VOA标准英语2008年-Israel's Oldest Kibbutz Votes to Privatize

By Jim Teeple
Jerusalem
06 May 2008
 

Israelis are marking their 60th anniversary May 8th with parades, conferences and visits by leaders from around the world.  For much of Israel's history the Kibbutz movement defined the country's ideals - self reliance and socialism - but now that is changing, as VOA's Jim Teeple found out when he visited Israel's oldest and most famous Kubbutz;  Degania, founded in 1910 on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. 

The Degania dairy is one of Israel's biggest and oldest.  Cows have been milked here since 1910 when the Degania Kibbutz was established by Zionist pioneers from Russia, who believed they were building a socialist¹ utopia. 

But these dairy workers, unlike those who came before, now receive a salary just like workers in any other business.

Degania is no longer a socialist enterprise,  but is run like a big business. 

The Kibbutz has a thriving industrial diamond business and it also grows and sells millions of dollars of agricultural products.

Recently, the 320 members of the Kibbutz met here and voted to stop putting all their wages into a collective account and start receiving individual salaries based on ability -- salaries they could spend as they wanted. The move made headlines in Israel; Degania - Israel's oldest socialist Kibbutz - had gone capitalist.

Shay Shoshani runs the multi-million dollar operation.   Shoshani, who has lived at Degania for nearly 30 years, says the reforms were necessary.

"I can say to you that many people say to us today after we make the reform that now they feel more commitment and more "kibbutznik" than in the past.  You know in the world things and ideas change and we decided² here not to stay stuck in the past," Shoshani said.

Degania members now pay for services such as electricity and water - and also a new tax to support the elderly and those less well-off.  The changes would have shocked Degania's early pioneers - a mix of socialists³, anarchists⁴ and communists who believed strongly in a collectivist ideology⁵.  

Most members backed the changes.  The few who do not, like this woman, refuse to talk on camera about them. 

Others are like Yona Shapiro, whose parents were one of the founders⁶ of Degania. Shapiro says at first she was unsure about the reforms, but now has adapted to them, "It is different.  I can't say it is what it was before.  But it also did not change so much for me because in my life I live as I lived before.  The fact that I go to work puts me in touch with younger people.  I don't have to work but I do and I talk to them so I cannot say that I feel any different in this way."

Allen Shapiro, Yonah's husband moved to Degania in 1955 from the United States.  He says he too was reluctant to embrace the changes, but now believes they were a good idea, "There were many members who were underemployed - perhaps taking advantage or at least relying on the general kibbutz rule of to each according to his needs and from each according to his abilities. People do earn more if they work more and we have a number of members who are working more than before the change and this is reflected in the economic situation of the kibbutz." 

Degania occupies a special place in Israel's history.  This Syrian tank was captured by Degania's members in Israel's war of Independence in 1948.    

This tree is known as the "tree of the country" - and it is where newly conscripted Israeli Army recruits swear their loyalty⁷ to Israel.

Now Degania is writing a new chapter in Israel's history - re-inventing itself for the 21st century. 

1 socialist   

n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的

参考例句：

• China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。
• His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 socialists   

社会主义者( socialist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The socialists saw themselves as true heirs of the Enlightenment. 社会主义者认为自己是启蒙运动的真正继承者。
• The Socialists junked dogma when they came to office in 1982. 社会党人1982年上台执政后，就把其政治信条弃之不顾。

4 anarchists   

无政府主义者( anarchist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Anarchists demand the destruction of structures of oppression including the country itself. "无政府主义者要求摧毁包括国家本身在内的压迫人民的组织。
• Unsurprisingly, Ms Baburova had a soft spot for anarchists. 没什么奇怪的，巴布罗娃女士倾向于无政府主义。

5 ideology   

n.意识形态，(政治或社会的)思想意识

参考例句：

• The ideology has great influence in the world.这种思想体系在世界上有很大的影响。
• The ideal is to strike a medium between ideology and inspiration.我的理想是在意识思想和灵感鼓动之间找到一个折衷。

6 founders   

n.创始人( founder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He was one of the founders of the university's medical faculty. 他是该大学医学院的创建人之一。 来自辞典例句
• The founders of our religion made this a cornerstone of morality. 我们宗教的创始人把这看作是道德的基石。 来自辞典例句

7 loyalty   

n.忠诚，忠心

参考例句：

• She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
• His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。