History of Kibbutz in Timeline
A kibbutz is a communal settlement unique to Israel, historically rooted in agriculture. Originating in 1910 with Degania, these communities were founded on socialist and Zionist ideals, aiming for a utopian lifestyle. While traditionally agrarian, many kibbutzim have diversified into industry and technology to sustain themselves. Modern kibbutzim have undergone changes, with some embracing privatization, moving away from the original communal structure. Members of a kibbutz are known as kibbutzniks.
1903: Second Aliyah
Around 1903, during the Second Aliyah, members planned to become farmers, which was the main career in Ottoman Palestine's agrarian economy, similar to the First Aliyah members before them who established agricultural villages.
1909: Establishment of Kvutzat Degania
In 1909, Baratz, along with nine other men and two women, established Kvutzat Degania at the southern end of the Sea of Galilee near the Arab village of Umm Juni/Juniya. They had been working as day laborers, masons, or at older Jewish settlements. They aimed to build up the land for themselves.
1909: Group Settlement Necessity
In 1909, independent farming was not a viable option. Arthur Ruppin stated that 'The question was not whether group settlement was preferable to individual settlement; it was rather one of either group settlement or no settlement at all.'
1910: Founding of Degania Alef
In 1910, Degania Alef, the first kibbutz, was founded. This marked a significant milestone in the development of communal settlements in the region.
1910: Establishment of Degania
In 1910, Degania, the first kibbutz, was established. It marked the beginning of the kibbutz movement in Israel, based traditionally on agriculture.
1914: Growth of Degania
By 1914, despite experiencing backbreaking labor and hardships, Degania had grown to fifty members, demonstrating the resilience and determination of its founders. Other kibbutzim were founded around the Sea of Galilee and the nearby Jezreel Valley.
December 1917: British conquered Palestine
In December 1917, British conquered Palestine.
1917: Balfour Declaration
In 1917, the Balfour Declaration, and a subsequent wave of Jewish settlers to Palestine, increased Arab opposition as it began to tilt the demographic balance of the area.
1920: Female Involvement in Production in 1920
In 1920, 50 percent of the female labor force was permanently assigned to productive branches.
1920: Bloody Riots in Jerusalem
In 1920, Arabs responded to the Balfour Declaration and Jewish settlers with bloody riots in Jerusalem, marking an escalation in the conflict.
1920: League of Nations placed Palestine under the UK mandate
In 1920, the League of Nations placed Palestine under the mandate of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
1921: Bloody Riots in Jaffa
In 1921, the unrest continued as Arabs responded with bloody riots in Jaffa, further intensifying the tensions in the region.
1922: Kibbutz Population in 1922
In 1922, there were 700 people living on kibbutzim in Palestine, indicating a growing interest and participation in this communal lifestyle.
1927: Kibbutz Population in 1927
By 1927, the number of people living on kibbutzim had risen to 2,000, showcasing the continued expansion and appeal of the kibbutz movement.
1927: Establishment of United Kibbutz Movement
In 1927, the United Kibbutz Movement was established, marking a significant step in the organization and consolidation of kibbutz communities.
1928: Formation of Hever Hakvutzot
In 1928, Degania and other small kibbutzim formed Hever Hakvutzot (The Kvutzot Association). These Kvutzot were deliberately small, not exceeding 200 members, to maintain trust.
1929: Bloody Riots in Hebron
In 1929, bloody riots in Hebron added to the growing conflict between Arabs and Jewish settlers, exacerbating the already strained relations.
1933: Establishment of Makhar kibbutz in France
In 1933, the village of Jugeals-Nazareth hosted Makhar, the only Jewish kibbutz in France, which served as a farm-school for young French Jews before their departure for Palestine.
1935: Closure of Makhar kibbutz
In 1935, the rise of anti-Semitism in France and xenophobic actions forced the closure of Makhar kibbutz.
1936: Arab Revolt in Palestine
In 1936, Arab–Jewish violence became virtually constant. The 1936–39 Arab revolt in Palestine, also known as the 'Great Uprising', marked a significant escalation in the conflict.
1936: Founding of Socialist League of Palestine
In 1936, the Socialist League of Palestine was founded, serving as an urban ally of HaKibbutz HaArtzi and strengthening the political ties of the kibbutz movement.
1938: Start of the Tower and Stockade system
The Tower and Stockade system began in 1938, establishing 52 settlements until 1947.
1942: Establishment of the Palmach underground army
In 1942, the Palmach underground army was established due to efforts by Tabenkin and other Kibbutz Meuchad leaders.
1945: Establishment of Kibbutz Buchenwald
In the spring of 1945, after the liberation of the Buchenwald Nazi concentration camp, a group of sixteen young surviving men organized and formed the "Kibbutz Buchenwald" in the barracks of the camp to prepare Jews for emigration to Palestine.
1946: Founding of Ein Tzurim
In 1946, Ein Tzurim, the first religious kibbutz, was founded as part of the clustering of religious kibbutzim before the establishment of the State of Israel.
1946: Formation of Hashomer Hatzair Workers Party
In 1946, HaKibbutz HaArtzi and the Socialist League combined to form the Hashomer Hatzair Workers Party of Palestine, indicating a shift towards greater political involvement.
1946: Establishment of Tower and Stockade Kibbutzim
In 1946, the day after Yom Kippur, eleven new 'Tower and Stockade' kibbutzim were hurriedly established in the northern part of the Negev to give Israel a better claim to this arid region.
November 1947: Military struggle against Palestinian Arabs
From 30 November 1947 up to 15 May 1948, the Palmach underground army won the military struggle against Palestinian Arabs which made possible the establishment of the Israeli state.
November 1947: UN decision on borders of Israel
In November 1947, the UN decision on the borders of Israel was largely decided by the Tower and Stockade system settlements, attributed to kibbutz member Shlomo Gur.
May 1948: End of military struggle against Palestinian Arabs
From 30 November 1947 up to 15 May 1948, the Palmach underground army won the military struggle against Palestinian Arabs which made possible the establishment of the Israeli state.
1948: Split Within Kibbutz Movement
Between 1948 and 1954, the split between different factions within the kibbutz movement evolved. By 1948, there were growing tensions and disagreements among the kibbutz federations.
1948: Kibbutzniks in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
In 1948, Kibbutzniks fought in the Arab–Israeli War, emerging from the conflict with enhanced prestige in the nascent State of Israel. Members of Kibbutz Degania stopped the Syrian tank advance with Molotov cocktails, while Maagan Michael manufactured the bullets for the Sten guns that won the war.
1948: Founding of Netzer Sereni
In 1948, after the creation of the State of Israel, the members of "Kibbutz Buchenwald" founded their own community in Israel, initially called "Kibbutz Buchenwald", then "Netzer", and finally Netzer Sereni.
1948: Gender Inequality in Kibbutzim in 1948
In 1948, gender equality did not exist in work or politics in the kibbutzim. In eight kibbutzim of the Ihud, 78.3 percent of the women worked in services compared with 16.7 percent of the men. That same year, 15.2 percent of the women worked in production as distinct from 58.2 percent of the men. The situation was the same in political life.
1948: Merger to Form Mapam Party
In 1948, the Hashomer Hatzair Workers Party of Palestine merged with Ahdut HaAvoda to form the left-wing Mapam party. This merger further solidified the kibbutz movement's influence in Israeli politics.
1948: Role of Kibbutzim in Israeli Society
Until 1948, Kibbutzim had major political involvement in Israeli Society.
1949: Failure of Kibbutzim to Gain Wide Public Support
Since 1949, Kibbutzim have been unable to gain wide public support in Israeli elections due to reverence of Stalin's dictatorship, which most Israelis denounced.
1950: Kibbutz Population in 1950
In 1950, the kibbutz population had grown to 65,000, accounting for 7.5% of the population. This indicates the significant role kibbutzim played in the development of the region.
1952: Rudolf Slánský Prague Show Trials
After the 1952 Rudolf Slánský Prague show trials, in which most of the accused and executed party functionaries were Jews, there were major crises and mass exits in both Kibbutz Meuchad and Kibbutz Artzi kibbutzim.
March 1, 1953: Stalin's Collapse
Many kibbutzim cancelled Purim celebrations when Stalin collapsed on March 1, 1953. Despite Communist atrocities and increasing state antisemitism in the USSR, many in the far left kibbutz movement viewed Stalin with awe.
1953: Givat Brenner's Staging of My Glorious Brothers
In 1953, Givat Brenner staged the play My Glorious Brothers, about the Maccabee revolt, building a real village on a hilltop as a set, planting real trees, and performing for 40,000 people. The actors were members of the kibbutz, performing as part of their work assignments.
1953: David Ben-Gurion joins Kibbutz Sde Boker
In 1953, after resigning as Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion joined Kibbutz Sde Boker in the Negev.
1954: Emergence of Kibbutz Federations
By 1954, three kibbutz federations emerged, each aligned to a different Labour party: Ihud with Mapai, Meuhad with Ahdut HaAvoda, and Artzi with Mapam, solidifying the ideological divisions within the kibbutz movement.
1955: Kibbutz members as Cabinet Ministers
From 1955 to 1977, numerous kibbutz members served as Cabinet Ministers, largely shaping Israeli politics.
1958: Spiro's Study on Kibbutz Upbringing
In 1958, Melford E. Spiro concluded that a kibbutz upbringing led to individuals' having greater difficulty in making strong emotional commitments thereafter, such as falling in love or forming a lasting friendship.
1960: Creation of Jansenist Catholic kibbutz in Pardailhan
In 1960, Vincent Thibout, a member of La Famille, created a Jansenist Catholic kibbutz, inspired by the kibbutzim of Israel, in Pardailhan.
1963: Baizerman's Study on Kibbutz Upbringing
In 1963, Michael Baizerman concluded that a kibbutz upbringing led to individuals' having greater difficulty in making strong emotional commitments thereafter, such as falling in love or forming a lasting friendship.
1963: Creation of Christian community in Malrevers
In 1963, Vincent Thibout created a new Christian community, still based on the kibbutz model, in Malrevers.
1969: Bettelheim's Study on Kibbutz Upbringing
In 1969, Bruno Bettelheim concluded that a kibbutz upbringing led to individuals' having greater difficulty in making strong emotional commitments thereafter, such as falling in love or forming a lasting friendship.
1969: Bruno Bettelheim predicts mediocrity in Kibbutz education
In 1969, Bruno Bettelheim, in his book 'Children of the Dream', predicted that kibbutz education would lead to mediocrity, arguing that kibbutz children would lack ambition and fail to achieve greatness in fields like science or art.
1977: Kibbutz members as Cabinet Ministers
From 1955 to 1977, numerous kibbutz members served as Cabinet Ministers, largely shaping Israeli politics.
1977: Fox Study on Kibbutz Children
In a 1977 study, Fox compared the separation effects experienced by kibbutz children when removed from their mother, compared with removal from their caregiver. He found that children were more attached to their mothers than to the metapelet.
1978: Kibbutz Students at Universities Percentage in 1978
In 1978, 38 percent of members studying at universities were among kibbutz students.
1979: Female Involvement in Farming in 1979
By 1979, only 9 percent of the women were engaged in some type of farming activity.
1989: Peak Kibbutz Population in 1989
In 1989, the kibbutz population peaked at 129,000, representing the height of the movement's influence and participation.
1990: Kibbutz Students at Universities Percentage in 1990
By 1990, the total percentage of members studying at universities among kibbutz students rose to 54 percent.
1999: Ehud Barak becomes Prime Minister
From 1999 to 2001, Kibbutz-born Ehud Barak served as Prime Minister.
1999: Kibbutz Beit Oren members apply to High Court of Justice
In 1999, eight members of kibbutz Beit Oren applied to the High Court of Justice to declassify Beit Oren as a kibbutz because of changes such as differential salaries, closing the communal dining hall, and privatising the educational system.
2001: End of Ehud Barak's term as Prime Minister
From 1999 to 2001, Kibbutz-born Ehud Barak served as Prime Minister.
2001: Appeal to Israeli High Court of Justice
In 2001, the Mizrahi Democratic Rainbow Coalition appealed to the Israeli High Court of Justice, prompting the state to redefine the exact definition of a kibbutz to determine rightful benefits for kibbutz members by law.
2004: Recommendations accepted by Cabinet of Israel
In 2004, recommendations were accepted by the Cabinet of Israel.
December 15, 2005: Legal definition to the Industry, Trade and Labour Minister of Israel
On December 15, 2005, the reactivated legal definition of Kibbutz was given to the Industry, Trade and Labour Minister of Israel, defining three types of kibbutzim.
2007: Release of Children of the Sun Film
In 2007, the film Children of the Sun, which documented criticism and nostalgia by adults born in Kibbutzim in the 1930s, raised controversy and brought about reactions in favor and against the practices of child raising in Kibbutzim.
2009: Kibbutzim Voting Trends
In 2009, most votes from kibbutzim went to Kadima, Labor, and Meretz, indicating the political preferences of kibbutz members at that time.
2010: Kibbutz Number Decrease in 2010
By 2010, the number of people living in kibbutzim decreased to about 100,000. The number of kibbutzim in Israel was 270, marking a change in the trajectory of the kibbutz movement.
2010: Kibbutz Sasa's revenue from military-plastics industry
In 2010, Kibbutz Sasa, with approximately 200 members, generated US$850 million in annual revenue from its military-plastics industry.
2010: Kibbutz Data in 2010
In 2010, there were 270 kibbutzim in Israel, housing a total population of 126,000. These kibbutzim contributed significantly to Israel's economy, accounting for 9% of the country's industrial output (US$8 billion) and 40% of its agricultural output (over US$1.7 billion). Some kibbutzim had also developed substantial high-tech and military industries.
2010: Kibbutzim population in Israel
In 2010, there were 270 kibbutzim in Israel, with a total population of 126,000.
2012: Kibbutz industrialization
By 2012, only 15% of kibbutz members were working in agriculture, marking a significant shift towards industrialization that began in the 1960s.
2012: Kibbutzim Switching to Alternative Models by 2012
Dr. Shlomo Getz, head of the Institute for the Research of the Kibbutz and the Cooperative Idea believed that by the end of 2012, there would be more kibbutzim switching to some alternative model.
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