Urban Kibbutz: A Framework for Social Sustainability in Rapidly Urbanizing Countries?

The term ‘urban kibbutz’ describes a phenomenon in which young adults, searching for a meaningful way of life, commit themselves to living communally in a disadvantaged urban neighborhood. Seeing themselves as catalysts for social justice, they share an ideological mission to reduce social gaps through work in education, environment, arts and social services. There are over 200 of these communities today in Israel, with about 11,000 members and children, and differing levels of ideological, economic and social collaboration. Under what conditions might this practice contribute to sustainable urbanism in other countries? This paper reviews the characteristics of the urban kibbutz and the factors correlated with their social impact and stability. We then present new findings about the role of the municipality and the state, identifying four key avenues of support: land allocation and land-use planning; mediation with local populations; fundraising, employment and leadership training; and housing policy that reduces the risk of displacement from gentrification. Adaptations of the urban kibbutz framework may be appropriate in rapidly urbanizing countries with national civic youth service and a communitarian or nation-building orientation.