Hummus and beyond...: Kibbutz Ketura

Kibbutz Ketura is a communal kibbutz located in the southern Arava desert, just thirty minutes from Eilat. For those who don’t know, Kibbutzim are socialist agricultural communities that have been around since the 1900’s. Kibbutzim have been and are still an important part of Israeli society; they help people migrate to the country, create jobs (especially agricultural), and allow growth in rural areas.

Kibbutz Keturah was established in 1973, by a bunch of hippie Year course alumni who had recently made Aliyah. When the Kibbutz was first established, everything was communal, and the founders worked eighteen hour days trying to grow vegetables in the sand. Today on Kibbutz we only work 6-8 hours a day, but most everything is still communal. Laundry, cars, the dinning room etc.

I chose to volunteer at Ketura for six weeks, because I wanted the unique experience of living a simple life in the middle of nowhere. With only two weeks left on Kibbutz (and Year Course), I would say my expectations have been met, despite many challenges. I have had three or four jobs here at Ketura, some good some not so good. Volunteering for the Kibbutz is meaningful, and is essential to the Kibbutz’s success, but sometimes it seems like the Kibbutz uses us excessively, giving us the worst tasks (dinning room cleanup).

The coolest job I had was actually not at Kibbutz Ketura, but at an eco Kibbutz just down the road called Lotan. For two weeks I farmed the date trees, working thirty feet in the air trimming and bunching the date flowers so they will be perfect size and taste when their time comes to ripen. Not only was this an incredible and unique experience, it was also an Israeli experience. I was volunteering with three other goofball Israelis, who were taking a year after high school to help the country. Lets just say that when you’re up in a tree with someone for eight hours a day, you get to know them pretty well. I learned a lot of Hebrew; especially slang words like קצף (ketsef), which means the foamy top part of your beer.

Ketura is basically an oasis in the middle of the desert, with flowers, palms trees, and birds chirping. The area around the kibbutz is earthy as well. Just out the back gate there are giant mountains with excellent biking, hiking, and running trails. I go exploring just about everyday, and have had some epic climbs. Only two more weeks in the wholly land before I head back to my other life. Gotta live it up!

Alex

There was a wedding on the Kibbutz. There is a great hike to the telephone pole on top of the mountain in the foreground.