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painting graffiti on the NOAL building [movement headquarters]. It was obvious
they were bored. We told them, ‘Come tomorrow and we’ll give you paint. Paint
over the graffiti and we’ll give you a room here where you can hang out.’ They
came back the next day and painted,” Shamsian laughs. “So we gave them a
room, and a connection began. The group grew to about 15 kids, mostly from the

former USSR, living in Shapira. We’d go on trips, do activities. They joined
NOAL and went into the army. Today, they’re parents; they have families. I’m
still in touch with most of them.” Today, in Tel Aviv and the surrounding
suburbs, 110 kibbutznikim serve approximately 4,500 youth and adults, designing
and implementing programs in community centers, schools and military facilities.
“The pioneers who founded the first kibbutz, Degania, were building a country,”
says Shamsian. “One hundred years later, the country exists – but society has
other issues to address. We see ourselves as the new pioneers; our Tel Aviv
kibbutz is the new Degania. ”Currently, the Tel Aviv kibbutz consists of rented
apartments scattered throughout the city. It is an expensive and inefficient
way to live. Dror Israel believes that having a permanent, physical base within
the community they serve
will enhance their ability to

take action. In one such
instance of mobilizing to
serve the community, years
ago they heard that 15 to 20
busloads of Sudanese were
headed toward Tel Aviv. “We
understood they would be Dror Israel Kibbutz members

dumped off in the middle of
the city and we were there to meet them with food and clothing,” Shamsian
says. “We saw there were a lot of teenagers. Without any framework, they
could easily become criminals. We drafted resources and opened a school for
them. Eventually, the state took responsibility and we closed the school. It was
never meant to be a permanent solution, but because we were right there, we
were able to provide an immediate one.” According to Guy Zuzut, youth
coordinator for the city’s department of youth and young, one out of every
three Tel Avivians is under the age of 25. In the past, the municipality didn’t
provide any programming for residents from after high school, until they
became parents. But in recent years, his department has extended services
towards non-parents in the upper age bracket. “Our goal is to provide
meaningful activities. We’ve opened a network of neighborhood youth centers; a

professional staff offers holistic treatment – it’s not just about afterschool
clubs,” Zuzut explains. “We give them a physical place where they can come in
and spend time, and offer relevant activities aimed to attract and draw them in.

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