21st Century Pioneers – The Urban Kibbutz in Israel

In this class we will get an exclusive glimpse into the lives and motivation that drives young Israelis, inspired by the historic Kibbutz movement, to build educator’s communities inside Israel’s urban centers. We will learn about the differences between the urban kibbutzim, as each has developed specifically to tackle a unique set of day-to-day issues and dilemmas. We will hear about the incredible projects pioneered by each community – from a food cooperative fighting high prices in the isolated desert town of Mitzpe Ramon, a bike repair shop in Akko that acts as a youth center for Arabs and Jews, to a diverse parents’ coalition in a working-class neighborhood of Haifa working to promote better education.  Through these stories, we will be able to acquire critical tools for community organizing, civic engagement and empowering people for action.