Page 9 - C.A.L.L. #36 - Summer 2013
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600, and there is now a waiting list of he said. "It's like an excellent country
people wanting to join. Many are the club, but with a safety net. It's the
children of members, wishing to raise most secure place in the world."
their own families in a co-operative "Here in the kibbutz, we're not
environment. Others have never neighbours – we're partners," said his
previously lived on a kibbutz. father. "The kibbutz movement is in a
Afikim operates a progressive taxation process of change in which there are
system: the more you earn, the more many different directions. But the thing
you pay into the collective fund. There that unites all kibbutzim is mutual
is a "safety net" minimum income for all, responsibility."
and the kibbutz subsidises healthcare, Between forkfuls of subsidised salad at
education, social needs and care for the a window table in the vast dining room,
elderly. The kibbutz owns and runs Vered Ofir, 45, a fitness instructor and
several successful businesses, plus dairy mother of four, reflected on her
and fish farms, and grows dates, family's decision to embrace communal
bananas, avocados and olives on its land. living.
The heavily subsidised dining room – the Vered Ofir, 45, whose family became
heart of the kibbutz – is open every day members of Kibbutz Afikim last year.
for lunch, and twice a week in the "It was a big change for us, it took a
evenings. while to adjust. But we wanted to live in
Before being accepted as members with a community, among friends," she said.
full voting rights, candidates rent The standard of education attracted
homes on the kibbutz. Most members her, plus the fact that "the babies had
now own their own homes, which can be a great place to be while I was at work".
bequeathed to their children or sold But, she added: "Not everything is easy.
back to the collective. Occasionally a Sometimes everything is too close; our
candidate family decides that kibbutz business is everyone's business."
life is not for them; sometimes the After three years of mutual sizing-up
kibbutz admissions committee rejects to see if the family and the kibbutz
candidates as unsuitable. were a good fit, the Ofirs became full
"Now we could double the size of the members of Afikim last year. A few
kibbutz if we wanted to," said Yaniv weeks ago, Ofir's parents arrived with
Osem, 50, Amikam's son and the the hope of joining the community.
elected head of the kibbutz. "But we For Ofir, who was born and lived most
need to be careful." Those with criminal of her life in Tel Aviv, mutualism
records, a history of financial outweighs the drawbacks of kibbutz
mismanagement or antisocial behaviour life. "Cities can be very lonely places.
were not invited to join. Here I have my own life, I work outside
There was no bar on unconventional the kibbutz, but there is a community.
family units, including same-sex couples, It's a very positive thing."
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