THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, September 28, 1984
qt:
New life on
the kibbutz
Jeruslaem — Television would
not seem to have much to do with
traditional kibbutz values. In-
deed, modern communication
technology might be seen as a
threat to such values.
But kibbutzniks, even resource-
ful, have seized on television and,
by turning it to their own advan-
tage, are hoping to harness its
power to revitalize basic commu-
nity values.
"The idea is to use TV — cable
TV — as a democratizing agent,
with the ultimate goal of involv-
ing every member in every issue
facing his kibbutz," explains Dov
Shinar, professor of communica-
tions at the Hebrew University
and an adviser to the project.
An increasing trend away from
participation in kibbutz affairs
prompted kibbutznik Arnon
Tamir, who has spent much of his
life working in theater and film,
to look to cable technology for an
answer.
The kibbutz of previous genera-
tions was a tight-knit community
in which almost all members
actively participated in day-to-
day affairs, says Tamir. But a
number of factors —substantially
larger kibbutzim, prosperity and
greater contact with the "outside
world" through radio and TV —
have led to a breakdown in the
flow of information about kibbutz
affairs and a consequent decline
in participation.
Much of the blame for this, ac-
cording to Tamir, rests with tele-
vision, which monopolizes both
the individual's attention and the
channels of information which are
open to him. "TV is quite able to
destroy the kibbutz," he says.
"The kibbutz depends on com-
munal activity, and television
makes its members passive."
Rather than attempting the
impossible task of insulting kib-
butz communities from the elec-
tronic media and the negative
influences they carry, Tamir feels
it is imperative that video
technology be used in an alterna-
tive, positive way. "If you can't
learn to use the media," he says,
"they will use you in the end."
About two years ago, while
working in the documentation
and information department of
the Union of Kibbutz Movements,
Tamir helped devise a plan to re-
vive active participation in kib-
butz life. Ironically, the plan in-
volved harnessing the power of
television — an internal cable
system — to bring about this re-
vitalization.
The aim is to make each viewer
an active participant: "We want to
teach people to uge the media for
their own needs and desires," says
Tamir. "Instead of others deciding
what they will watch, they decide
for themselves."
The attempt to "activate" kib-
butz viewers has begun in earnest
in about five kibbutzim, including
Tamir's home of Hazorea, where a
regular bi-weekly magazine show
has been on the air for more than a
year.
Since Hazorea began broadcast-
ing its magazine program, Tamir
says he frequently hears kibbutz
members discussing issues raised
by the show.
Israel Scene magazine
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