Shabbos - Kibbutz style

I'm writing this Saturday evening after having spent a relaxing shabbos sleeping and walking around the kibbutz - with my camera this time.  I met a lovely kibbutznik who made aliyah not long ago and is originally from L.A., and she showed me and Esther around a bit.  I'm sure she'll read this, so I'll make sure not to say anything bad about her.  Haha, don't worry, I don't have any bad words to say about her!

Going from L.A. to Kibbutz Naan is a significant change for her.  Things here are at a much slower pace, much more intimate, and also a little more invasive.  But she did talk about all the wonderful aspects of the kibbutz and even put its privatization in a very positive light.  Up until now, I've regarded that shift as a negative thing in the history of the kibbutz movement, but she said that without it there is no room for entrepreneurship or, to an extent, significant personal fulfillment.  She finds that the option to work outside the kibbutz and live for oneself is appreciated, not only by her but by many in the kibbutz.

She had some wonderful stories to tell as well, and I learned things about the kibbutz (both good and not-so-good) that make it seem even more alive.  For instance, as we walked through her neighborhood, she commented that the architecture of the buildings is indicative of the many layers of Israeli and kibbutz history.  Case in point:  Many of the older homes have newer kitchens that have been added at the back because 30-40 years ago everyone ate together in the cheder ohel (dining room), so there was no need for private kitchens.  In addition, many only had one bedroom because all the children on the kibbutz would live together and raised as such.  It is not to say that the kibbutzim are deteriorating.  Far from it; they are thriving and changing with their people, adapting to new necessities as they arise.

She also told us about many of the Francophone kibbutzniks that will undoubtedly find Esther and even said she'll try to get me in touch with the music director here.  YAY!

But enough about today.  Undoubtedly it is last night that will interest you the most.  

I went to evening services and heard a speed of Hebrew that rivals a Chasid's conversational English, put within complex rhythmic and metrical patterns for melodies I've never heard.  I could barely move my eyes quickly enough to follow along, much less move my lips, but it was a lovely experience.  There weren't many there - we just barely had a minyan of men plus six women and a couple children, and in many ways it reminded me of the small congregations I know and love.  Inside jokes, respected elders -- a small but loyal family.  I might be reading too much into it, but hey, nobody's stopping me.

Afterward we had dinner with some of the gang from the Ulpan, then I went to sleep at 8:00.  Why would I sleep at 8:00, you ask?  Because I had to prepare myself for the mother of all parties.  

Kibbutz Naan is home to one of the largest and most popular clubs in all of Israel.  It has two dance areas, one with hip hop and an awesome light/strobe system, the other with rock music of Israeli, American, and some Latin descent.  Both areas have bars, and there are guards and security personnel to be found in each area.  At the peak of any Friday night there may be upwards of 700 to 800 people there, dancing, smoking, and some passing out.  I have also learned that Israelis give a new meaning to the phrase "Jewish Standard Time" (the phrase that explains why Jews are usually late by 30 minutes or more to any event).  Our Ulpan director told us that if we got there at 11:00, nobody would be there.  So we planned to leave our rooms around midnight.  When we arrived it was already busy, but by 2:00 a.m. I found myself dancing on the edges of the thickest, most dense crowd I've ever been in, with the possible exception of the lines to the women's bathroom at Summerfest concert.

I finally left with a few of my friends around 3:30 a.m., exhausted and sweaty but content.  Those of you reading this who are above the age of 35 will be happy to know I consumed very little alcohol and it was easily matched, if not outweighed, by the water I drank.  This is certainly not something I'll do every week, but it was definitely an experience worth having.