3 Things Never to Say to a Socialist
- Julie Shamir
- Aug 5, 2025
- 5 min read
You’re Communists
I’m going to write this bold for those in the back:
Socialism ≠ Communism
Do not call a socialist– or a kibbutznik – a communist .
Sure, we may have had a picture of Stalin in our dining hall in the 1970s.
And yes, our kids used to live and sleep in communal housing and only saw their parents 4 hours a day until 1990.
And maybe we did sing communist songs during our holidays, along with the occasional hammer and sickle flag dotting out streets.
But those days are long gone. Now—like you, and unlike communist societies—we vote. Like a lot. Like, a lot lot.
What’s the difference?
Let’s take for example, an issue the kibbutz wants to bring to public discussion. Say, adding more salt on dining hall french fries.
First, we talk about what we are about to vote on in an open-mic-like council meeting. Every member has the right to speak. It may take one meeting, it may take more.
Then, we vote to create a committee about what we just discussed.
Then we vote for who is to lead the committee for a specific tenure.
Then we vote on members of the committee.
Then we vote if we like what the committee has concluded or presented on a specific topic, or if there needs to be any changes.
Then we vote on those changes. **
This goes far beyond the sodium levels of tubers. This is for EVERYTHING.
Another difference from communism is that we have private assets. Although we can’t own big items like a car or property, we all have our own computers, furniture, and personal items. We have the freedom to invest, and we can pay for services just like in any free market society.
Because honestly? Living in a closed community is already pretty invasive, and I am totally fine not knowing my neighbors’ search history… Especially Sholmo’s, he’s not well.
You’re Anti Capitalist
Yeah...right...
I am now going to let you in a socialist’s dirty little secret:
Socialists love capitalism.
How else could we possibly afford to be socialists?
As a sort of rite of passage, every kibbutz member eventually takes off the rose-colored glasses and comes to the same important and complicated truth: our socialist kibbutz could not survive if it weren't wealthy.
In a surprising twist, socialism has a willing and even enthusiastic partnership with capitalism.
BUM BUM BUM.
Of the 20% of kibbutzim that have managed to remain mostly collective, they usually share one thing in common– they have a very successful industry sector.
It is much easier to accept that your fellow kibbutz member is receiving the same resources as you if you feel your family’s needs are being fulfilled.
Of course you should cover that cost for another family, you think to yourself. After all, you believe they'll do the same for you when you need it.
It’s our societal contract.
And it works great when there is enough money to pay for almost everyone’s “costs”.
But take that belief away? And all the sudden your neighbor’s bigger yard seems a little unfair. Especially when you work more hours or your job brings in a higher paycheck.
This has been the unfortunate story of many kibbutzim before us. For the majority, the financial strain of their communal life became unmanageable, and the widespread feeling that individual needs were going unmet eventually proved impossible to overlook.
The cost of being a collective society cannot be greater than the profit of the collective society. That’s just Economics 101. And why kibbutzim tend to stay small and homogenous.
At the end of the day, peel away the values and good intentions, and you find that the base of a collective society sits on the financial capacity of its members to support it.
So, while we might complain about Rich Uncle Pennybags to his face, behind closed doors we are toasting to his health and success.
Up for a little praying?
In my kibbutz, the answer is no. Always no; no exceptions.
We do not pray. It’s weird. Perhaps it’s something from our communist ancestors, but religion is still considered a faux pas.
When we see a person walk by with a kippa, you’ll find us staring like we just saw a fantastical creature. Does he know where he is? Is he lost?
As socialists, and especially in my kibbutz, we take pride in our secular mindset. I would go so far to say we are anti-religion. You’ll find the entire kibbutz out for a barbeque on Yom Kippur.
Is there more heresy?
Ohh, yes. Enough for everyone!
For example , we have a special kibbutz prayer book for Passover, called The Kibbutz Hagada.
For those who don’t know, the Haggadah is a Jewish book that we read during the Passover meal. The purpose is to retell the story of the Israelites' liberation from slavery in ancient Egypt, allowing everyone to feel as if they were personally freed.
And in it, Moses does a lot of cool magic tricks with the help of God.
However, once upon a time, The Kibbutz Hagada didn’t even mention God.
It has now been updated to occasionally mention Him (he is kinda a main character), however it still puts most of the emphasis on the work of the people– Moses, Aaron, Miriam, and Tzipora – into freeing the Israelites from slavery, and downplaying God’s role as much as possible.
Kibbutz Seders: Come for the food, stay for the blasphemy.
Because my people? We don’t believe in the divine. While there is a spectrum of belief if God exists or not, his omnipotent power and intervention are considered greatly exaggerated.
Another example is on Hannukah, where we like to sing a song called “We did not have Miracle”.* THAT’S LITERALLY THE STORY OF HANNUKAH.
It is important for me to say, however, that we are still unrelenting in our belief in our Jewish identity, our Zionists principles, and our connection to the land.
We just don't think God has "main character" energy as much as others.
And let’s face it, when you’ve had a history as violent and turbulent as the Jewish history, it makes sense that you would want to start putting faith in your own hands, and never again be dependent on the benevolence of another, unseeing or not.
For us, our fate will be determined by פרי עמל כפיים, or “the fruit of our labor”.
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Footnotes:
**Although many committees already exist, this is the general process.
** Translation for the song. Keep in mind, the idea is that there was no heavenly miracle, and instead it was due to the hard work and effort of the people.
We carry torches
In the dark nights.
The paths glow beneath our feet,
And whoever has a heart,
Who thirsts for light—
Will lift his eyes and heart to us,
To the light, and will come!
No miracle happened to us—
We didn't find a jug of oil.
We went to the valley, we climbed the mountain,
We discovered the hidden springs of light.
No miracle happened to us—
We didn't find a jug of oil.
We chiseled into the rock until there was blood—
And there was light!
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