Members of the Desk
Anton MarksEditor of C.A.L.L. and KOL, our English and Hebrew publications
Anton Marks is a British-born Israeli and a founder member of the largest urban kibbutz in Israel, Kibbutz Mishol, situated in the northern city of Nof HaGalil. He has been an informal educator for the last 25 years and has a passion for kibbutz and intentional communities generally, Zionist education, Tikkun Olam, the Jewish world, Jewish history, identity and culture.
Amnon ShifmanGeneral Secretary
Born in Petach Tikva in 1938 and attended the agricultural school Mikve Yisrael. Amnon is a graduate of the Machanot Haolim Movement, having once been its General Secretary and is now the chair of the Machanot Haolim Alumni NGO. He has previously held the position of General Secretary of his kibbutz, Tzuba. He is also Archeology graduate having studied at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
Michael LivniTreasurer
I was born in Vienna 1935 and grew up in Vancouver, Canada. Joined Habonim (now Habonim-Dror) in 1950. Graduated M.D. (In Israel I do not practice – or even malpractice). Made Aliya to Kibbutz Gesher Haziv in 1963. I'm Involved in the interface between kibbutz and Reform Judaism and in 1986 I moved to Kibbutz Lotan, a Reform Kibbutz in Israel's far South. Three children, six grandchildren on Kibbutz Gesher Haziv. Active in informal education, ecology.
Elisha TzurgilMember at Large
Born in Israel 1945. Member of Kibbutz Sde Boker in the Negev desert since 1964. Married to Hava Rosenbaum - Zurgil plus 4 children. Believes in contact between people and between communities, out of curiosity and the desire to get to know others. Keen on languages.... "For me, agriculture is not only a profession but also a hobby, which enables me to travel the world, both as an advisor and as a learner.... The future of the kibbutz depends mainly on adapting its social and economic framework to a reality which is changing."
Moshe HaiMember at Large
I was born in 1952 in Tel Aviv and joined Kibbutz Dvir permanently in 1974. I have been the Culture Co-ordinator of the kibbutz for the last 12 years, having previously worked in a variety of jobs, including in the fields, irrigating, gardening and in the animal petting zoo. I am very active politically: Having been on the politics committee in the kibbutz, involved with both Peace Now and Meretz, and on the management committee of Hashomer Hatzair. Since 2000, I have led the fight against the changes on my kibbutz. I have also studied History and Kibbutz Studies at the Oranim College.
Gabe FreundMember at Large
I grew up in Perth, Western Australia where I first encountered the idea of collective living in the stories of the kibbutz told wistfully and longingly at weekly meetings of the youth movement Habonim Dror. Nine years ago I moved to Israel to participate in the building of a network of urban kibbutzim. Today I live in an educators kibbutz in Akko.
Yuval EtzioniMember at Large
Yuval, born on Kibbutz Tzora, lives in an educators kibbutz of Dror Israel in Petach Tikva.
Today, he works in the Histadrut, the national Trade Union of Israel
Gideon EshelMember at Large
Kibbutz Tzora