Page 6 - C.A.L.L. #23 - Spring 2004

New Book

Our Hearts Invented a Place: Can Kibbutzim Survive in Today's Israel?
By Jo-Ann Mort and Gary Brenner

Cornell University Press, 2003

The kibbutz is the largest and most Our Hearts Invented a Place,
historically significant communal movement of unfortunately, suffers from a number of
the last hundred years. Nonetheless, individual structural problems that make it a difficult read.
kibbutzim and the kibbutz movement are The historical chapters cover a lot of ground in
currently in a period of crisis and destabilizing a short space of time, which makes for
change. Our Hearts Invented a Place is an repetition for those who know kibbutz history
attempt to understand that crisis and the and probably too little information for those who
corresponding changes it has brought about in don't. In the personal interviews, the authors do
the kibbutz way of life. The book is based not let their interviewees speak for themselves,
mostly around personal interviews of members constantly adding their own interpretations. I
of three kibbutzim, Gesher found myself jolted by
Haziv, Hatzor, and Gan changes in subject matter
Shmuel, each of which is and writing style.
adapting differently to the It is hard to
crisis. Significant space is understand what this book
also devoted to a history of is trying to be, and who it
the kibbutzim and the was written for. It is
events leading to the neither objective enough
crisis. for an historical study nor
There is a definite captivating enough for a
need for books dealing biography, yet tries to be
with the recent changes of both. I believe that it is
the kibbutz, as Our Hearts best seen as a
Invented a Place makes confessional by
admirably clear. There are proponents of kibbutz
many insights here for changes, although only
those involved in one author (Brenner) is
communal living. Among actually a kibbutz member.
them was the clearest There is a constant search
analysis I have seen linking for historical and personal
the changes taking place in justification of the
Israeli society and the changes. This is not a
crisis in the kibbutzim. book written by someone
The importance of the who really believes any
unwritten agreement between Israeli more in creating a new society and a new human
governments and the kibbutz as the vanguard of being; nonetheless, for those that still do, it may
the Zionist project, whereby kibbutzim received be a necessary read, teaching us the lessons of
unconditional support, was presented clearly. past communities and providing insights for the
There is also much to be learned from the future.
personal interviews, about how different
generations relate to one another in a multi- Review by Robin Merkel, Kvutsat Yovel
generational community and how individuals are
dealing with changes.

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