20 Friday, JulMill( THE DETR Navon Contemplates Challenges of Contemporary Kibutz Life By JAMES A. LEWIN — Condensed and translated from Al Hamishmar Q: It has been said, Mr. President, that your heart is equally divided —, one half in the kibutz and the other half in Jerusalem. A: Not exactly. When I'm in the kibutz, all my heart is in the kibutz, and when I'm in Jerusalem, all my heart is in Jerusalem. But some- Bloom 47*q• Bloom Registered Electrologists Come in and let us remove your unwanted hair problem and improve your appear- ance. Ask For Shirtee or Debby. Appt. Only 358-5493 11 Mile between Evergreen & Southfield AMMI Vinte j) 1 1 1 1 • Mob., 41•• You Don't Need Your Jewelry Appraised... Until You Lose It ! e• Diamond and Gold prices are changing daily. If your jewelry is not appraised at todays replacement prices, you may lose hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Protect yourself... Have your precious jewelry appraised today by Tapper's Jewelry. • CALL TODAY FOR A PRIVATE APPOINTMENT • APPRAISALS: $15 FOR FIRST ITEM AND $5 FOR EACH ADDITIONAL ITEM • WE PURCHASE OLD GOLD AND DIAMONQ JEWELRY . Tapper's, the source. 26400 West Twelve Mile Road - In Southfjeld's Racquetime Mall Northeast corner of 12 Mile & Northwestern Hwy. 357.5578 HOURS 4 Mon . Tues.. Wed.. Fri.. Sat.. 10-6 Thur.. 10-9 VISA times, even when I'm in Jerusalem, in spirit I'm whole-heartedly in the kibutz. Q: The percentage of children growing up in the kibutz and then leav- ing, has been growing in recent years. Where will kibutzim find their future members? . A: They will find them. First of all, some will come from outside. Secondly, it depends on the particular kibutz. I don't have exact statistics, but I've been told about half the children leave the kibutz. In some kibutzim, 60 percent of those born there leave in search of new horizons, in others only 20 percent. The question is why. Evidently, there is a range of influ- ences working in both direc- tions and these could also reverse the trend away from the kibutz. Q: For instance? A: Every individual has a natural need to receive things, but he also has a need to give of himself, to express himself not only in a personal way but also for the public benefit, for society in general. People need to find a balance be- tween these two tendencies. Today's kibutzim, espe- cially the well-established and successful among them, give their members every- thing they need in terms of housing, social stability, food, educational oppor- tunities — really like a uto- pian society. The one thing they don't provide is a sense of challenge to the younger person growing up in kibutz. They ignore the other side of the human be- ing. What do they demand of him? What can he give? Q: What would you suggest? A: In contrast with the early days of the kibutz, when great efforts and hardships were required in Q.9 CWB Aff CORDIALLY INVITES YOU TO AN OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY, JULY 27, 1980 FROM 2 P.M. TO 4 P.M. TOURS AND REFRESHMENTS VISIT OUR NEW INDEPENDENCE WING 28301 Franklin Road Southfield, Mich. 48034 Tel: 353-2810 For Information the struggle with nature, the kibutz today offers many comforts including quite luxurious dining halls, members clubs, youth clubs, "discos," etc. at the same time, economically the kibutz has become closed off within itself, separated from the rest of society. Q: How to counteract this separation? A: I see it as necessary and possible, not only for the young, but for the vete- ran kibutzniks as well, to go beyond the borders of the kibutz. The kibutz is not adequately involved with society at large. I think that if the youth of the kibutz had more contact with young people outside, their reactions would be differ- ent. If they were immunized to the temptations and chal- lenges of the outside world, they wouldn't upon leaving high school for the army, for the first time confront as- pects of reality which young people from a less protected environment have been ex- posed to long before. We must encourage more in- teraction and not be afraid of it. Q: How do these chal- lenges apply to the older members of the kibutz? A: The poeple who estab- lished the kibutzim are a living model for the young. I've asked veteran kibutzniks about the idea of new settlements, not just for young people but for entire families from already .estab- lished kibutzim. It's not easy to ask people who are already mature to leave the framework they've lived in for so many years, but there is a great value in this. We have not yet finished our work. Settling the land is still a national challenge of the first order, both from the aspect of political economy as well as from the ethical value of working the land. The period of pioneer- ing is not over. We are still at the beginning of the de- velopment of our land. The Galil, for example, must be developed: I would suggest to a young person today to view this not only as a mat- ter of individual self- realization but also as a challenge of highest na- tional importance. Q: What about young people • whose hearts are not inclined to settle- ment? A: It appears that there are now in the country tens of thousands of young people who neither work nor study, and this is a hotbed for crime. If the kibutz movement would undertake the responsiblity for these young people, wouldn't that be an impor- tant contribution? If we say to the young people in the kibutz, come let us meet and work with 12, 13. and 14- year-old kids from the area, who are neither in jobs nor school — this could enable us to save 20,000 to 30,000 young people. Q: But we are already doing this! Israel President Yitzhak Navon, right, visits his childhood friend, David Tam, and his family at Kibutz Ein Dor. Shown from left are: Tam's daughter ' daughter-in-law and grandchildren, Tam and Navon A: Obviously we're doing it, but not enough! I think this could be a tremendous contribution to society at large and to the kibutz it- self. I see three major chal- lenges for the youth of to- day: helping Settlement, youth in distressed circum- stances, volunteering for the standing army. This last is positive both for defense and for education. An officer in the army is also a guide for education in citizenship. For thousands of young people now entering the army, this may be their last opportunity for positive de- velopment. Lately, there has been a lessening of interest in vol- unteering for the standing army — this is a problem throughout the country, but especially for the kibutz be- cause it is a society based on values of working and serv- ing. If the kibutz tried to act otherwise, it would no , I longer be the kibutz. More refrigerators, more televi- sionS, more money? If the kibutzim want to be merely materialistic, then they lose their essence. Q: Is it within the power of the kibutz movement to take upon itself such heavy respon- sibilities? A: For many years, the kibutz set the standard for society. For years it has been known that in the kibutz, there is a distinctive scale of values. Even if I am not a member of a kibutz I expect more from them. Perhaps the kibutznik will say, "What do you want from me, to give an example all my life? The time has come for me to rest and re- tire." From the aspect of absolute justice, this is true, but as regards the inner character of the kibutz, this is a split from its original nature. Daylight Saving Time Begins Aug. 2 in Israel JERUSALEM (JTA) — Clocks will be moved ahead one hour at midnight Aug. 2 as Israel adopts daylight saving time as an energy- saving measure. Interior Minister Yosef Burg was forced to imple- ment the change in com- pliance with a Supreme Court ruling despite his own objections and strenu- ous protests from the Or- thodox religious establish- ment. The high court issued its ruling July 13 in response to an appeal by Zeev Segal, an energy conservation expert. It accepted his legal argu- ment that a 1940 ordinance by the Mandatory Govern- ment required the govern- ment to introduce daylight saving time. Its duration is left to the Interior Minis- ter's discretion. Daylight saving time will be in effect for about six weeks, until Sept. 15. Energy experts said that IL 1 billion ($20 million) JNF Camps_ Host Foreigners JERUSALEM (JTA) — Some 56 youth groups from 19 countries will spend the summer in Jewish National Fund camps in Israel. Some camps will host both over- seas and local youth. could be saved annually if daylight saving time was in effect May 1 - Oct. 30. The extra hour of day- light will inconvenience ob- servant Jews who will have to rise earlier for their morning prayers and end the Sabbath later. Economy Down, Inflation Is Up JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel has been undergoing an economic slowdown since the beginning of the year, according to the Bank of Is- rael. A bank report says the main characteristics of the slowdown have been a drop in private consumption, a drop in real wages and a increase in unemployment2' Industrial production went down 10 percent in the first three months of th year and the number 4:1111. workers decreased by some period of stagflation — a de- cline in industrial. produc- tion and private consump- tion and a growth in unem- ployment — but at the same time galloping inflation. Do not give to your friends the most agreeable counsels, but the most ad- vantageous. — Tuckerman