Kibbutz Degania - visiting family

I'd been saving my visit to Kibbutz Degania Bet for two reasons - one, it's pretty hot there in the summer; more importantly though, a weekend on Kibbutz Degania Bet is one of the most relaxing experiences I can think of.

After a rather uneventful week of work at the hospital (hence the lack of an entry - there really hasn't been anything to report, other than the fact that my Doctor's been in a good mood, and I explored the MRI department, which is several years ahead of the UK - in fact, they're changing one of the older machines right now; it'll probably be donated to a Third World country), I was glad to escape from the big city for a while. As soon as the bus leaves Jerusalem and turns north, the landscape changes to one of greenery, open space and fields; the Israel I love. It seems to me that the further North you go, the more beautiful this place gets.

On a beautiful moonlit night, kibbutz members could open up the pool for a swim

Arriving on the Kibbutz, I was greeted by my cousins, Beryl and Pinchas. As one of the most dedicated readers of this Blog, I can guarantee that Pinchas will diligently read every word I say here, so I have to be careful. Hi, Pinchas!

I think the reason I love every time I visit Degania is the pace and quality of life; a bit of history to set the scene - Kibbutzim were originally set up from the beginning of the 20th century as a way to develop the wilderness. They were communal farming settlements, where people worked without pay, but in return were fully cared for by the kibbutz - accommodation, food, children's education etc etc etc. Now that times have progressed, different kibbutzim have evolved to varying degrees, Degania Bet still has some of the atmosphere of the early farming days, although most of its income comes from industry (silicone manufacture, agricultural sprayers). It is effectively a spacious village, full of trees and lawns, with a population living mostly in small bungalows, each contributing to a different aspect of the kibbutz (for example, one of my cousins works in the dining room, the other works for the IT part of the sprayer firm).

Anyway, after getting off the bus (it turns out that the guy I was sitting next to had just moved in to the same exact accommodation centre as me; here I am on the other side of the country, sitting next to some who lives next door), I was immersed in the wonderful warmth of the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee). The entire area is quite a long way below sea-level, so compared to the mountainous climate of Jerusalem, it was great to see beaming sun, clear blue skies, and feel just a little bit too hot. Made me all the more depressed at my imminent return to the UK.

After settling in, I headed off to synagogue - Friday night was the start of Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles). Most of the kibbutzim are ideologically secular, and Degania is no exception, there is no operational synagogue there, so I decided to travel to Afikim, another kibbutz, a few miles away. 'Stretching' the rules of shabbat, I cycled there with Pinchas (who was there purely to escort - he had absolutely no intention of being caught dead in the shul and escaped back to Degania at the first possible opporunity. Right, Pinchas?) :-)

The Shul was a pleasant little room, with exactly enough people present to run the service (ten); I was happy to have the experience, but at the same time, it struck me that out of the hundreds of people at Degania, hundreds at Afikim, and possibly thousands more spread across the other Kibbutzim in the area, only ten made it to shul. It's an incredible contrast from Jerusalem (where at least eleven people would have gone).

Cycling back at night, alongside fields illuminated by a beautiful yellow moon, I really remembered just how much I love this place.

After a dinner in the communal dining room, I went for a walk around with Pinchas, to see what changes had been made to the kibbutz. One of the newer industries there is the Guest House trade. A number of chalets have been put up, and the increased number of people around the place means that new roads, parking, and so on need to be made. One of the major cons of this new trade is the changes to the swimming pool. Back in the good old days, every member of the kibbutz had a key, and on a night like this, could open up and had a dip by moonlight. Due to liability, times are controlled, with a lifeguard always present, and they've even taken out the water slide. Gutted.

After an evening sitting out on the patio, surrounded by Beryl's cats (while most Israelis hate cats, Beryl manages to attract every feline in the area. If fewer than five cats are outside the house, it's because Pinchas has been attacking them with a hosepipe), I headed off to bed.

After another morning at shul, during which I got to know a random South African guy (who, as it happens, used to be Beryl's boss, and prior to that was head of a Jewish charity in Liverpool), and lunch, we headed off to make use of the pool, set on a hillside, with beautiful views of the Jordan valley.

The rest of my time at Degania was very special to me, but at the same time, probably isn't quite so enthralling to read as my Hebron story. So, I'll call it a day here. But I think Degania is an eye-opener in terms of 'Quality of Life'. Beryl and Pinchas might disagree, but to me, their lives are incredible. Simple and relaxed, in a quiet, serene atmosphere. They don't have the same money or extravagance of life in the city, but as the Talmud says: 'Who is a rich man?'. The answer: 'He who is happy with his lot.'

Perhaps I'm still naieve and young - but right now, I know exactly which life I would opt for.