Kibbutz in IsraelYou must have heard about a kibbutz in Israel in one time or another. If you haven’t here is a short explanation of what a kibbutz is:A kibbutz is a collective community. What does it mean? It means a group of people/families that live in a small community and share property. Sounds pretty socialist?! That’s because it is! Very much so. It is a unique form of community that is only found in Israel, however less than 5% of Israelis live in a kibbutz. 
Typical housing in kibbutz Lavi in the Galilee. Picture by Gaspa. The kibbutzim (plural of kibbutz) started in the early 20th century even before the State of Israel was formed. The kibbutzim were largely based on farming until recent times. Nowadays most all of the kibbutzim changed significantly and they have been mostly privatized and people are no longer sharing property and such. I guess socialism/communism wasn’t that great of an idea after all… Still most any kibbutz in Israel has a special feel to it that you will never get in the big cities. It is a mix of simple/rural life with a strong sense of affinity between the people. 
Kibbutz Gvaram in the south central part of Israel. Picture by Or Hiltch. Some people usually in their 20’s come from Europe, the U.S or elsewhere to volunteer working in the kibbutz for a few months and experience a different way of life. Most if not all of the kibbutzim have some sort of tourist accommodations or hotels. My recommendation to you is to visit at least 1 kibbutz while you visit the country and if possible stay a night at a bed & breakfast at one of the many kibbutzim in the country. Return from Kibbutz in Israel to the Israel Facts page Return to the Home Page |