European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 28, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Planting time and worry time on the Kibbutz by Francis x. Clines new York Simost he utopian world of Towel s Kibbutz movement moved Inlo the shadows of a Luis Mon and critical indebtedness Iho of her week god. Heading resolutely into Anol Het Cycle or planning and reaping. Ii you lived like me Here All these years you d know How to solve these problems said a Hmiel Harchol an 86-year-old Pioneer Kibbutz Nik who has Ball cd crop Bligh and Arab invaders and finds he harsh Irr als of capitalism now suffered by one to five of the nation s Kibbutz farm collectives no less threatening. Wilh the government dealing emergency help Tho serious debt problems of he kibbutzim have brought National scrutiny to the movement a 78-year-old  in voluntary collective arms dedicated to social principles hat minimize private wealth and guarantee the general welfare. Visionary and practical they bolstered Israel s original Pioneer image and move maintained their place in the More Complex modern nation. Forged in the zionist labor movement and the revival of jewish nationalism the Kibbutz movement has 135.000 people 3 percen l of the population accounting for 10 percent of she Gross National product in $2 billion Worth of annual factory and Arm produce. Patriarchs like Harchol of Kibbutz Kinnere beamed All across the Haid won Fields of Israel s 280 kibbutzim As they saw to the traditional tree plantings by thousands of handsome Young Kibbutz tips in Celebration of Iho february mid month planting Lime. As Harchol Savoured the Amity and agrarian fruits of seven decades of sophisticated Spado work by the old pioneers the new generation of Kibbutz leaders was gingerly trying to obtain a decidedly untraditional emergency government loan of $180 million to help Ifie More badly indebted kibbutzim. In acc Cal years 55 kibbutzim have fallen Inlo deep debt through a combination of rampant National inflation and risky dabbing in the Gray Market of non Bank borrowing others Are not yet in lha red bul Are so rapped and worried the More troubled have wound up facing effective in Lerell payments of up to 100 percent a year on their Loans. And so panic has swept some lipids where the Ideal life has always been sought in the pastoral world of enlightened Manua labor More than the Jungle world of finances As the politicians in the Knesset Israel s parliament disputed whether the Kibbutz farms deserve such help members of the Kibbutz Kinn Cryl Neaf Tho sea of Galilee were going about their dedicated life seeing to the new planting of Trees. The old and Young generations could be seen frolicking together in Tho Galilee greening season White he Middle generation photographed Frosh memories and debated the endless responsibility of it All. An outsider looks at us and says perfect a Paradise but there is a feeling inside an urge for something you had and you ids i said Achiu Kinnart a 30-year-old who was born on the Kibbutz left for three years of world travel and returned to build a family Here in the collective of about 1,000 men women and child ten. Now people Here have material things they never dreamt of 20,30 years ago he said some new members come because in has become a comfortable life so the problem is the Good is not so obvious Asil was Lor my Grandfather and it gets harder to Lind  nowadays this Lile comes Replete Wilh air Many kibbutzim Ore turning to science based pursuits alongside agriculture. Condition cd apartments and communal decisions Over whether to build a $6 million tourist hotel to augment the profitable Pilgrim s spa where busloads of fundamentalist protestants pay to baptize themselves in inc Kibbutz s Muddy slice of Tho River Jordan lilo has taken some unforeseen Lurns since the genesis generation of Harcha and Kinnerly s Grandfather Ohtomo arrived irom the Europe of world War i with secular socialistic Zeal but life is still described in a mixed spirit of genuine happiness and fresh problems open to the weekly meeting of communal decision. Ii was Shlomo Kinnerly so who limped to the fore to nip the debate Over the tourist hotel. Cut the nonsense he shouted arguing thai the founding Kibbutz Niks did nol flee Tho age old pogroms of Europe to see their progeny sit Back As resort owners in he promised land. No less spirited is the movement s debate Over whether to use Low paid Oul Sido labourers for menial jobs As some collectives Here and elsewhere have been doing. Also unsettled Are the decades old resentments by some women at nol ascending into the movement s management ranks where men hold nine Oul of 10 jobs despite All the founders Lalk of equity Here Loo amid a most pleasant setting of simple festivity in the dining Hall hard labor in the Sun and obvious family Joy under the Shade Trees can be Hoard gentle complaints about some individuals Reliance on private Bank accounts. These soften the edges of Kibbutz life More toward Middle class comforts. And most basically there is the uneasy yearning described by Young Kinnerly in wondering whether the new generation lacks the founders Zeal to successfully push the movement toward a second Century. In the past there was a very Strong learn of leadership this said his Trion Avi Cohen a third general Ion Kibbutz Nik who is sales manager Al a flashes factory the Kibbutz of orals now a Tolot people born Here Don t know what the idea of the Kibbutz  Tho complexities of the modern mov Omone have been Laid Bare in the loan crisis. For one thing there is disagreement among some kibbutzim about the chef and How to Aid Tho problem farms. The concern is thai they be viewed As profligate welfare cases but others note that he government Itsel ruled Oul Moie Sotl reliant solutions such As Kibbutz Bond Salea the problem has involved the movement More deeply with government than Ever before garlic Farly in the annual Bare knuckle budget fight in the parliament. The collectives have one of the highest birth rates in the nation although some authorities ate concerned at he growing phenomenon of mixed marriages with non jews occasionally signalled by inc Odd twinkle of a Kibbutz Christmas free. Each Kibbutz has its own temperament with Kinnere known for being More tolerant of individuality. I need a Crystal Ball said Noah Sloter a strapping 62-year-old Farmer burdened Wilh the iwo year Job of Kibbutz Secretary. To smiled Toler Antly Al Tho shul wind of management and personal problems brought to him As if he were a rabbi he recalled when he older generations uncomplaining by wore newspaper in lieu of socks and found incoming syrian artillery shells the Day s major problem. As the Kibbutz toddlers proud a tried to dig holes for this year s saplings Shmuel Harchol planner of seven decades of frees watched his Elan on the  he pointed out his three great grandsons As he declined to Plant another tree. My children can do thai now " serious debt problems have focused National scrutiny on Israel s Kibbutz movement. Saturday february 28, 1987 the stars and stripes Page 17