Multifaceted Kibutz Industry Showing Marks of Success By JANET MENDELSOHN World Zionist Press Service Not too much has changed from the early days of kibutz and Zionistic spirit as far as the attitude to work is concerned and this high work morale is one of the great advantages of kibutz industry. While life on a kibutz -is still char- acterized by the hard- working members arising at dawn and heading to work in more than 300 kibutzim, half the members work-in the factories rather than fields and orchards. Many factories began in the early years around an enterprising seamstress, carpenter or other craftsman. They began sell- ing their products, and now a high percentage of them have entered the export market. Some of Israel's most attractive furniture as well as textiles and clothing are produced on kibutz enterprises. In addition to furniture, textiles and giftware items, Israel's kibutzim specialize in metal components, plas- tics, food products, rubber, pharmaceuticals, optical products and electronic de- vices, all of which are the cream of-the crop in export revenues. Kibutz industry exported $95.3 million worth of goods last year, 42 percent to Common Market countries, 20 percent to North and Central America. "Israel Economist" magazine credits Kibutz Hatzerim in the Negev Desert with one of the most far-reaching ac- complishments in kibutz industry. This kibutz per- fected -and implemented a "drip" or "trickle" irri- gation system to save their short supply of water, and this brainstorm soon flooded the world market. It pre- sently exports its systems to nearly 20_countries. When in the early 50's there was a wide de- velopment in industry throughout the country, at Ben-Gurion's request kibutzim created jobs through factory expan- sion for the thousands of new immigrants pouring into the mushrooming development towns. Many kibutzim have re- mained employers, in • . The Jewish News is preserved on 3Emm MICROFILM Please direct inquiries to: EI BELLE HOWELL MICRO PHOTO ••t D Division NCOS•ER Cn ■ 469t Thrikficitylim ;People 2161 254•6666 spite of their ideology of self-labor. - Today, outside labor ap- parently comprises 45 per- cent of the work force of the kibutz industry; though most is concentrated in relatively few larger plants according to the Kibutz In- dustries Association, hired labor is on the decrease. Plans on the drawing board are exclusively for new fac- tories requiring increased knowledge and automation,- but limiting the work force. Kibutz factories have de- veloped into productive places of employment for older members of kibutzim who may find satisfying work there. They also at- tract younger and middle aged members who have technological skills or wish to develop them. Many young members are encouraged to study engineering, - chemistry, physics or another spe- cialized subject with the reassurance that they can utilize their profession to the maximum on modern kibutzim. Specialization is becom- ing the key to success, and kibutzim have produced a degree of know-how and brain power that far exceeds Israel's raw materials. As many factory positions re- quire specialization and training, however, what happen _ s to the socialistic ideal of kibutzim which called for equality of all jobs as well as rotation of leader- ship? Regardless of job titles, though, the most impor- tant spirit pervading a kibutz factory is that of teamwork or camaraderie among workers. Material and human re- sources are pooled together on kibutz, offering a unique opportunity for develop- ment. Industry is following the path already Char- acteristic of agriculture on kibutzim, and many of the enterprises are world re- nowned for their efficiency and production. Students Receive JWF Fellowships NEW YORK — Schol- arship and fellowship grants totaling more than $60,000 have enabled 44 students, all of them future - staff members of Jewish community centers and YM and YWHAs, to enroll in the professional graduate and undergraduate courses in college and universities, ac- cording to Robert L. Adler, Chicago communal leader and president of the Jewish Welfare Board. On kibutzim and moshavim throughout Is- rael today, farmers are feed- ing their fish and chickens with dried algae, grown in purified sewage water, thus saving on feed costs. The technique was developed at the Technion-Israel Insti- tute of Technology. BETH YEHUDAH SCHOOLS 64TH ANNIVERSARY DINNER to be held at THE FAIRLANE MANOR 19000 Hubbard Drive, Dearborn (across from the Fairlane Town Center) Co-Chairmen SUNDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 19, 1978 Golden Torah Award Recipient Guest Speaker I. William Sherr Alvin Reifman Senator Lowell Weicker Cocktails at 6:00 p.m. Dinner at 7:00 p.m. For Reservations, Please call: 557-6750 FOUNDERS David B. Holtzman Marvin Berlin Harold Beznos Max Biber Ivan Bloch Stuart Bloch Jack J. Carmen Ernest L. Citron Irwin I. Cohn Dr. Arnold Eisenman Dr. Elmer Ellias Dr. Joseph Goodstein George Hill David B. Holtzman Arnold Joseff Mrs. Morris Karbal Abe Maltzberg Joseph Nusbaum Jack Peitz Alvin Reifman Alex Saltsman Robert A. Schwartz I. William Sherr The Stewart Family In Memory of Dorothy Stewart Max Stollman Phillip Stollman Tamaroff Buick (Opel-Honda) Mrs. Morris Yassky Dr. Arnold Zuroff GUARDIANS Mr. and Mrs. Norman Allan SPONSORS Norman Adelsberg Beckwith-Evans In Memory of Meyer Weingarden Henry Dorfman Kenneth Fischer Sidney Fischer Nathan I. Goldin Martin Goldman Samuel Hechtman Peter Heiman David Hermelin Honigman Foundation In Memory of Sarah Honigman Alex Joseph Frank W. Kerr Company Eugene Kraus Daniel A. Laven Midwest Clayman Compnay, Inc. Irving I. Palman Dr. Lloyd J. Paul Julius Rotenberg Alvin Spector Lawrence J. Traison Mel Wallace Harold Warren Irving Weiss Eugene M. Zack Samuel N. Zack .