“Chasing Utopia: The Future of the Kibbutz in a Divided Israel”
By David Leach
ECW Press, 304 pages, $17.95
The kibbutz has been a symbol of Israel since the Jewish state’s founding, with kibbutzniks depicted as fierce nationalist warriors, community-minded socialists, tough agricultural pioneers and more. In “Chasing Utopia,” David Leach explores several modern kibbutzim, considering what they mean to their members and Israel.
Leach spent eight months in the late 1980s as a volunteer for Kibbutz Shamir near the Golan Heights. More than two decades later, Leach still fondly recalls the odd characters he met there. These include perpetual volunteer Wolf, a decade older than everyone else, who regaled the others with tales of past hedonism; and kibbutznik Yoav, whose self-published surreal anthology was titled “Stories from the Ass.” (Leach still has a copy.)
As the years pass, Leach’s “kibbutz keepsakes [sink] deeper into unopened boxes and undisturbed memories.” Then one day, on a whim, he Googles Shamir. Among the results is a photo of kibbutzim ringing the bell on Wall Street to celebrate the IPO of Shamir’s lens business. This discovery compels Leach to return to Shamir and explore the changing face of the contemporary kibbutz.
One of the major disruptive forces in kibbutz life has been that of profit-seeking and privatization. Most kibbutzim, Leach contends, have compromised their socialist founding principles over the years, sometimes aided by a privatization guru, one of many intriguing figures interviewed by Leach.
Leach explores the controversial ways some kibbutzim are seeking to end or ameliorate the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, or bridge divides between different faiths. He also considers the effects of ecology and engineering on kibbutzim and kibbutzniks.
The book’s large scope and relative brevity often result in engaging sketches and salient details that lack context. Though Leach discusses privatization and its effects on specific individuals, he offers few details of how the process actually works on the ground level. Likewise, those not already familiar with the early history of the kibbutz will find themselves wondering exactly how the kibbutzim were set up. Leach offers biographical details about the founders, but little information about how they accomplished what they did.
Despite these potential frustrations, “Chasing Utopia” is an engaging book, breezily written and offering a variety of firsthand perspectives that readers are unlikely to find elsewhere in a single volume. Overall, the book is not a bad place to start for those curious about kibbutz life, and features a comprehensive list of sources for readers who want to learn more.
“Chasing Utopia” is available at The Ivy Bookshop, 6080 Falls Road. The Ivy also hosts several literary and cultural events per month. April’s events include historian and former Baltimore Sun reporter Lynne Olson, discussing “Last Hope Island,” an account of European resistance to Nazi rule, on Wednesday, April 26, at 7 p.m.. A full list of events is available at theivybookshop.com.
Rebecca Oppenheimer is The Ivy Bookshop’s content manager and lead book buyer.
Jewish Community Services' upcoming "Future-Ready Workplace" event will feature a keynote address from workplace expert and bestselling author Liz Fosslien.
The BCO, founded in 1984, will perform the works of Frank Zappa, Beethoven, Mason Bates and Karena Ingram.
Led by local Israel-American cellist Amit Peled, the Mount Vernon Virtuosi aims to inspire people beyond musical enjoyment.
Container vegetable gardening is a terrific option for people with limited space and/or time. Rebecca Brown and Norman Cohen share some tips.