Page 11 - C.A.L.L. #28 - Spring 2007

KALEIDOSCOPE
The Communitarian Scene from all Over and Under
Compiled (and partly translated) by Joel Dorkam

The initial kibbutz settlers were youngsters in their early twenties,
who perceived themselves as possessing everlasting youth; they
gave little thought to minor issues like old age, insurance, social
security and retirement planning. Besides, they assumed that the
community represented a complete, all encompassing security
system that ensured their future welfare. What really mattered were the chances of
increasing the irrigation water allocation and the milk quota, the number of newborn calves
and new members, and the wording of their party platform. Only a very few cared to provide
for the far future.

That is until the Beit Oren incident; the kibbutz on top of Mount Carmel went practically
bankrupt, leaving the senior members without any income or means of subsistence, lots of
debts and commitments they had no way to cover. Suddenly this issue became very central to
thousands of elderly kibbutzniks and their offspring. They began looking around for instant
solutions, in part quite creative ones, consisting mainly of selling off assets they had jealously
kept intact for later generations. Case in point, a fierce debate is presently raging inside the
Kibbutz Movement about selling the controlling shares of the "Tnuva" cooperative, which
processes and markets most of the milk and dairy products of Moshavim and Kibbutzim in
Israel, for the purpose of covering the actuary debt of about a billion dollars for retirement
funding, as well as some pressing debts. Fact is that we belatedly realized the need to secure
our future independently of our respective communities and central movements.

Incidentally, it appears that similar insights are gradually spreading around mature
communities everywhere, as indicated by the following excerpt from Communities #132 of
Fall 2006 , entitled "Graying in Community" by Darin Fenger:

Can we continue to live in community as we grow older?

Will Kennedy loves the cohousing lifestyle, "I was strictly a city gal," Allison, 89, said
raves about neighbors, enjoys being around chuckling. "I'd heard about ecovillages from my
young people, and quietly fears nursing homes. daughter for years, but I sure never dreamed I
Kennedy's mind booms with ideas and his would ever be part of one. But let me tell you, I
choice of words tells of great mental have not had one regret. I am so glad that I'm
articulation, but two strokes have wracked his here." Like most elders interviewed, Allison
body of 86 years with considerable injury. The pointed to the rich companionship that
resident of Frog Song Cohousing in Sonoma, intentional community can promise, all
County, California said he would never easily compared to being isolated in an apartment or
choose to leave his beloved ark of friendship, tiny house somewhere in regular society.
safety, and comfort. Kennedy erupts into hand- Allison stressed that Earthaven not only gives
some chuckles of glee when he describes the her a life right in the middle of the most
life he so greatly enjoys today. "This is a beautiful mountains she's ever seen, the place
wonderful adventure," the retired social worker also blesses her with the best sons and
enthused, his excitement breaking through the daughters - her neighbors - that her dreams
normal slur of his labored speech. "I really can't could ever design.
conceive of any other way of life. I benefit all
way around from being here. There just isn't Reprinted with permission from Communities
enough I can say about how wonderful it is to magazine, a quarterly publication about
benefit by living with this group of people." intentional communities and cooperative living in
North America. Sample US$6; subscription
US$20.00. store.ic.org.

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