From Cooperative to Renewed Kibbutz: The Case of Kibbutz 'Galil', Israel

This article deals with the process of change which is taking place in the kibbutz movement of Israel, and the structural and organizational changes in most kibbutzim from the model of a cooperative kibbutz to that of a renewed kibbutz. The article deals with the causes of the crisis and the principles of change, the essence of which is the implementation of the idea of economic rationalism. This change is not total nor is it accompanied by a denial of the fundamental values of kibbutz but it has many forms and takes place at different rates in accordance with the characteristics of each economic unit and each community. The research focuses on Kibbutz 'Galil' as a test case of a kibbutz which has undergone drastic change against the backdrop of a serious economic crisis and thus it represents an extreme example of a kibbutz which has moved completely to the model of a renewed kibbutz, constituting a signpost for other kibbutzim.