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Abstract
This article examines how the “historic leaderships” of the various kibbutz movements succeeded in neutralizing those who proposed an alternative agenda to the one they dictated. The study focuses on the attempt to unite the various kibbutz movements in the wake of the 1967 Six Day War and subsequently compares this aborted attempt with the activities of two other groups that, in earlier periods, had presented the potential for alternative leadership: the leaders of the Jewish ghetto uprisings in World War II and the “Palmah generation” of the Israeli War of Independence. This comparison sheds light both on the weakness of the opposing groups and on the power of the incumbent leadership to thwart such challenges.
Notes
1 These figures relate to Ihud Hakvutzot Vehakibbutzim (Alliance of Kibbutzim), affiliated with the dominant Labor Party, Mapai, Hakibbutz Hame'uhad (United Kibbutz Movement), affiliated with Ahdut Ha'avodah Party, and Hakibbutz Ha'artzi (National Kibbutz Movement), affiliated with the left-wing Mapam Party. Hakibbutz Hadati (the Religious Kibbutz Movement) is not included in this tally.
2 CitationRosner et al., Ha-dor ha-sheni, 17–18.
3 See CitationLenski, Status Crystallization; and CitationSegal, Segal, and Knoke, “Status Inconsistency and Self-Evaluation.”
4 The term “historic leadership” applies mostly to Meir Ya'ari and Ya'akov Hazan, the founding leaders of Hakibbutz Ha'artzi, and to Yitzhak Tabenkin, who led Hakibbutz Hame'uhad. Ihud Hakibbutzim, did not have such powerful leaders at that time. See also Aviva Halamish's article in this volume, “The Historic Leadership of Hakibbutz Ha'artzi: The Power of Charisma, Organization, and Ideology,” 45–66 above.
5 CitationShapira, ed., Siah lohamim; idem, ed. The Seventh Day (as the translation does not contain the full text of the original, I shall quote from the Hebrew edition). In the late 1960s and early 1970s, in the wake of the publication of Siah lohamim, the concept of “discussions” became popular within the kibbutz movement. The success of this book led to the appearance of “discussion culture,” in which young people addressed problematic aspects of the kibbutz way of life and intergenerational relations. Many of these conversations were recorded, transcribed and published in kibbutz periodicals or in special compilations such as Shanah le'ahar ha-milhamah; and Tzur, Ben-Aharon, and Grossman, eds., Bein tzei'rim. For other examples of the popular (non-Foucauldian) usage of the term discourse, see also M. Neustadt, “Me-siah lohamim le-siah banim” (From soldiers' talk to sons' talk), Davar, 28 January 1969; Y. Ben Bassat, “Siah nevokhim” (Talk of the perplexed), Hotam, 29 January 1969; “Siah re'im al shiluv dorot be-Beit Zera” (Friends' talk on integrating the generations in Beit-Zera), Hedim, no. 37 (1972); I. Ring, “Tarbut ha-sihim” (Discussion culture), Ha-Shavu'a ba-Kibbutz ha-Artzi, 24 December 1969.
6 CitationShapira, ed., Siah lohamim, 264. These words were spoken by Tzvi of Kibbutz Ramat Hakovesh. For other statements in this spirit, see ibid., 263, 109, 282.
7 CitationShapira, ed., Siah lohamim, 264. These words were spoken by Tzvi of Kibbutz Ramat Hakovesh. For other similar statements in this spirit, 263.
8 R. Bashan, “Mao, Che ve-Siah lohamim” (Mao, Che and Soldiers' Talk), an interview with Yariv Ben-Aharon, Ma'ariv, 12 July 1968.
9 Tzur, Ben-Aharon, and Grossman, eds., Bein tze'irim, 276.
10 B.Y. Hanan, “She'elot u-mishalot be-inyan mishalim” (Questions and wishes regarding referendums), Alon Ein Shemer, 11 August 1967.
11 Kibbutz Assembly protocol, 13 and 14 August 1967, Ein Shemer Archives, box 13.
12 Eli Alon, “Tguvah atzumah al atzumah” (An enormous reaction to a petition), Alon Ein Shemer, no. 995 (n.d. but probably published on 18 August 1967).
13 Avshalom Ginat, “Mishpat ha-kofim” (The trial of the coercers), Alon Ein Shemer, New Year's eve, 1967.
14 Avner Arbel, quoted in Alon Ein Shemer, 18 August 1967.
15 The Ihud was more pluralistic and less centralized than Hakibbutz Hame'uhad and Hakibbutz Ha'artzi. It is therefore not by chance that this movement did not have a dominant leadership that sought to dictate a clear path, like Ya'ari and Hazan in Hakibbutz Ha'artzi and Tabenkin in Hakibbutz Hame'uhad.
16 “Arvei ‘Tzavta’ li-tze'irei ha-ezor” (Evenings in Tzavta for young people of the region), Etzlenu: Alon Ein Hahoresh, 2 December 1966.
17 For these events see, for example, Amram Hayisraeli, “Arvei Tzavta” (Tzavta evenings), Igeret la-Haverim, 12 April 1967; Michal Snunit, “Tzavta ba-kfar” (Tzavta in the village), Hotam, 19 April 1967; Z.H., “Arvei Tzavta ezoriyim” (Regional Tzavta evenings), Igeret la-Haverim, 29 March 1967.
18 See, for example, Hayisraeli, “Arvei Tzavta.”
19 Circular of the Emek Hefer Tzavta, Hashomer Hatzai'ir Archives, Givat Haviva (hereafter HHA), 8.15 (3).
20 For this convention see M.Y., “Tzavta li-tze'irei ha-kibbutzim” (Tzavta for young people of the kibbutz), Igeret la-Haverim, 4 October 1967.
21 Protocol of Secretariat meeting, Hakibbutz Ha'artzi Youth Section, 6 September 1967, HHA, 8.15 (2).
22 Protocol of Extended Secretariat meeting, Youth Section, and circular of decisions, HHA, 8.15 (2). (The circular is misdated, but it apparently refers to the meeting of 7 September 1967.)
23 Protocol of Secretariat meeting, Hakibbutz Ha'artzi Youth Section, 12 September 1967, HHA, 8.15 (2).
24 A. Israel, “Mo'adon Tzavta” (Tzavta club), Igeret la-Haverim, 6 December 1967.
25 Niva Lanir, “Pahot midai tze'irim: Re'ayon im Nissim Tziyon” (Too few young people: An interview with Nissim Tziyon), Ha-Shavu'a ba-Kibbutz ha-Artzi, 6 October 1968.
26 Protocol of Emek Hefer Tzavta secretariat meeting, 8/7/1968, HHA 8.15 (3).
27 See for example Yariv Ben-Aharon, “Be-hipus ahar ha-tnu'ah shelanu” (In search of our movement), Shdemot, no. 32 (Winter 1969): 69.
28 Yariv Ben-Aharon, “Pgishot im Tabenkin” (Meetings with Tabenkin), Shdemot, no. 44 (Autumn 1971): 85.
29 Tzvi of Ramat Ha-Kovesh, in Shapira, ed., Siah lohamim, 264–65.
30 See, for example, Tzur, Ben-Aharon, and Grossman, eds., Bein tzei'rim, 20; CitationAlon and Grossman, eds., Shanah le'ahar ha-milhamah , 88, 90, 101.
31 “Le-atidoteinu ba-kibbutz: Sihah be-Tzavta ha-kibbutzit li-tze'irim, Emek Hefer” (On our futures in the kibbutz: A conversation in the Kibbutz Tzavta for young people, Emek Hefer), Shdemot, no. 33 (Spring 1969): 23.
32 Yehuda Geller, Givat Haim Me'uhad, cited in Orly Lubin, “Siah hasufim” (Discourse of the exposed), Ha'aretz, 1 June 1984.
33 Amram Hayisraeli, Givat Haim Ihud, cited in Ran Edelist, “Siah lohamim: Ha-tikvah ha-levanah shel am Yisrael, ha-nesigah ha-gdola mi-kulan” (Soldiers' talk: Israel's brightest hope and biggest letdown), Monitin 44 (April 1982).
34 Menahem Shelah, cited in Shlomit Tene, “Siah lohamim: Efo hem ha-yom?” (Soldiers' talk: Where are they today?), Yedi'ot Aharonot, 5 June 1992.
35 For the prominence of this ethos, see CitationAlmog, The Sabra.
36 Aharon Bachar, “Siah lohamim eser shanim aharei” (Soldiers' talk ten years after), 7 Yamim (Yedi'ot Aharonot magazine), 3 June 1977.
37 Cited in CitationBarzel, Ad klot u-mineged, 95.
38 Ya'akov Hazan, in protocol of Hakibbutz Ha'artzi Youth Section Secretariat meeting, 20 September 1967, HHA, 8.15 (2).
39 CitationPorat, Me'ever la-gashmi, 208; CitationShapira, “Mifgash ha-Yishuv,” 334. See also Barzel, Ad klot u-mineged.
40 Porat, Me'ever la-gashmi, 215. See also Ya'ari's critical speech before World War II partisans, “Lo ayefei derekh elah mefalsei nativ” (Not weary of the path but pathbreakers), Citation Sefer ha-Shomer ha-Tza'ir , 2:523–28.
41 Porat, Me'ever la-gashmi, 215. See also Ya'ari's critical speech before World War II partisans, “Lo ayefei derekh elah mefalsei nativ” (Not weary of the path but pathbreakers), Citation Sefer ha-Shomer ha-Tza'ir , 525.
42 Shapira, ed., Siah lohamim, 263.
43 Porat, Me'ever la-gashmi, 222.
44 Shapira, “Mifgash ha-Yishuv,” 344.
45 CitationTzur, Ben-Aharon, and Grossman, eds., Bein Tzei'irim, 276.
46 Menahem Shelah, Mishmar Ha'emek, cited in Edelist, “Siah lohamim.”
47 Gad Ofaz (Kibbutz Ayelet Hashahar), “Siah lohamim: Tvah ha-hashpa'ah” (CitationSoldiers' talk: The scope of influence), Davar, 5 June 1987.
48 Amram Hayisraeli, Givat Haim Ihud, cited in Rubik Rosenthal and Amiram Cohen, “Siah lohamim perek bet” (Soldiers' talk, chapter 2), Al ha-Mishmar, 13 April 1987.
49 Edelist, “Siah lohamim.”
50 Amos Kenan, “Shki'ato u-nefilato shel ha-Palmah” (The decline and fall of the Palmah), Yedi'ot Aharonot, 29 April 1990.
51 Barzel, Ad klot u-mineged, 259.
52 Avishai Grossman, “Siah lohamim: Shloshim shanah aharei” (Soldiers' talk: Thirty years after), Ha-Daf ha-Yarok, 8 May 1997.
53 CitationShapira, “Dor ba-aretz,” 201–3.
54 There are many accounts of this affair. See, for example, CitationShapira, Mi-piturei ha-R.M.A ad peruk ha-Palmah; CitationGelber, Lamah perku et ha-Palmah; CitationBrenner, Ha-hitputrut.
55 Avishag, “Dor Yitzhak” (The generation of Isaac), Shdemot, no. 40 (Winter 1971): 42.
56 Avishag, “Dor Yitzhak” (The generation of Isaac), Shdemot, 46, 49.