| What the Kibbutz Discovered, Mastered, and Forgot—Only to Realize It Can't Survive Without It
"To truly soar, I first had to discover my roots” The Kibbutz shaped who I am and gave me the foundation to pursue my dreams. Now, I want to give back by helping it rediscover its identity and chart a secure path to a prosperous future. The Lecture in My Kibbutz A week ago, I had the privilege of addressing the members of my kibbutz, the community where I was born and raised. My lecture explored income disparities between farmers in developing countries and those in Kibbutzim. Yet, its deeper purpose was to help my community recognize its extraordinary historical role, celebrate its achievements, and realize the challenges it must overcome to secure future prosperity. This wasn’t just any audience—it was my family, friends, and the people who shaped me. Seventy-seven years earlier, my mother was among the pioneers who founded the Kibbutz, and this is where I spent my first 35 years there. Though I eventually left, the Kibbutz remains an inseparable part of who I am. Helping it thrive feels like my obligation and responsibility—not just for its members but for its potential to inspire communities worldwide. I began the lecture by tracing 2.5 million years of societal evolution, from the tightly-knit bonds of nomadic tribes to the rise of villages, where the interdependence that was once the tribe’s greatest strength began to wane. Villages expanded into cities, where personal bonds further eroded, replaced by transactional relationships. From these cities emerged the Ltd company business structure—a model celebrated for its flexibility and efficiency but fundamentally detached from the essence of community. Today, when we walk through prosperous cities, we see the result of countless Ltd companies woven into an interconnected economic network. But strip away these companies, and what remains is an empty, impoverished shell. Cities don’t prosper—Ltd companies do, and their prosperity defines the city. Then, I presented the Kibbutz members with the origins of their community’s roots in a way they had likely never considered. To them, as it once was for me, the Kibbutz is simply 'home.' But I revealed it as something far more profound—a groundbreaking model that unites the strengths of community and business into a seamless whole, representing a quantum leap in the evolution of community development. Close your eyes and imagine the Kibbutz as a living cell. In biology, early single-celled organisms faced limitations—some excelled at producing energy but lacked protection, while others offered structural stability but were inefficient at generating energy. Over time, a remarkable symbiosis formed: energy-producing organisms found shelter within host cells, which thrived on the energy they received. This partnership gave rise to the complex cells we know today, with mitochondria—the cell’s powerhouse—working seamlessly within their host to fuel activities. Interestingly, mitochondria and their host cells have distinct origins and separate DNA. Yet their union created a stable, thriving system where each became indispensable to the other. Similarly, the Kibbutz combines the protective, cohesive nature of a tribe-like community with the efficiency and productivity of a modern business. Shared Values, Vision, Mission (VVM), education, social support, and activities embody its “community,” while its income-generating activities—agriculture, industry, tourism, etc.—represent its “business operation”. This fusion of distinct systems is the Kibbutz’s unique strength. Like the mitochondria and host cell, the Kibbutz thrives on the harmony between its parts. However, this interdependence is also its greatest vulnerability. Without maintaining the foundational elements that ensure its success—shared VVM—the symbiosis falters, threatening the prosperity that has long set the Kibbutz apart.
Q. ow might your village community transform if it adopted the Kibbutz model—a fusion of unity, equality, and innovative structure?
The Importance of Understanding Who We Are Understanding our roots isn’t just about curiosity—it’s about empowerment. The Kibbutz’s extraordinary success stems from its structure and guiding principles. But when it loses sight of these roots, it falters. This is a lesson for individuals, communities, and nations alike. Consider Carl Linnaeus’ classification system, which revolutionized agriculture and medicine by revealing the connections between species, enabling innovations like crossbreeding crops for higher yields. Similarly, understanding the evolution of human communities and organizations can provide critical insights into addressing modern challenges and designing models that foster prosperity and belonging.
Q. What aspects of your community’s roots could be rediscovered to shape a stronger future?
The Kibbutz: More Than a Village As a child, I believed the Kibbutz was simply an “upgraded village,” blessed with ideology, hardworking people, and superior success. To us, the Kibbutz children, city dwellers were “outsiders”, disconnected from the land, while farmers in villages and Kibbutzim shared a closer bond with nature and agriculture. Decades later, while agriculture remains a part of the Kibbutzim's identity, most now derive the majority of their income from diverse industries and services. Yet the perception of the Kibbutz as "the young, successful son of the village" persists. This view is misleading. The Kibbutz is not merely a village; it is something revolutionary: a model that fuses the social cohesion and equality of tribes with the advanced organizational efficiency of a Ltd company. This fusion is what sets the Kibbutz apart. But without understanding its roots, the Kibbutz risks acting against its strengths. Misunderstanding its structure has contributed to the kibbutz's challenges and existential crisis, much like misunderstanding the village's structure continues to trap millions worldwide in poverty.
Q. If the village is outdated in its current form, what changes could transform it into a thriving community for the 21st century?
The Crisis of VVM in the Kibbutz The Kibbutz began with a clear, ambitious vision: to create a model society grounded in equality and agricultural livelihood, fulfilling the Jewish people’s 2,000-year dream of a homeland. By 1948, this vision was fully realized. But this triumph led to an existential question: What now? Without shared VVM, the Kibbutz struggled to maintain focus and unity. Prosperity diminished, and cracks formed in its social fabric. The absence of a renewed vision and mission eroded the economic and social foundation of many Kibbutzim.
Q. Could a lack of shared VVM hold your village back, and how might you address it?
Courage and Vision: The Path Forward Rediscovering one’s roots is both a challenge and a liberation. Just as the early Israeli pioneers crossed the Jordan River to build the first Kibbutz, today’s Kibbutzim must undertake a similar journey. By reconnecting with their foundational story, they can chart a renewed path—an old-new route—to a prosperous future. The Kibbutz is not just a relic of history; it’s a living model with the potential to merge tradition with innovation. It offers solutions for communities worldwide seeking equity, prosperity, and belonging in the modern age.
Q. What steps should your community take to ensure a better future for its children?
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