The Artist and the Kibbutz

Being an artist on a kibbutz is not and has not always been compatible with the kibbutz way of life. The kibbutz, from it’s earliest days, was built on a few prime values. One of course was socialism with its credo of each according to his needs and eachaccording to his ability to contribute. A second primary value was work, workthatproduced income and provided a needed service to the community.

Today, some of the “dogma” of socialism has been softened, but the attitude towards work has not softened as much, and in somewayshas been hardened.

On the kibbutz, even today. All means of production are owned and controlled by the community. While most people are able to work where they want, all income generated from this work goes to the kibbutz. I want to say thisagain. All salaries, allprofits go into the communal treasury.

Today, a not small number of members work for companies and concerns not owned by the kibbutz, their salaries are given directly to the kibbutz. Now we begin to understand, people work at many different occupations, in many different places, and all their income is given to the kibbutz. Now comes the more difficult problem: how and on what, to spend this communal money?

It should be clear that the largest amounts of money are spent on maintaining our standard of living. This means spending on food and services for the communal dining room, buildingandmaintaining apartments for all members, providing education, and numerous other things, too many to mention.

Each family receives back from the kibbutz a certain amount of money to use as each family so wishes. Each family receives the exact same amount, with small differences for the number of children. This money can be spent as each family wishes with almost no restrictions.

Now,one can see that the amount of money each family receives has no connection to the amount of communal income it brings in. All one’s income goes to the kibbutz and you receive exactly the same as every one else. How does the artist fit into this type of society. In many ways it is good for them. A person who wants to try anddevelop his or her artisticskills is usually given encouragement. They are allowed to study, with the kibbutz paying the bills. They are usually aided financially in buying equipment, finding a place to work and usually given time to work.

There is an independent committee that judgesyourwork and your progress and then decides how many work days you are allowed. Of course, on the other days you must work,notonyourart,butat something else. I,for example, worked a number of years in the kibbutz plant nursery 3 days a week instead of on my art. The kibbutz is usually supportive of people developing creative ability andevenhelpingthembecome artists. If he or she doesn’t sell their work. Then a certain amount of resentment builds up. This artist is only working half a week and ”playing” atart the other half. If he or she does sell their work then there is a differnt kind of feeling. Because sales of art is often not through regular kibbutz channels people are suspicious.Too often in order to sell one’s work, the artist must travel around the counry and even around the world.