Page 2 - C.A.L.L. #40 - Winter 2015

Dear Readers,
CONTENTS
It is with great sadness that in my
opening words of this new issue of 3
C.A.L.L., I am again compelled to What’s In A Name?
share with you, our readers, the loss
of our oldest member of the Desk 4
(both age-wise and in terms of Tiny Houses, USA
longevity on the Desk), Joel Dorkam.
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Joel had been an active member of Skala Ecovillage,
the Desk up until his passing, sharing his forthright views both in Greece
our meetings and in Kaleidoscope, his popular, regular column in
this publication. Joel had also been a central figure in the Urfield 10
Circle, an inter-religious and inter-communal group that was Bryn Gweled
established by Catholics from the Integrated Gemeinde and Jews Homesteads, USA
from kibbutzim in Israel. Joel completed his autobiography only a
couple of years before his passing, describing his personal
journey from Nazi Germany to kibbutz life in Israel. A fascinating 12
read, available in both Hebrew and German. London Communes,
UK
And on to the current issue of C.A.L.L. (now an abbreviation for
Communities At Large Letter). We’ve got plenty of articles about 14
communities from all over the world, including a couple of Chinchilla’s
historical pieces. I’m especially fond of the piece about the failed Communal Setters,
community of two people in the USA. It is a rather obscure piece, Australia
but I think it captures an oft-ignored perspective of the
communal scene. With each ‘successful’ community that lasts a 15
generation, two, or even more, there are countless communities They Built A
that don’t even get off the ground. This poignant tale is a stark Commune but No
reminder that establishing a viable and sustainable community is One Came, USA
a considerable challenge, offering invaluable reward upon
success, but with the potential to end in frustration and failure. 20
Is Communal Living
A final word on the name change: The International Communes Making A
Desk is now to be known as The Intentional Communities Desk. Comeback?, USA
Michael has written a piece about it on the following page and
the only thing that I would like to add is that I am quite nostalgic 22
about our original name and am sad to see it go. On the other The Stateliest
hand, we live in a different era from the one in which we chose it, Commune In
and the important work that we are involved in should not be England, UK
jeopardized by stigmas that we can rise above by a simple name
change. 24
Change Of Address -–
As always, you can send us your suggestions, corrections, The Kibbutz Goes
contributions and retributions regarding C.A.L.L., to the usual Urban, Israel
email address,

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

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