Both the kibbutz and the moshav held a historic place in the development of Israel. They were collections of pioneers that ventured where others might not want to go, lived under less than desirable conditions, and carved communities out of previously inhospitable territory.

The kibbutz was the equivalent of any pioneer settlement in that it was established in an area that was not only dangerous, but as yet nonproductive. Those that volunteered to become a part of these communities were considered both brave and devoted. These settlements differed from other pioneer outposts in the world however, in that they were conceived by social democrats, and constructed under specific guidelines.

Originally, the kibbutz was primitive living at best. With no modern facilities or amenities, pioneers literally carved farm land from wilderness areas. The kibbutz was communal in every aspect. Living arrangements included dormitories and children were housed separate from their parents. There was a communal dining hall. Individuals did not own land, but instead, all work, profits, and expenses were shared.

During the last couple of decades, the kibbutzim have gradually decreased in their historic place as pioneer outposts and examples of self-sacrifice based living. Today, they have become modernized, and in many cases, settlers hire outside help to do the work, which now involves not only farming, but in many cases, forms of industry.

The moshav appeared a little later than the kibbutz, the first one being established in Jezreel in 1921. For the most part, these communities retained more emphasis on the individual. There are two forms of moshavim, the ovdim and the shitufi. In the ovdim, which is the most prevalent, there is still cooperative purchasing and marketing, however, the emphasis on production is on the family. The shitufi, is more closely related to the kibbutz, in that land is not allotted to individual families. Unlike the kibbutz, socialized living arrangements were not used, and children live with their families.

The moshav today, also uses outside labor, and in many cases members of the community commute to nearby cities for their work. Some moshavim are now similar to suburban areas in other parts of the world.  

Both the kibbutz and the moshav have had their place in the settlement and development of Israel, socially and politically. They were both the haven for various Jewish people of different ethic backgrounds, and the origins of future political and military leaders.

“Israel - Kibbutz and Moshav.” Country Studies. U.S Library of Congress. Web. 24 Jan. 2011. <http://countrystudies.us/israel/57.htm>.