The web page of the Kibbutz Movement is amongst the 40 highest-ranking web sites, chosen by
the most popular Israeli daily newspaper. Go to www.kibbutz.org.il and see for yourselves!
Unfortunately for most of our readers, it’s almost all in Hebrew – so far.

Organic Agriculture
Ilan Eshel was chosen as the new Secretary General of the Israeli Organic Agricultural
Organization. Eshel, a member of Kibbutz Sha’ar Hagolan, has been working in the Ministry of
Agriculture since 1978 in a variety of capacities, and will now make it his business to promote
and improve all aspects of organic agriculture: increase in sales on the local and export markets,
supervision over organic crops and stressing the contribution of organic agriculture to our
environment and health.

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