A type of community in Israel where the residents work cooperatively and share responsibilities, including child-rearing.

A kibbutz is an Israeli rural community in which the residents share equally in the work and profits. Kibbutzim are self-governing under a system of direct participatory democracy. Elected officers are responsible for the day-to-day operations.

When they were first established in the early 1900s, kibbutzim were agricultural collectives. Adults had separate sleeping quarters, but children by and large lived in a communal area and were raised by the group. Now most children live with their parents at least until the age of 13 or 14, when they move into the dormitories.

Today there are more than 200 kibbutzim in Israel, with several hundred members in each. The nature of kibbutzim has changed. Many have privatized their businesses, and hire workers and professionals from the outside. In addition to the traditional farm, many kibbutzim also...