Evening star., 1955-05-19


ings on the wall. In one corner
is a small chair and a pile Of
children's toys for the Spiros'
4-year-old daughter Amit.
Oldest Is 6
Altogether. there are some As
children at Sassa - "our most
favorable CROP" Mr.. Spiro ad-
mitS. The Oldest is 6 years old
and just starting school.
The question Of bringing up
children is a controversial one in
some kibbutzin. In a number of
places, parents have rebelled
against the practice of communal
living quarters for children and
keep them in the family apart
ment. Sassa. however, abides by
the old rule. New babies begin
their life in the nursery about a
week after they are born. From
then until they are old enough
to go away to high school. they
will eat. sleep, play and work
together in their own, specially
designed miniature environment,
under the care of professional
nurses and teachers.
They will see their parents
only at visiting hours"
work begins in the morning,
from 4 to 1880 pm. on Satur-
days. when SaSsa relaxes. All of
the child's needs, from clothes
and toys to medical care and
special training will be provided
by the kibbutz. And when the
time comes. it is the community
who will decide which children
should go on to university to be
doctors or lawyers or engineers,
and few will be chosen.
Il suspect that we will try to
discourage outside interests" Mr..
Spiro says. 1--WE will want them
to stay here with U.S."
Studying this system of raising
children which has been going
on in some kibbutzin for several
generations. psychologists and
psychiatrists tend to disagree
among themselves. Some claim
that the incidence of emotional
disturbances among kibbutz
smallfry is abnormally high
others that it is remarkably low.
Nothing Unnatural"
The parents at Sassa have
their own ideas on the subject.
There's nothing unnatural
about their life. and they get as
much love and individual atten-
tion as any children anywhere"
Mr.. Spiro argues. How many
hours a day are most parents
free to devote themselves COM
pletely to their kids? For the
children. we all believe it's the
best way. The only problem is
with the parents"
The parents, however, have
enough to do to keep theoretical
discussions about embarrassing
pretty much in the. background.
The schedule at Sassa is a strict
one, and each member has a full
days work cut out for him.
The day starts at $50 when
the two camp guards (Sasss is
less than two miles fr6tn the
Lebanon border) bang on apart
ment doors. A "pre-breakfast"
is served in the dining hall at
6. consisting usually of bread,
cheese and coffee. At $3.50 comes
the main morning meal a
hearty affair featuring vege-
tables, herring, yogurt. cereal,
olives and more bread, cheese
and coffee. There is a one-hour
work-break at noon for lunch,
another at 4:30 for tea and then
a rest period until the dinnerbell
rings at 7:30.
A majority of members. men
and women together, spend their
days in the open air, tending the
fields and orchards which sur
round the living area. Others do
the household work of the COM
munity, run the dining hall, work
on buildings. tend animals and
handle the paperwork for the
kibbutz. All jobs, from the kib-
butz secretary on down are as
signed by the work committee,
usually on a yearly basis. Mr..
Spiro looked sheepish when we
asked him what he did. "I guess
you'd call it KIP" he replied.
But I'm hoping for better luck
next time"
Little Time
In the evenings, members at
tend meetings of the various
kibbutz committees, watch NOV
les in the dining hall. hold folk
dancing sessions or join in vari-
Gus cultural activities.
There never seems to be
enough time for everything we
want to do" Mr.. Spiro says. Holi-
days at Sassa are rare. Politi-
cally leftist and almost aggres-
sively unreligious. the community
maintains no synagogue and
gives an agricultural or national
twist to the festivals observed.
The misfits leave fast. Al
though theoretically any kib-
butz can expel a member who
makes trouble, this has never
been necessary at Sassa. And
although one might suspect that
communal living would have an
unfortunate effect on the in
centive Of the individual to
work. this you are assured is
not the case. The explanation
is social pressure-organized and
powerful enough TO enforce the
s