Degania A, first kibbutz in Israel, to undergo privatization - Haaretz

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		Founding members of Kibbutz Degania A in 1910. (Archives)

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Last update - 19:32 17/02/2007

Degania A, first kibbutz in Israel, to undergo privatization

By Eli Ashkenazi, Haaretz Correspondent

Degania A, the first kibbutz established in Israel, will undergo a process of privatization, kibbutz members decided in a vote Saturday.

Members passed the privatization motion, which will include the establishment of differential salaries, by a margin of 85 percent.

The decision comes after a year-long trial period of privatization.

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Degania A, located southwest of Lake Kinneret, was founded in 1910.

"Degania represented and still represents the model and the epitome of the social values of the [kibbutz] movement in Israel," said Shai Shoshani, chairman of the kibbutz management committee.

"It was very important for us to show a sense of respect to those who worked their whole lives and gave themselves to this wonderful place, as well as to create an attractive horizon to the [members'] children and the next generation," Shoshani said.

"We are certain that the quality of life of the members today, after the change, will prove a fitting response to their hard work throughout their lives," he said.

Degania A is currently defined as a "renewal kibbutz," that is, one in which members are paid differential salaries, and where apartments and property are distributed among members.

Such kibbutzim also feature a "security network" intended to ensure a reasonable quality of life to economically weaker segments of the kibbutz population.

Shoshani said the members chose to make the change "from a position of strength and of economical and social ability, and not from need or compulsion."

Several kibbutzim that are still considering the option of privatization have been in contact with Degania A to learn about changes made to its organizational structure.

"It seems that on this issue Degania will return to its historical symbolic status and will represent a model to be imitated, despite the fact that not a few kibbutzim have already undergone this or a similar change," a kibbutz spokesman said.

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1.	Kibbutz is dead., urban kibbutz, here we go!..	19:44	\|	Mauri	17/02/07

2.	How Sad	21:05	\|	Jane	17/02/07

3.	socialism does not work	21:08	\|	David	17/02/07

4.	No Jane	21:21	\|	danite	17/02/07

5.	You know Jane	22:07	\|	Danite	17/02/07

6.	dismantle all kibutzim	22:07	\|	benny	17/02/07

7.	Urban kibbutzim --the new frontier!	22:16	\|	Yael	17/02/07

8.	kibbutz is good for people that smoke a lot of pot	22:18	\|	Lori Cowen	17/02/07

9.	Making it plain for Jane	22:30	\|	Arielush	17/02/07

10.	benny	22:30	\|	Danite	17/02/07

11.	paco will save the kibbutz movement	22:30	\|	Lonny	17/02/07

12.	Arielush	22:44	\|	Danite	17/02/07

13.	are palestinian israelis allowed in kibbutz?	23:06	\|	cristina	17/02/07

14.	The kibbutzim that were......	23:54	\|	Esther	17/02/07

15.	Privatization	01:05	\|	Bill	18/02/07

16.	Sic Gloria Transit Mundi	01:22	\|	Mark Lincoln	18/02/07

17.	Arielush - Thanks for the Update	01:45	\|	Jane	18/02/07

18.	The Commentators Miss the Point...	02:19	\|	ARTH	18/02/07

19.	degania aleph	04:15	\|	honey bunch	18/02/07

20.	Jane	04:25	\|	Danite	18/02/07

21.	end of an era...	04:42	\|	David	18/02/07

22.	The Reality Today	08:29	\|	Arielush	18/02/07

23.	Parallel Universe half world away	01:06	\|	Jim Couchon	22/04/07

24.	degania	03:20	\|	Viktor	04/10/07

25.	degania	03:24	\|	Viktor Kanevsky	04/10/07

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