V
Pace Two
THE    JEWISH     WESTERN BULLETIN
Friday, September 22, 1963
Kibbutz in Gain
the
The Jewish communal settlement called a Kibbutz is unlike any other settlement in Israel. In fact, it has no exact counterpart anywhere in the world except perhaps in such Eastern countries as Burma who have sent their citizens to Israel to study the Kibbutz system and are now beginning to emulate this communal way of life.
My first visit to such a settlement occurred when I journeyed into the mountains of the Galilee. I had selected Hassolelim purely at random. A friend of a friend of mine lived there and a letter of introduction was all I required to xjbtain an invitation from the Kibbutz secretary.
I made my way to the Kibbutz from Tel Aviv prepared to rough it for a shart while. The train to Haifa is modern, fast, efficient; the bus you take at Haifa (the so-called Arab bus line) is a system that is a little less modern but brings you safely to the ancient Biblical city of Nazareth where you board a still less modern bus for th.e Kibbutz. Located in the very middle of a number of heavily populated Arab centres, Hassolelim was and still is of great strategic importance to the Jewish State.
Altogether there are about 70 members (or Chaverim) on the Kibbutz which is just about as old as the State itself. Its population is composed of four main groups, the original settlers having been Sabras (native Israelis) and Americans, reinforced four years ago by a group of South Africans (abbut 20 strong) and another from France who arrived one year later. In addition to these there are a number of other individuals from Rouriiania, Hungary, Morocco, Turkey, England and Yemen.
Agriculture is the chief industry of Hassolelim, and it wouM seem to be a highly successful oncv Main crops are cotton and sugarbeets. If you happen to go there a year or two from now, however, do not expect this to be tae same, for if there is one immediate observation that a visitor to a Kibbutz makes, it is that there is hothing at all static about Israeli farming. There is cohtihual experimenting, continual change, constant striving for improvement.
Here are some examples: H^solelim was one of the first Kibbutzim to plant cotton in Israel just six years ago. Today, quite a considerable part of its la^id^J^ptjijrrigated and un-irrigated, is planted with cotton, (This year Israel boasted the highest cotton yield in the world!) and; there it was, as far as the eye could see, ripening blossoms of the precious new plant. My guide» Label Gefen, the Merakez Falcha (in charge of the unirrigated crops), a sturdy South African Jew, considers the Hassolelim area the most beautiful in all Israel. "Laby" explained that the cotton is still very sensitive to disease and has to be watched very carefully day and night for any signs of infestation. At the sligh-est indication, the Kibbutz inimediately brings into play,the most modern scientific equipment available, such as an aircraft to dust the crop with insecticides.
A second chief field crop, as noted, is sugar-beets. Irrigated sugarbeets, planted in October and harvested in M<ay, this year yielded about five tons to the dunam (quarter acre) with a sugar content of 16 to 18 percent. In addition, the Kibbutz also planted unirrigated sugarbeets relying on the natural rainfall which produced a lower yield of three tons per dunam but a considerably higher sugar content of between 19 and 21 percent.
The Kibbutz also raises poultry; it took two hours just to sprefad out the feed for the thousands of Rhode Island Reds and White Leghorns which were only a fraction of Hassolelim's flocks just nearing maturity. (This was the job at which I assisted David Ben Nachum, an American in charge of the poultry).
In addition there are some 450 head of beef cattle, mainly Brahmas mixed with Herefords and the local Israeli strain, (the Kibbutz has developed its own "Hassolelim" strain which has been found to be resistant to the diseases in the country) and 500 sheep used solely for milking,! unbelievable as it may sound to conventional farmers. Experiments are also going on now to improve the sheep striain for wool and meat production.
Guests of an Arab
A sound economic and scientific approach to farming is perhaps the chief reason for the success of the Kibbutz. Crops that do not yield a worthwhile return are replaced by those that do. The most modern principles of crop rotation, fertilizing, cultivation and irrigation are practiced (Mechanization is a byword, the Kibbutz owning a combine, tractors, and even a fruit sorting machine, and a well equipped machine shop to keep it all in good repair.
In the large orchards of Hassolelim you find such fruit trees as peaches, plums, apples, pears and grapes. The peach season had just ended (in late July) and the first grapes were just being prepared for market. A new, all-asbestos pipeline w;as just being installed for the first time replacing the less durable and more costly steel variety. Other new developments included the planting of apricot trees interspersed with 40 pecan saplings which v.^ere just being planted and which require about 50 years to mature and about ten years before they produce anything.
In the fruit orchards some Arab pickers maintained their slow unmelodious singing as they labored picking the last remaining peaches. I asked '.Laby" if the Arabs standing in the near-" by watermelon fields were also labourers and he revealed that the Kibbutz had sold two entire watermelon crops to neighbouring Arabs. -Shortage of labour at harvest-time necessitated such transactions, the Kibbutz realizing a modest profit and the Arabs also benefiting from harvesting and marketing the melons as they ripened.
The only weapon I saw at Hassolelim, although it is located in what was once one of Israel's most dangerous regions, was a shotgun in the possession of an Arab, Mahmoud, a friend of the Jews. Mahmoud was encamped under a great oak tree at the top of a hill. The area is planted with watermelons and sumsum (sesame) and he and his family have a partnership arrangement with the Kibbutz.
With traditional Arab hospitality, Mahmoud welcomed us, furnished us with a mattress spread out on the ground and pillows on which to recline. He instructed his wife to bring us a watermelon and sweetened black Arabic coffee served in small handleiess demitasse cups. (He
did not introduce us to his wife, and as is the custom, neither he nor his family ate until his guests had finished.)
"Laby" then explained that Mahmoud and his family, who belonged to a large neighbouring Arab tribe, came onto the land in early summer. The Kibbutz prepares the soil, ploughing, cultivating, fertilizing and sewing the melons and sumsum. Then Mahmoud takes over weeding, thinning and taking the crop through until it is picked. They then sell the crop and divide ths profits on a 50-50 net basis.
More than one Jewish "kibbutznick" spoke of other examples of co-operation between Jews and neighbouring Arabs. One explained how friendly Arabs frequently came and asked such questions as why they were spreading fertilizer on the ground. Once a reasonable answer was given (such as the fact that what you take out of the soil you must put back in some other form) the Arabs, who are in the main good farmers, will follow the Jewish example, he said. Another Jewish worker said the younger Arabs who live in the area were also noticing the example of the Jewish settlers and- were taking steps to improve their own standards by insisting that their parents install such new essentials as running water and electricity in their homes.
From the top of the hill you get a panoramic view of the entire Kibbutz and neighbouring Arab settlements. In the distance you see the
Carmel Mountain range (at night you can see the lights of the port city of Haifa). "Laby" says that in the Spring, around the time of the Passover Holiday, the hills are covered with bright red poppies and generally the entire area is a bright magnificent green. There is no doubt, he asserts, that this is THE most beautiful part of the Jewish State.
Nearby, below, in the Beit-Netofa valley, which contains some of the Kibbutz's most fertile land, is a dam built in 1953. Soon, in a matter of two or three years, when the Jordan River Project to bring water to the Negev is completed, this land will become a vast lake, a water reservoir so that the Kibbutz will he
(Continued on Page 5) See GUESTS OF AN ARAB
EMTORIAL TOPIC;
New Feature Appears
The sound of the school bell has once more been rung all over the land both in the public schools as well as in day and evening schools devoted to Hebrew and Jewish education. By . mid-October, many interested and responsive Jewish parents in Vancouver will also be enrolled in adult education classes and, ranking high in importance, are those classes concerned with learning Hebrew.
The courses in conversational Hebrew, sponsored by the Keren Hatarbut, are to be conducted once again on a weekday evening at the Vancouver Talmud Torah. They move into their second year of existence as last year's sizeable and very sucess-ful beginner's group becomes an intermediate class and a new course for root beginners possessing no previous knowledge of Hebrew begins. For the first time, too, a class in advanced Hebrew is also being considered:
It follows then that it is timely for The Bulletin to introduce a feature in keeping with the community's new and growing interests. A new column, "The Hebrew Corner,'* makes its appearance this week.
Through the Brit Ivrit Olamit, an organization devoted to the dissemination of the Hebrew language throughout the world, arrangements were made to publish this column for the first time in Vancouver. One sunny day last July, the Bulletin Editor and Publisher visited tiie offices of the Brit Ivrit Olamit in Jerusalem. Over a king-sized Israeli orange juice, the author of the column w^ introduced personally to the Vancouver Jewish community and agreed to liave Vancouver introduced to The Hebrew Corner.
A TIMELY COLUMN The Hebrew Corner consists of a short-short story on a timely topic in Israeli and world Jewish life. It is accompanied' by an English translation and can fulfill numerous functions.
It has current interest, of course, and the information in it is worth reading, even in English for those who have not yet made a start on learning or renewing their Hebrew. For those with a fair knowledge of Hebrew it is a pleasant way to refresh the language by reading it in the family newspaper. J ^o the beginner or to those,\yith lim|f^ Hebrew knowledge!, jit can be a valuable soujrice of stimulation and easy learmng. New words are easier k6 learn in story form than in any other way and the Hetoew utilised in theMcolumn is not too far out of reach as a ni^ans of ^eeing^ how Hebrew words are put together to form sentences which, in turn,} express live thoughts and everyday news. Even as a practice;^ session in reading Hebrew, the column is worthwhile.
Groups of. youngsters in school and university, and adult in various organizations can find in The Hebrew Corner a pr gram for a lively study group with a bonus at the year*»%Bi< in improved understanding of Hebrew; '/■■''r:'-':^'-' It is suggested that The Hebrew'Cdrner be ci^^ppi^^ time it appears and kept in a file at home for lei^iire^reaj perusal and study. Surprisingly enoueh; it wiil/ISe:^ time to be a painless and even enjoyable way to beconi more attuned to Hebrew while reading about the many ifacet of life in Israel. —M.R.
1
PERETZ SCHOOL CAPITAL FUMDS DRIVE      Sept. 7 - Ocf. 1<
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The Jewish Western Bulletin
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1961
Published wce-Kiy every Friday at 2675 Oak St., Vancouver 9. B.C.
SAM KAFZ^Air FabUsber and «2dltor
Official Organ of Vancouver Jewish   Community Council
WIUIAM GEI^MON President
I^OVZS ZIMMSSMAXr Ez'^ntive Birector
DB. J ZACK
Pnblicatlons Chainaan
MEMBER OP AUniT BUREAU CIRCULATIONS
paovssz
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