Israeliana Magnet The Kibbutz

Israeli Vintage posters and fridge magnets: The Kibbutz

A kibbutz is an Israeli commune, or intentional community.

According to the Encyclopedia Judaica, a kibbutz is: "…a voluntary collective community, mainly agricultural, in which there is no private wealth and which is responsible for all the needs of its members and their families."

Another definition is: "…an organization for settlement which maintains a collective society of members organized on the basis of general ownership of possessions. Its aims are self-labor, equality, and cooperation in all areas of production, consumption, and education."

The definition of the word Kibbutz comes from the root "Kvutza", or in English: "group". Its meaning is to bring a lot of people to the same place. A Kibbutz is a place in which the community decided to live in equality, meaning everyone has the same things, and gives their Maximum Effort to the Kibbutz.

The first kibbutz was founded during the Second Aliyah, the second wave of Jewish immigration to Palestine, in 1909, and kibbutzim remain a viable Israeli institution today. Though kibbutzim have undergone many transformations over the years and have never accounted for more than seven percent of the Israeli population, the kibbutz has immense cultural significance.

The first kibbutz, "Degania," was founded by Joseph Baratz and eleven other members, including two women, with the goal of bringing Jewish Zionist ideals to Israel.

Zionists, who became active in late 19th century Russia as a result of anti-Semitic persecution, sought a homeland in Palestine in which Jews would work the land. After the First Aliyah in the 1880s, Jewish immigrants in Palestine had begun hiring Arabs to work their farms. Baratz opposed this practice and started the first kibbutz as a result.

In the early days, kibbutzim held fast to socialist ideals. There was no private property, not even tools or clothing, all work was shared, and land was owned communally. The bulk of the work was agricultural.

Over time, it became clear that agricultural work was not enough to sustain the institution of the kibbutz. Kibbutzim began to industrialize, with a large surge in that direction during the 1960s. Some kibbutzim focused on military efforts. Today, some kibbutzim have even turned to the tourism industry. The kibbutz has a long history of political and cultural contributions to Israel as well. A disproportionate amount of Israeli government and military leaders, artists, and intellectuals have come from kibbutzim.

The kibbutz system has met with controversy over the years. Some groups have been criticized for elitism, while others have been accused of straying from their ideals. Nevertheless, Israeli culture would not be the same without the kibbutz. It is a specifically Israeli institution that has made invaluable contributions to the nation's political, economic, and intellectual life.

In our store you can find a series of magnets and posters with the focus of "Come to the Kibbutz" "Leave the City and come to the countryside to work the land".

We love anything that recaptures the spirit of idealism and innocence that characterized Israel's early years.

We will be happy to share and learn more about these graphics historic posters and Israeliana from all of you.