One temporary resident from outside Israel who stayed at Kibbutz Yotata explains that his job was to pick dates. As is the norm, the workers wake up very early in the morning and the work day ends at noon where they have lunch which is the biggest meal of the day in Israel. After finishing lunch and having completed the work day, the rest of the day is spent for family time and relaxation. Other areas that kibbutzim work in also cover fashion clothing, metal work, plastics, processed foods, computer data compilation, joint purchasing and marketing, centers for tourism, with recreational facilities such as guest houses, swimming pools, horseback riding, tennis courts, museums, exotic animal farms and water parks. Kibbutz members work in both productive and service branches.
All income goes into the communes general fund and is distributed equally to members.
The kibbutz today has a relatively high standard of living. Although provisions by each kibbutz varies, in general, each provides housing, food, clothing and laundry, recreational facilities including entertainment, vehicles for transportation, and education. The kibbutz is not a village as no public roads go through it and, legally, it is non-profit. The kibbutz community builds its own life-pattern around shared social, cultural and economic activities. Adjacent to the living quarters are sheds for dairy cattle and modern chicken coops, as well as one or more industrial plants.