Zionist Dream of Kibbutz Fades in 1990s Lifestyle

Even though Gabriel was one of those who had lobbied the kibbutz's central committee for permission to buy his own car - the policy of turning over all financial assets to the community was ditched long ago - he still mourns the demise of a way of life.

"There's a social breakdown on the kibbutz. People are working toward more economic goals," he says. "If it continues like this, it will cease to be a kibbutz."

Marla Van Meter, a fellow member, says that's why she prefers to manage trips for her family of four the old way: signing up for the use of a kibbutz car and hoping the last person brings it back on time. "Otherwise, you have this discrepancy between the haves and have-nots," says Mrs. Van Meter, who does the community's gardening.

Though kibbutzniks only represent about 3 percent of Israeli society, the concept of such a bold social experiment has attracted attention the world over. But the end of the cold war and breakup of the Soviet Union took much of the steam out of socialist and communist parties worldwide.

The kibbutz was not immune to that, nor to Israel's general trend toward a free-market economy. But for some, that does not make the changes any easier.

'A different country'

David Rosenthal, who immigrated to Israel 15 years ago from California, says he moved here just to live on a new kibbutz.

"I liked the idea of building the kibbutz yourself - not getting something ready-made," says Mr. Rosenthal, the father of two young children. "But Israel is such a different country from the one I found here 15 years ago. It was a primitive country then, and now it's a very modern country. It seemed more wholesome then," he says.

"Now, there are drugs and violence, kids without a strong identity, patriotism has declined. Instead of having a meaningful life, kids are hanging around shopping malls like in the States."

Rosenthal still sees his kibbutz as wholesome for kids and, in many ways, still communal. When he decided recently to return to school, the kibbutz paid for him to go to Hebrew University in Jerusalem. His family doesn't have to worry about lost income. When he finishes his degree, the kibbutz expects him to use his new expertise.

But even if Rosenthal goes on to earn a doctorate, he will earn the same as someone who works in the kibbutz's kitchen.

Some kibbutzim want to change that, too.

"A lot of people look at that as the last straw," he says. "They're also talking about people owning their own house and the kibbutz acting only as a safety net."

Rosenthal hopes that his kibbutz will not give up all its ideals, but thinks some changes were for the better, like the end of raising children in children's houses.

"They tried to work against the natural tendency of people to look out for themselves," he muses. "Look, socialism is on the wane. Communism is dead. In a global village, you can't escape what's going on in the outside world."

* Second of two parts on Israel's shift to a market economy. The first part ran yesterday.

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