For the thousands of volunteers who put in a stint at one of Israel’s many kibbutzes over the years, this summer could be the time to revisit old stamping grounds, as the Kibbutz movement celebrates its centennial anniversary with a variety of special events.

The main event for ex-volunteers will be a unique reunion trip (June 12-19) that promises to take them on an eight-day piss-up tour of some kibbutzim, with a few of Israel’s top attractions thrown in for good measure (just in case some volunteers were in a drunken haze while volunteering and can’t recall ever setting foot in Jerusalem).

The reunion tour promises to include visits to a few kibbutzim, rafting down the Jordan river, tractor rides, spectacular sound & light shows, boat trips on the Sea of Galilee, camping in the desert and much, much more. Volunteers will also get to hear about the many changes that have taken place in the Kibbutz movement over the years.

Perhaps most importantly, volunteers will once again meet up with past inmates and be part of that collective unit that was made up of many nationalities. Memories will flow, as I’m sure will the Goldstar (Israel’s most popular beer). Family members are also invited.

A big event for ex-volunteers is planned on 18th June 2011, which will take place in one of the Kibbutzim in Israel, but details are a little sketchy at the moment. This event doesn’t seem to be part of the eight-day tour, so if it happens, we’ll update here.

It’ll be interesting to see if any famous Kibbutz volunteers make it…

For more information and for registration go check out the Kibbutz movement site: www.kibbutz.org.il

Alternatively, you might want to check out Kibbutz Volunteers on Facebook.

Nearly all of the 270-odd Kibbutzim in Israel used to host volunteers. Some came for the fun and sun (see John’s Kibbutz diary extracts), others came for the socialist ideals (or as the Kibbutz movement likes to put it “from everyone according to their abilities, to everyone according to their needs”). But as economic circumstances changed for the Kibbutzim across Israel through the 1990s, their new business model meant no room for volunteers and the cost of their housing and temporary jobs.

Only 25 Kibbutzim now have volunteer programs. In fact, in 2001 only some 100 foreign volunteers came to Israel and stayed on a Kibbutz, mainly due to the security situation that terrorized this part of the world. That number has since steadily grown to some 1500 volunteers in 2008.

And they keep on coming.

In fact, demand is now so high from volunteers wanting to come and stay on a Kibbutz that the Kibbutz Movement is working on getting additional Kibbutzim to open new volunteer programs. Those legendary tales of beery nights and picking bananas in banana plantations and milking cows at 4am seem to have been passed on to a new generation of volunteers…

Head of the Kibbutz Movement’s Overseas Volunteer Program, Aya Sagi, wants another five Kibbutzim to join the volunteer program, as she sees the program as important for both volunteers and Kibbutzim. As she puts it:

The volunteers come out of a desire to live the Kibbutz experience at the same time as they are traveling and exploring Israel… When they go home, they become ambassadors for Israel. There are many advantages for the kibbutz to hosting young people with a different culture, different language… It brings life into the kibbutz, and forces those living on kibbutzim to open their minds.

Looks like our Kibbutz FAQ could come in handy again…

Oh yes, you’re going to want to head down to a little village called Ezuz, close to the Egyptian border. There you’ll find a little farming community of some 16 families, some running bed and breakfasts, some working in the tourist industry as desert guides, and others working off the land – including Celia Friede and her family, and, of course, her goats.

Celia first settled in Ezuz back in 1983 and ever since has helped grow the little village into a charming little desert retreat. Located in the Negev desert 85 kilometers south of BeerSheva, you’ll need to catch the 044 bus – from BeerSheva – at 7:00 in the evening (it is the only bus that goes to Ezuz – there are other 044 buses that run at other times during the day but they reach nearby villages and kibutzes and then its a bit of a hassle to try and find a ride to Ezuz). Of course, if you’re coming from Tel Aviv, there’s always the bus, train, hired car or taxi to BeerSheva. As is common in Israel, on Fridays and Holidays the 044 bus leaves BeerSheva at 2:00 in the afternoon for Ezuz.

And what about that goat-herding? According to other volunteers who’ve spent time on Ezuz, the work is very easy: the goats go out to the valleys to graze as the sun comes up (after being milked at first light – there is a milking machine) with a shepherd, which is Celia or a volunteer,  and return around 9:30 – 10:00am. From then on you’re pretty free to explore the area until the evening milking session around 5 or 6pm (though if the milk season has ended this milking session won’t be needed).  In the evening the goats get fed and if there is any other work to be done you might be asked to stick around and help out. Celia also makes goats cheeses and often needs a volunteer to help her.

A very short day, as you can see, with plenty of time for yourself in the middle of the day – much too hot to do too much anyway, bear that in mind, especially in the summer months.

And what about life as a goat-herder? Well, accommodation is supplied in the form of a two-bedroom caravan (including bedding, washing machine, and lots of books), and all food is supplied (you write a list and Celia gets it in BeerSheva on shopping day) – but you cook your own food. All electricity, water and gas is provided and volunteers also get a day off in the middle of the week (as there is the bus out of the village at 6:00 in the morning). if you need additional time off, just let Celia know a couple of days in advance and it won’t be a problem.

As one happy volunteer put it:

The work is incredible – the volunteers usually take out the goats (and some sheep) in the early morning to graze in the desert. It’s not very difficult work and it’s a chance to explore the desert for some hours every morning. The afternoon is free – from about 10-5 or 6, and then there’s the evening milking. It’s a very awesome place. I love it – I came to see if I’d like it and never left for three months.

For more details, contact Celia on: 08-6555889 or 054-4655588, or by email: celia_friede@hotmail.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

• Jerry Seinfeld, the American comedian and star of the television comedy “Seinfeld” volunteered at the age of 17 in Kibbutz Sa’ar in 1971 – he had this too say: “I didn’t like the kibbutz. Nice Jewish boys from Long Island don’t like to get up at six in the morning to pick bananas.”
• Sacha Baron Cohen, or Ali G or Borat as you might know him, the British comedian volunteered in Kibbutz Rosh HaNikra for a year in the late 1980s.
• Sigourney Weaver, the American actress who starred in the Alien series, volunteered in a Kibbutz for several months at the age of 18 in 1967.
• Simon Le Bon, the lead singer of Duran Duran, volunteered in Kibbutz Gvulot. The band’s first album included a track called Tel Aviv.
• Sandra Bernhard, the American comedian, actress, author and singer, volunteered in Kibbutz Kfar Menachem at the age of 17 in 1972.
• Debra Winger, the American actress and the star of “An Officer and a Gentleman”, volunteered on a kibbutz and even served in the IDF.
• Bob Hoskins, the British actor and the star of “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”, volunteered at Kibbutz Zikim at the age of 25 in 1967.

If this has tempted you into looking for information on what a kibbutz is all about, you should take a look here and here.

Kibbutz Volunteer: Friday 8 May

My first Shabbat. This was the only meal, apart from special occasions like festivals, when table cloths were used. We would also be having wine. I wasn’t really a wine lover, but any free alcohol was just fine with me. It would be my first chance that coming night to visit the legendary boiling pot of excessive drinking and wild partying – the Naloz pub.

7pm: Dressed to the nines (clean jeans and t-shirts), us volunteers trooped over for the Shabbat meal. Mette introduced me to my new KPs. They were called Assaf and Anat and were extremely friendly and easy to get on with. In fact, I hadn’t met a member yet who had been anything but welcoming. As usual with most Israelis, my KPs’ English was bloody excellent. They had a young son who I suppose was my ‘adopted’ brother. When everybody was seated I realised it was the first time that I had seen every kibbutz member in the dining room at the same time. It was packed and there was a great atmosphere. Before we began to eat a woman sang a song in Hebrew and said a short prayer. Then she said: ‘Shabbat Shalom’ which literally means: ‘Hello Shabbat’. The food was served and then came a horrible sight to behold. Women were being elbowed for a piece of fried chicken; old people prodding each other with forks for the last slurp of soup; volunteers squeezing the wine bottles for the last drop (we knew our priorities in life). It was a meal time massacre.

10pm. Back to the volunteers’ blocks for a party before the pub opened at midnight. Ben and Peter had ‘borrowed’ some spare wine from the meal and were busy making a punch with it, along with some vodka, rum and brandy. Plus some orange juice to keep it healthy and some bottles of beer to wash it down with. As my vision began to blur so Mette began to look more attractive. I took a quick imaginary cold shower. It was not such a good idea for volunteers to get involved with each other. If things didn’t work out it could get a bit uncomfortable. We lit some candles and played drinking games while The Doors sung about breaking on through to the other side.

Midnight arrived. Pub time! One of the most generous/foolish policies of Kibbutz Naloz was that everything was free for members and volunteers in the pub on Friday nights. They apparently made so much money from the paying public on Saturdays that they could well afford it. Who were we to complain? Besides, at that point we could hardly walk or talk. Still we made it. The pub was divided into a bar area and a dance floor with seating around the edge. The place was large enough to hold everybody, but still had an intimate feel to it. On the wall next to the dance floor were large mirrors. One of the passions of the Israeli people, and I say this in the nicest way, is to always check their appearance as they do their Mick Jagger moves. Nobody in that seething mass of disco mania really gave a shit: they were just enjoying themselves. I joined Ben and Peter at the bar and we had some Tequila Slammers. At one point we substituted the lemonade for vodka and were so pissed that we couldn’t work out why our ‘Slammers’ didn’t fizz up when banged on the bar. The South Africans really knew how to drink. A few moments later they really knew how to fall off their bar stools. I had originally hoped to get to know some of the Israeli girls that night. All I hoped for by the end was that my body’s automatic pilot system would be able to locate my bed.

Kibbutz Volunteer: Monday 1 June

I drove a tractor for the first time in my life. Dan told me to drive around the kibbutz and collect any rubbish or dead branches that might be blocking the pathways. I saw my friends while chugging around, and when I stopped at the children’s nursery to cut down an old bush, the woman in charge invited me in for some coke and cake. Hard to believe that almost a month had gone by since I had enjoyed the same snack within my first few minutes of arriving at Naloz. I sped by the dairy and stuck my fingers up at Arthur. He was waiting in ambush and soaked me with a hose as I drove by. The climate was really hot now and I was soon dry. I drove out to the fields to dump the rubbish in the pit. The tricky part was reversing the trailer as close to the edge of the pit as possible without sliding in backwards. There was a gradual slope that went down into the pit but this was covered in old food from the kitchens and looked too slippery to come back up again. The members dumped all kinds of things in there: oil drums, plastic bags, gardening waste – and even a dead cow. Its legs were sticking straight out of the water at the bottom of the pit and reminded me of a swallow dive that had gone wrong. There was a cute little bird balancing on one of its hoofs and singing a sweet melody. It brought a lump to my throat. I swallowed my breakfast back down (the smell was disgusting out there) and drove back to the kibbutz. Some Arabs were working in the fields, employed by the kibbutz as cheap labour. Better to be safe than sorry I thought, and had tucked a kitchen knife just behind the tractor seat. There were a lot of random attacks happening to Jews across the country. With a touch of paranoia, I thought that if an Arab threw a wobbly, he wouldn’t necessarily know that I wasn’t a Jew.

1pm: I finished work early and joined the volunteers at the busy swimming pool. Music from a radio station pumped out from a couple of loudspeakers by the tea and coffee area. Peter, Ben and Arthur were ‘bombing’ each other and got a warning from the lifeguard to stop. Einar was chatting to Linda and finally seemed to be coming out of his shell. Mette, Dorte, Jenny and Margarite were soaking up some serious rays. Peter pushed me in the pool so I sat on the bottom for a bit to make him think I was drowning. It was about four metres deep at the end and very quiet down there. Being a typical Piscean I felt quite at home. My mind drifted to what my family would be doing back in England. I thought of them struggling to get out of bed on a rainy Monday morning (if it was a normal English summer) and going to work. Their journeys would take an average of an hour to get to work and back home. Mine only took two minutes if I ran. When I’d left for Israel I thought that a one-year stay might be too long. I now had a sneaking feeling that it would be over too soon.

Kibbutz Volunteer: Sunday 27 June

That night was going to be THE social event of the calendar – Arthur and myself were guest DJs in the Naloz pub! After lunch we sacrificed our usual Saturday laze by the pool with the other volunteers and went to the pub to organise ourselves. There was certainly a good collection of music to choose from. We took along some of the volunteers’ own personal tapes as well. I’m quite good with electronics and electrical equipment and found the mixing deck very easy to operate. Arthur wasn’t too sure about it though and couldn’t quite get the hang of smoothly introducing one track into another. There was a microphone attached to the set-up that could be used for making announcements over the music. This was going to be fun… Eventually Arthur got his act together and we locked the pub up and gave the key back to the bloke who ran it.

9pm: DJ Jazzy John and the Bad Brazilian strolled into the pub like they owned the joint. We checked that the ‘wheels of steel’ and the CD players were cued up with the first few tracks. We didn’t bother having a set list of records to be played but knew the sort of thing to keep the Israelis happy. The Bad Brazilian’s voice boomed from the loudspeakers: ‘TESTING…ONE…TWO…HELLOOOO…!’ The microphone was loud and clear. The bar staff were looking over and laughing. I could see they were thinking ‘give the volunteers a taste of power and they think they’re God!’ Nearly right: we were Good.

10pm: DJ Jazzy John went to collect a couple of free beers from the bar – one of the perks of being DJ on a Saturday night. Meanwhile, the Bad Brazilian started to get the musical ball rolling. He adjusted the odd dial, flicked a couple of switches and…all the lights went out. He’d accidentally hit the main power switch to the pub. Our naff image took a further nosedive. A few minutes later DJ Jazzy John was at the helm and ‘Shiny Happy People’ by R.E.M. flowed from the loudspeakers. The pub was just starting to fill up with some members by now but the dance floor was still empty. DJ Jazzy John and the Bad Brazilian were starting to get quite pissed at this stage. The free drinks were going down a treat: it was thirsty work being hip.

11pm: The place began to buzz (just like my head). Lots of the members and quite a few visitors were surging about on the dance floor below us. My nerves had totally vanished. I could just make out the volunteers sitting over in the darkened corner at the far side of the pub. I gave them the thumbs up. Next to me the Bad Brazilian was wildly shouting something over ‘Peace Frog’ by The Doors – a real floor filler in Naloz. The raw, animal heat of the place and the large amounts of alcohol had combined to work their magic. I switched on the microphone: ‘WHO’S IN THE HOUSE…? ANY JEWS IN THE HOUSE…? WHO – WHO – WHO’S IN THE HOUSE…? ANY JEW – JEW – JEWS IN THE HOUSE…? HERE’S A SHOUT GOING OUT TO THE KIBBUTZ NALOZ VOLUNTEERS FROM DJ JAZZY JOHN AND THE BAD BRAZILIAN…!!’ We were rocking now. ‘Don’t You Forget About Me’ by Simple Minds faded out and The Cure’s ‘Killing An Arab’ came on. Ben, Peter and Einar were bouncing around below us. Microphone on: ‘BEN YOU FAT BASTARD! PETE YOU UGLY GIT! ANY REQUESTS?’ Both shouted back in unison: ‘Have you got ‘Hang the DJ’ by The Smiths?’

Kibbutz Volunteer: Friday 16 October

Being a Piscean, I tend to have a very generous and giving nature, and I find it hard to say no. This, subsequently, was the cause of a gruesome murder on the kibbutz that could so easily have been avoided. The memory will always haunt me… During my morning tea break I parked the tractor behind the dining room and joined the workers there for some grub. I got talking to Trog who worked in the kitchens, and she asked if it was possible to have a quick spin on the tractor before continuing work. As she couldn’t even drive a car, I was a bit wary of agreeing to her request. Then I thought that, like me, she’d come to Israel to try new things – and who was I to stand in her (fourteen stone) way? Gleefully revving up the engine she started to reverse the tractor in a shuddering way. Her foot slipped off the clutch and the tractor shot backwards. The trailer behind slammed into a wall and we stalled. Once my teeth had stopped chattering I told her to take things a tad more gently. We set off again and headed for the kibbutz office. Events were going smoothly and Trog was doing quite well. I relaxed. Suddenly, directly in our path, I spotted the unluckiest lizard in the world taking a morning stroll in the sunshine. Trog was busy concentrating on avoiding parked cars and small children and hadn’t spotted the hapless reptile. The lizard saw us bearing down and tried to make a run for it. He scuttled across the road one way, and then back again. I was shouting evasive manoeuvres: ‘Go left..no right..left…quick right…’. For one hopeful moment the odds looked favourable and then fate dealt a cruel blow. The lizard stumbled over a pebble and I caught a fleeting glimpse of wide frightened eyes (swivelling in different directions) as he went under the large front wheel. Nothing could survive that. I jumped down to have a look. Miraculously he was still alive, but had nothing to celebrate because his insides were now on the outside. One eye swivelled towards me and pleaded for mercy. I put cardboard over his head and squashed it in a humane way, before throwing the corpse into the bushes. Even though I hadn’t run him over, I felt guilty imagining the lizard widow and orphans wating back home in the nest, crying over his last words: ‘I’m just popping out for a few flies, darling. Won’t be long.’

11pm: Trog and I drowned our sorrows in the pub and made a toast to the late lizard. We requested The Kinks song ‘You Really Got Me’ in his memory.

• What is a kibbutz?
• Why do kibbutz’s need volunteers?
• What kind of job might I be doing?
• How much will it cost me?
• What hours will I work?
• What’s the accommodation like?
• What’s the age restrictions?
• How long can I go for?
• Do I have to go with a group?
• How much will I get paid?
• Are there any other benefits for volunteers?
• What’s the weather like?
• What’s the catch?
• Is Israel safe?

What is a kibbutz?

A kibbutz is a communal agricultural settlement in Israel, usually in a rural location. The “members” of the kibbutz are known as kibbutzniks. All property on the kibbutz is owned communally and all income generated is shared by the kibbutz. Some kibbutzim also have factories that produce anything from plastics to sprinkler parts. Meals are prepared in a communal kitchen and eaten in a communal dining room.

Why do kibbutzim need volunteers? 

Basically there are more jobs to do on a kibbutz than there are people to do them. Also Israel has a very demanding national service policy so there are often times when lots of men or women have to leave the kibbutz to do their national or reserve service. The members of the kibbutz fill these gaps but it still leaves a lot of vacancies in other jobs.

What kind of job might I be doing? 

You could be doing anything from washing dishes to working on a fish farm to picking bananas to milking cows. Generally speaking the jobs that volunteers do are mostly, manual, unskilled and often boring tasks…could be in a factory or cotton fields or even orange groves. You usually start at 5-6am with some very strong coffee, then work out of the kibbutz in the fields until breakfast at 8, back to work at 9 till lunch at noon, another hour tidying up…then home. The good news is if you don’t like a job you can request a change. When you arrive you’ll probably have little choice in what you do, but after being there a short time you’ll find you can negotiate a better job.

How much will it cost me?

If you organize it yourself all you’ll pay is the cost of your flight to Israel and a small administration and insurance fee to the kibbutz volunteers office in Tel Aviv where you’ll need to register before going to your kibbutz. If the kibbutz knows you’re coming they’ll often send someone to Ben Gurion airport to meet you so you don’t even have to pay for the journey to the kibbutz. If you use any other organization, such as Project 67 in the UK, you’ll pay a fee for them to organize it all for you. If you do use another organization make sure they are reputable.

What hours will I work?

Depends on the job! You’ll normally work between 6 and 8 hours a day, six days a week. Saturday will be your day off. Sunday is a normal working day in Israel. If you’re working outside during the summer months you’ll probably start early in the morning (sometimes 4am) to avoid the hottest part of the day. Factory jobs usually start at 7am while jobs in the kitchen start around 6am. You’ll put in a few hours then break for an hour to have breakfast. Lunch is served from 11.30am till 2pm.

What’s the accommodation like?

Erm…are you sure you want to hear this bit? Unfortunately volunteer accommodation tends to be fairly basic. It’s considered normal for a volunteer to share his/her room with at least one other person or sometimes two. Some of the rooms have their own shower room/toilet; others are shared depending on the kibbutz. It’s all a bit of pot luck when it comes to your accommodation. There are volunteers leaving all the time and most of them want to leave their own little mark so you might find the walls of your room covered in graffiti. You can modify your room with posters and beer labels to make it look a little bit more homely. If the graffiti is so bad, ask the volunteer leader for a pot of paint and do a bit of D.I.Y. You can also move rooms if there’s enough space available.

What’s the age restrictions?

Officially you have to be between the ages of 18-32. However, this is fairly flexible and it’s possible to volunteer when you’re 17 or over 32. Each individual kibbutz will have there own policy on age and its best to contact them regarding this.

How long can I go for? 

Nowadays you can stay on a kibbutz for anything from a few weeks to six months. Some kibbutzim ask for a small deposit when you first arrive that is returned to you if you stay longer than two months. When you first arrive in Israel you’ll be given a visa for three months and this can be renewed when it runs out. It’s very difficult to get a visa renewed after that, so you’d need to leave the country then return. If you do leave Israel (i.e. to Egypt) on your return you’ll only receive a visa that matches the time you were out of the country. Obviously they can’t keep you there if you hate it so you can leave anytime you want.

Do I have to go with a group?

No, you can go solo if that’s your preference, however the days of just turning up at a kibbutz and asking if they have any places for volunteers seem to be over. If you are arriving in Israel before you’ve organized a place you’ll need to report to the kibbutz volunteers office in Tel Aviv. They’ll ask you where you want to go, take some shekels from you for administration and insurance then send you on your way with a map and some directions to the central bus station. You could also try contacting the kibbutz of your choice and arranging it all yourself but the chances are you’ll still need to report to the Tel Aviv volunteers office.

How much will I get paid?

Nothing. Just remember that you are a volunteer on the kibbutz. You won’t get paid as such but you’ll receive a weekly allowance on a type of credit card that can be spent in the kibbutz shop or pub. Currently, it is around 70 NIS / 11 UK pounds a week. Some kibbutzim also give you free cigarettes, aerogrammes, condoms and candles. After a while you can also ask for a pay rise!

Are there any other benefits for volunteers? 

Your work clothing, food, laundry and bedding is all provided for you. Most kibbutzim stock the communal volunteers fridges with a weekly supply of yoghurt, salami, cheese and fruit. You can take part in any of the social/cultural activities that are often organized by the kibbutz. Most kibbutzim have a pub that is subsidized for members and volunteers, and also a swimming pool. You’ll get an additional two days off per month that you can save for a longer break. There’s usually a day trip every month and  every three months the kibbutz will organize a three-day trip for the volunteers. This could be beach bumming in Eilat and the desert, camping out in Galilee or visiting Jerusalem.

What’s the weather like?

Israel has long hot summers and short mild winters. Check out our guide on when to come and visit Israel.

What’s the catch? 

As far as I can tell, there’s not one! The only thing slightly disturbing is the compulsory HIV/Aids test for ALL new volunteers. They’ve been doing this since 1992. There doesn’t seem to be any pre-test counselling and it’s not clear what would happen if your test returned positive. Apparently you can use delaying tactics to put off the test (saying you’ve got a cold or foot and mouth disease). Some people don’t like the food in the dining room, others have a problem sharing a room with strangers (though they’re not strangers for long!). You might think the rooms are very basic and sometimes the members may be a little distant or even hostile to volunteers. Remember they’ve seen volunteers come and go for many years. If you take time to get to know them they’ll do the same in return. You might even make a friend from work and be invited for tea in the afternoon. If you can learn to live with these things you’ll have the best time of your life. Guaranteed!

Is Israel safe? 

Yes, it is! Check out our main article on safety in Israel, and this blog post about the recent troubles in Gaza for more information.

* Thanks to John at www.kibbutzvolunteer.com for most of the above information.