World egle-g-ketti t7D /tee NEWS ANALYSIS The Kibbutz from page 25 JANE & LARRY SHERMAN Please join us for a Gala Dinner ' Saluting Hebrew Free Loan Leaders and Recognizing our Valued Donors and Supporters as we host the International Association of Hebrew Free Loans Annual Conference Monday, October 19, 2009 Jewish Community Center D. Dan & Betty Kahn Building Eugene and Marcia Applebaum Campus West Bloomfield 6:30 p.m. Hors d'oeuvres & Cocktails 7:30 p.m. Dinner & Program Tickets $ 1 36 --) (29 - 1.74"147, DR. DAVID HENRY KIRSCH LEOPOLD IAHFL PRESIDENT-ELECT RICHARD BRODER BERNIE SMILOVITZ 6 h-haa;52,z eo) .mi-frzwitee Eleanor & Lawrence S. tackier Rebecca & Gary Sakwa Co-Chairs Co-Chairs Barbara & Peter Alter Sharon & Mickey Alterman Doris & Jim August Laurie & Michael Banks Bunny & Sherwin Behrmann Carolyn & Jim Bellinson Linda & Michael Berke Susan & Sam Bernstein Barbara & Stan Bershad Penny & Harold Blumenstein Hilary & Stuart Borman Marlene & Paul Borman Lisa & Richard Broder Ruth & Brewster Broder Susie & Robert Citrin Julie & Peter Cummings Peggy Daitch & Peter Remington Dolores & Leonard Farber Suzy & Burton Farbman Lauren & Phillip Fisher Barbara Frankel & Ronald Michalak Laurie Frankel Erica & Ralph Gerson Dr. Lynda & Dr. Conrad Giles Adele & Herbert Goldstein Nancy & Jim Grosfeld Fran & Paul Hack Margot & Jerry Halperin Rose & David Handleman Doreen Hermelin & Dr. Mel Lester Nancy & Dr. Joseph Jacobson Hilary & Edan King Dr. Joel Kirsch Zita & Donald Kirsch Hadas Bernard, Michele Bleznak Suzanne Bluestein Richard Broder Annie Cohen MASTER OF CEREMONIES Barbara & Dr. Edward Klarman Diane & Emery Klein Linda & Tom Klein Stacy & Ron Klein Susan & Rabbi Joseph Krakoff Alene & Graham Landau Gail & Art Langer Carolyn & Rex Lanyi Linda & Henry Lee Susie & Scott Leemaster Beverly & Arthur Liss Naomi & Lionel Margolick Florine Mark Leisl & Jay Must Sarah & John Nemon Rachel & Josh Opperer Rona Rones Rosalie & Bruce Rosen Judith & Dr. Michael Samson Karen & Jeff Schoenberg Karen & Robert Schwartz Sandra Seligman Eileen and Stuart Sherman Ellen & David Sherman Robbie & Scott Sherman Suzanne & Burton Shifman Lenore Deutch Singer & Alan Singer Janet and Stuart Snider SuSu Sosnick Helen Stiebel Carolyn & Larry Tisdale Barbara & David Wallace Sylvia & Randy Wolf Esther & Neal Zalenko Co-Chair Peggy Daitch Rose Handleman Jay Must Harriet Orley Julie Silver Ellen Sherman, Co-Chair Lenore Deutch Singer Susan Tapper Julie Yaker Margie Yaker RESERVATIONS AND 248.723.8184 INFORMATION www.hfldetroit.org HEBREW FREE*.LOAN hfldetrout.org 40wousznew.,— 1526640 26 October 8 • 2009 iN industrial, commercial and agricultural activities. Today the major source of income is Plasson, a multimillion-dollar global plastics manufacturing corpora- tion whose shares are traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. The shift reflects how kibbutzim have deviated sharply from their socialist roots into full-fledged participants in the capitalist system. As Israel's most successful kibbutz, Ma'agan Michael has preserved a high degree of cooperative life. At less pros- perous kibbutzim, economic hardship has forced privatization of elements that once were collective. In stark contrast to its former ideology of asceticism, today's kibbutz is replete with once-scorned human comforts and privately owned gadgetry. In fact, much of Ma'agan Michael's communal activity is conducted online from members' pri- vate homes, where they can reserve a car from the kibbutz's ample fleet, submit work schedules or receive medical test results conducted at the in-house clinic. The dominant ethos that character- ized the kibbutz well into the 1970s was that of members who were rugged warrior-farmers strongly rooted to the land, willing to sacrifice life and limb to defend Israel. For a young man eligible for military service, it was taboo not to serve in a combat unit. Societal emphasis and social stature was focused more on the physical than the cerebral. While academic study was not overtly shunned, any pursuit not deemed absolutely necessary for the acquisition of skills to enhance the kibbutz's productive operations often elicited expressions of suspicion and derision. Today, however, every child of Ma'agan Michael members is guaranteed the opportunity to attain an academic degree or some chosen equivalent with- out any connection to future earning potential. Similar developments have taken place in virtually all of Israel's kib- butzim. Likud Effect A watershed moment for the kibbutz movement came in 1977, when a Likud government was sworn into power for the first time and kibbutz members feared that their long-maligned politi- cal opponents, whom they had labeled as fascists, would seize kibbutz assets. Hasty economic decisions were made that began the chain of events that brought many kibbutzim to the brink of economic collapse. Interestingly, religious kibbutzim, which viewed Likud's ascent with far more equanimity than their secular counterparts and reacted with less alarm, fared far better economically. The importance of military service as a social imperative declined. Service in non-combat capacities in the IDF — even draft evasion — were treated with increasing tolerance. As the kibbutz began casting off the mantle of national leadership, the social rewards of membership dimin- ished commensurately. As the sense of belonging to society's elite waned, many members -- particularly the more talented and younger ones — began leaving the kibbutz for the lure of the city. This move, once considered the ultimate act of betrayal, became accept- able and commonplace. Although Ma'agan Michael largely has been spared the detrimental impact of this phenomenon, it devastated the kibbutz work force and jeopardized the future of many other kibbutzim. If current trends continue, kibbutzim likely will be overtaken sooner or later by the very bourgeois materialism they once held in such contempt. However, this is far from inevitable. There is sincere soul-searching going on in Ma'agan Michael about the com- munity's future: how to maintain social solidarity in an age of individualism and how to fashion the kibbutz's role in society at large. It is premature to write the epitaph of the kibbutz movement. Even without individual financial rewards, Ma'agan Michael's members have brought the kibbutz to the forefront of global achievement in agriculture — particu- larly animal husbandry, aquiculture and orchard cultivation. Furthermore, the continued contri- bution of the kibbutz movement to the Israeli military should not be underes- timated. In my family, virtually all the men served as officers in elite combat units — air force, navy and special forces. This is not unusual. In recent military operations, kibbutz combat- ants were among those with the highest casualty rates — a sign that kibbutzim still contribute in high proportions to Israel's combat forces. It is not at all clear where the kibbutz will be in 2020 or what form it will take. But those who predict its inevitable demise may be surprised. II Martin Sherman is a professor in security studies at Tel Aviv University and a visit- ing professor this year at the University of Southern California and Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles.