Page 10 - Kol Bogrei Habonim - September 14

IRI (IRWIN) FOREMAN

Born – Glasgow 1940; Glasgow Peleg; Aliyah - 1964; Kibbutz Bet
Haemek – 1964-1966; lived in Rehovot until 1984, then moved to
Gedera; Chief Technologist at Tnuva main laboratories for over
20 years; conducted Dairy Technology Projects in China and in
Africa from 1998 to 2010; presently retired and living in West of
Scotland

W movement founded ideals. Those of us who
ithout needing much reflection, I can
say unreservedly that it was a good
went through the kibbutz quickly learned that
idea at the time. At an age in one’s
than anything we had experienced during our
life when ideals are so important, it was an living communally was more difficult in reality
opportunity to make a massive personal movement years on hachshara or as movement
statement about practical expression and workers. Human nature with its attendant
commitment to those ideals. failings and jealousies played a large part in

We were the fortunate generation of Jews disintegrating our cherished ideals of community
growing up in the UK. Since the immigration of and sharing. At this stage, many dropped out of
our great-grandparents and grandparents at the the stream, either immediately returning to the
th
end of the 19 century, our generation was the UK, or finding work and moving elsewhere in
first to access higher education in significant Israel. Still ardent idealists, full of the thought
numbers. We had opportunities never that our participation in practical Zionism and
previously available, allowing us to dream and contributing to the growth of Israel was
to see a future beyond the limited horizons of the important, Jane and I took the latter path.
previous generations. Though seldom talked Transferring into a different world as the kibbutz
about, we were also profoundly influenced by van dropped us off at our rented apartment with
the horrors of the Shoah, making Aliyah and the our few scanty household belongings, notably a
opportunity to participate in the establishment of plastic bucket, a month’s supply of toilet paper
an autonomous Jewish homeland feel like the and other sundries, and a cot and a few clothes
right thing to do.
for the baby, we found ourselves no longer
As icing on the whole package, we could surrounded by friends and shared ideals.
accomplish all this in the company of, and with Regardless, we plunged into it and went on to
the mutual support of close and good friends create for ourselves a new life, believing we had
with whom we had shared a common movement something to contribute to furthering our ideals
background and many of our teenage maturing of Zionism, if no longer of socialism.
experiences.
Years later, in the 80’s and early 90’s, thanks to
The idea was attractive, and the implementation the religious right-wing and the settlers’
was easy and straightforward, requiring only a movement, the definition of Zionism was
steady progression through the various manipulated and changed. The settlers redefined
movement ranks and institutions, with the bonus Zionism to mean primarily settlement on the
of always being in the company of friends. West Bank. That was the message given out
daily, while their adherents and successive
Arrival in Israel and coming to grips with the governments milked the State coffers to support
realities of daily living in a kibbutz community, the settlement movement. Personally, I was
for many of us rather tore holes in our cherished appalled. The way I saw it, rightly or wrongly,

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