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TheReligious Kibbutz Movement (Hebrew:הקיבוץ הדתי,HaKibbutz HaDati) is anorganizational framework forOrthodoxkibbutzim inIsrael. Its membership includes 22 communities, 16 of them traditional kibbutzim, and 6 others in the category ofMoshav shitufi, meaning that they have no communal dining hall or children's house but maintain a shared economy. The Religious Kibbutz Movement has about 15,000 members. It is not part of the secularKibbutz Movement with its c. 230 kibbutzim, and it does not include the twoPoalei Agudat Yisrael-affiliated religious kibbutzim.
The Religious Kibbutz Movement was founded in 1935 by groups of Jewish pioneers who immigrated to Palestine from Europe.[1] It was the fourth kibbutz movement established in Palestine, after Hever Hakvutzot,HaKibbutz HaMeuhad andHashomer Hatzair. From the outset, the policy of this movement was settlement in clusters, due to the need for religious schooling.[1] Another consideration was the desire to counteract the influences of asecular environment: A single religious kibbutz in a non-religious environment would find it difficult to defend its religious and social principles. Bloc settlement also created the possibility for mutual assistance, with veteran settlements sharing their experience with those that came later.[1]
In 1937–1948, the Religious Kibbutz Movement established three settlement blocs of three kibbutzim each. The first was in theBeit Shean Valley (Tirat Zvi,Sde Eliyahu andEin HaNetziv) the second was in theHebron mountains south ofBethlehem (known asGush Etzion:Kfar Etzion,Masu'ot Yitzhak andEin Tzurim), and the third was in the westernNegev (Sa'ad andBe'erot Yitzhak). Another kibbutz,Yavne, was founded in the center of the country as the core of a fourth bloc which only came into being after the establishment of the state.[1]
Many kibbutzim of the Religious Kibbutz Movement are in the midst ofprivatization, similar to the trend in non-religious kibbutzim. The movement operates a number of educational institutions, includingYeshivat HaKibbutz HaDati (Ein Tzurim), YeshivatMa'ale Gilboa,Ein HaNatziv Women's Seminary, the Yaacov Herzog Institute for Jewish Studies, a school for post-military Jewish studies for women onMassuot Yitzhak, aField School And a women's Yeshiva (branch ofDrisha Institute) inKfar Etzion. Three kibbutzim,Beerot Yitzhak,Sde Eliyahu andYavneh, also offer 5-month ulpan (Hebrew language study) programs for participants from abroad.
LowerGalilee
Center
Shafir Region
WesternNegev
