A kibbutz literally means a collection. The kibbutz ideal is based on communal living that combines Zionism and socialism. The main motto is: “from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs." Today there are 268 Kibbutzim with 117,300 residents or 1.6% of the total Israeli population. Degania was the first Kibbutz, founded in 1909 by the World Zionist organization under the Ottoman rule on the shores of lake Kinneret. All aspects of life are held in common. All decisions are made by voting in a general committee. There is no private property. In most kibbutzim, children are raised together and not in their parents’ homes to socialize them to the Kibbutz ideology and to free the mothers to share equally in all the Kibbutz aspects. All members of the kibbutz eat together in communal dining halls. Agriculture is the major economy system for self sufficiency. Agriculture in Degania consists mainly of growing bananas, avocados, and dates and farming fish and cattle. Many Kibbutzim later introduced manufacturing and tourism to help their economy. Kibbutz Degania has a diamond factory earning several million dollars a year. Most of today's modern Kibbutzim shed some of their original characteristics, for example, the kids are raised with their parents.

asefot klaliyot (pl.).

batey yeladim (pl.).

hadrey ohel (pl.).

mitnadevet (fem.), mitnadvim (male pl.), mitnadvot (fem. pl.).

mataeem (pl.).

brehot dagim (pl.).

rfatot (pl.).

loolim (pl.).

asamim (pl.).

oorvot (pl.).

sadot (pl.).

soosim (pl.).

parot (pl.).

tarnegolot (pl.).

kvasim (pl.).

traktorim (pl.).

mahreshot (pl.).