Reflections on Kibbutz Ketura...

Before I get philosophical, let me add that I am totally safe and that I haven't even stepped foot off kibbutz in almost a week, although tonight we plan to walk to another kibbutz 3 KM away where there is an outdoor pub. Next week I may to Jerusalem to meet up with some of my Hanefesh USYers. I ran into one here and it's her birthday next weekend so I'd like to be there. Plus, it would be nice to have a that nostalgic Shabbat experience. Here, a group of young South Americans have just arrived. They are on a leadership program for the year after high school, like YJ year course or nativ and they're pretty mature. Plus, I think they should bring a good spirit to shabbat.




I-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ve been here about 10 days, and have had some time to observe, listen to and semi-participate in Kibbutz life. Of course my reflections come with the acknowledgement that they are b ased only on this kibbutz, on the interactions that I have happened to have, on the people with whom chance has placed me in contact with


Back to my thoughts...
This kibbutz is a pretty strict one in terms of its socialist philosophy. No one is allowed to own a car or have an extra television. In order to get a third bedroom in your house, you need to have 4 or more children. Money is of little use. Wait, no use...Everyone has an account at the little kibbutz market. Everyone takes turns helping in the dining hall. The members, many of them immigrants from affluent American and British families, well educated and former professionals, now spend their days folding laundry, cleaning floors, milking cows and gardening. The kibbutz is beautiful and incredible safe. It is, in the familiar words of a friend of mine, "a bubble." (so as not to digress, I may write more on this another day, as it is so so reminiscent of another bubble I once lived in!) Anyway, lacking any real problems, lacking any real ambitions in the Capitalist sense, the people are utterly happy, right? Everyone walks around smiling and singing, right?
Well.... Not exactly.

Instead, there seems to be an epidemic of gossip that would put any middle schooler to shame. The volunteers, it seems, get dragged into this cycle from time to time and (thankfully) my two coworkers made it very clear from day one that what goes on in my job, must stay there. No talking about work, or what we talk about at work, outside of work. It's a strict rule and they're very serious. It's necessary.

My roommate made another interesting observation. On this kibbutz, no one is worried or thinking about their career; this causes two problems that I have noticed. 1) a visible dearth of things to talk about (hence the gossip) and 2) a certain level of accepted misery because the members spend all day doing something that they don't truly enjoy. This, I think, may be at the heart of the issue. Uninspired by their work, people seem wary of their daily existenec and somewhat depressed. When you pass many of the membrs (all of whom are familiar faces by now) many of them infamously won't say hello. I have been pitted between families at times, and some of the volunteers complain about the grumpiness of their bosses at the hotel and in the dining hall.

Kibbutzim are a beautiful idea, but - and perhaps especially because most of the poeple here come from a Capitalist background - they require a totally different mindset and one that just doesn't quite work with the rest of the modern world. This kibbutz seems to have its eyes closed to environmental issues, in spite of the presenec of the Arava Institute on campus! Many hated jobs are given to volunteers and to cheap workers from Thailand who also work here. In fact, I've heard it said that without the cheap outside labor, the kibbutz wouldnt be sustainable. hmmmm...

True, as my friend pointed out today, kibbutzim try to mirror how communties may have functioned many years ago. One is forced to face problems, and people; there is nowhere to run and hide, no chance to avoid the unwanted confrontation. The members here, however, have had a taste of the modern world, and they haven't all shed the mentalities of their other lives. Sometimes, it seems, they could use a little time a way, an escape from the bubble, or a chance to do simething that gives them a warm and fuzzy sense of good ol' American achievement. Kibbutzim may be utopian, mbut I'm not sure its utopia for those who have already tasted the apple.


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Contrary to the implications of this email, I am enjoying my time here - in fact, it gets better each day. I am trying to find some sort of routine so that I will get more writing done and perhaps some exercise, but for the most part it's pretty damn cool to read, swim and do crossword puzzles for hours on end. Plus, while many of the conversations with the volunteers have themes of drinking, dating and drugs, there is often a refreshing or inspirational conversation - and it always seems to come just when I need it, and when I am least expecting it. I think everyone has a deeper side and it's sort of fun to slowly get to know all the people here and discover their perspectives, ideas and stories.