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Community and Introspection: The Dynamics of OutreachWhy has the kibbutz movement survived as an experiment in communal living when so many other experiments around the world failed within a relatively short space of time? This question will remain relevant as long as there are intentional communities that continue developing and reevaluating themselves. One aspect of the kibbutz's success is its dynamic nature. This dynamism is maintained through constant re-evaluation and development of the way we live our kibbutz ideal. Likewise, a successful balance between internal and introspective concerns and energy with outreach and involvement in the world help ensure a healthy and dynamic community. IntrospectionAn intentional community, such as kibbutz, is by its very nature intensive. While work hours may be strictly defined (finishing at a mealtime, for example), one cannot physically "clock-out", in the same way that city people leave the workplace and do not have to see, eat with, or interact on any level with their workmates. Non-kibbutzniks need not cope with the social or organizational elements of their lives on such an intense level. By its very nature, community life requires a large amount of personal energy. Naturally, the smaller and more intimate the community, the more energy is expended. One problem can be a feeling of being "sucked into" the everyday events within the community and a break from involvement or even attention to what is happening in the wider world. A community that becomes too exclusively introspective can develop a certain staleness, which, if not identified and reversed, can become a visible characteristic of the community. A community that becomes stale cannot grow spiritually or mentally, and this cannot be a good omen for the physical development of the community. A kibbutz, as any intentional community, is a whole made up of many parts, its members. Their relationship to themselves is as relevant to the community as their relationships with each other. (link to I-Thou section? OK) If each member can feel that s/he is in a positive, dynamic stage of his/her life, then the "whole" is bound to feel positive and dynamic. This can happen through study, spirituality or religion, in social or political outreach. If such momentum is expressed on a communal level, then it can really be effective. OutreachWe express our commitment to outreach in our vision statement - "We work towards the betterment of ourselves, our people and the world. Our home is a community of shlichut (outreach). Our way of life constitutes a message we wish to impart to those that enter our gates and to the circles of society in which we are involved." There is a value to diversity in the forms of outreach that a community adopts. Our outreach work expresses itself mainly in Jewish and ecological education and action. (add link? OK) Likewise, we host groups of differently-abled youth and specific members do a variety of other projects. These efforts produce a greater richness in the everyday life of the community. Another valuable form of outreach is networking - creating a flowing dialogue between kibbutzim and communities on all levels, from regional to international. The value here is not only political, but also to facilitate a constant flow of ideas, energy, and opportunities for self-evaluation. The Internet is an exciting tool for outreach of this sort. Lotan Outreach Links |
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©All Rights Reserved Kibbutz Lotan 2005 Kibbutz Lotan, D.N. Hevel Eilot 88855 Israel; Tel: +972 8 6356888; Fax +972 8 6356927 |
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