Page 2 - C.A.L.L. #35 - Fall 2012

Dear Readers,
CONTENTS
There seems to be an abundance of
articles and books being published 3
today, claiming that there is a dramatic
increase in those searching for Ten Intentional
community. Articles such as these can Communities We Want
sometimes be found in the pages of To Live In
C.A.L.L. (In fact, this increase is
mentioned at least once in this issue!) 7
Apparently, more and more people are Truth or Fiction Quiz
recognizing the defects of modern
capitalist society and are heading in 8
their droves to establish/join existing intentional communities. Interview with Ann

Now, I’m somewhat sceptical by nature, and therefore have my Zabaldo from the U.S.
doubts about this explosion in communal living. I consider myself to cohousing movement
be in a better position than most to see this phenomenon – I’m au fait
with the communities movement here in Israel, and through my 11
involvement with the International Communes Desk, I have a good Upcoming Conference
feel too about what is going on in the world (at least the English- of the International
speaking world, if not the western world in general). Communal Studies
Association (ICSA)
Don’t get me wrong, I know all about co-housing and eco-villages,
models that have spread like mushrooms after the rain. I know about
the proliferation of young urban communes, similar to the one of 12
which I am a part of. We even have a relatively new term to describe Kaleidoscope by Joel
this wide variety of communities: Intentional Community. Eventually, Dorkam
I called Yaakov Oved, a world expert on communities, who reiterated
that the period from the end of WWII until today has seen a 17
quantitatively different reality materialize – and he encouraged me to Redfield Community,
read all about it in the books that he has written. UK

So why do these nagging doubts persist? Well, because the illusion
that the dominant paradigm of early twenty-first century society 19
being based around the individual is extremely powerful and all- Answers to Truth or
encompassing. We, the alternative, are the underdogs, swimming Fiction Quiz
against the stream, marginal and insignificant; we’re weird.
Outsiders. Unwilling to comply with acceptable norms. 20
Kibbutz Shorts
So why do the facts get in the way of a perfectly composed inferiority
complex? As a movement, we need to grow in strength and vision,
eventually transforming the best kept secret into a great paradigm 22
shift: Community will again be seen as the obvious basic building Movie Review:
block of society. Wanderlust

I’m hoping that our work at the International Communes Desk can 24
contribute to this critical process. So, without further ado, enjoy this Community Visitors
issue of C.A.L.L., and let us know if there are others we should be
sending it to too – let’s spread the word far and wide. 25
International Communes
You can send us your suggestions, corrections, contributions and
retributions regarding C.A.L.L., to the usual email address, Desk Study Group

Anton
anton@kyovel.org
www.communa.org.il

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