Degania

Degania, or Deganya, was the first kibbutz ("collective farm") established by Jews in the areas of the Land of Israel then under Ottoman control, and subsequently in the British Mandate of Palestine. It was founded in 1909 by ten men and two women led by Joseph Baratz. The land had previously been owned by a Persian family resident in Beirut.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Despite its small size, Degania has been home to many famous Israelis and members of the pre-state yishuv ("settlement"). The poet Rachel, the "prophet of labor" A.D. Gordon, and Joseph Trumpeldor, all worked at Degania. Many early members of Degania left to found other kibbutzim.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Degania exists in two independent kibbutzim:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Degania Alef ("Degania A") and
• Degania Bet ("Degania B").

Both kibbutzim lie along the southern shores of the Sea of Galilee.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Technically Degania is a kvutza and not a kibbutz. The distinction comes from its small size. Degania is also distinctive in that children there never slept communally. Children always slept in their parents' quarters. Both Degania prospers by farming. The second one also has a metal factory.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Kibbutz: A kibbutz (Hebrew: קיבוץ; plural: kibbutzim: קיבוצים, "gathering" or "together") is an Israeli collective community. Although other countries have had communal enterprises, in no other country have voluntary collective communiti...

Collective farm: redirect Collective farming...

Jew: The word Jew (Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity; and often a combination of these attributes....