Kibbutz Lavi's operation is absolutely amazing. Just look at the farm equipmentthat has to cover over 2500 acres. There is a large mechanics shop to repair their own tractors and cars. Notice the feeding stalls for the newly born calves. They milk 3 times a day. All the cows wear an orange chip around their legs. [you can hardly see them because of the accumulated shit] . When they come into the milk house, a computerized monitor recognizes each cow and then records the milk each one gives at each milking. All automated. Amazing.

Look also at the wood shop. Lavi makes Temple furniture for anyone who orders it, and they have lots of orders as they are well known for their quality workmanship. One of those machines with the numbers on it can do up to 5 operations with one piece of wood all at the same time as it is run through the machine.

I of course fell in love with the laundry facility. If you live on the Kibbutz, you simply bring your laundry and sort it into the bins. All the laundry is done in one central location with those huge washing machines. It is then sorted and ready for the family to pick it up. Each family has a number which they put in every piece of laundry they own.

Over 150 families are supported by this operation. Lavi has fruit trees,[no vegetable farming] milk cows, horse rides for tourists, a 4 star hotel, and the Temple furniture manufacturing, Wow.....All the profit is split equally for the members, and no matter what job you do from cleaning out the barns to running the business end of the hotel or the furniture business, you get the same pay. I love it.




Our email to our hosts at Lavi Kibbutz: Dov and Miriam:

Marie and I thoroughly enjoyed our time with you yesterday. It was more than just kibitzing about the kibbutz. The historical information and personal insights—leavened with wit—that you so graciously gave us made a lasting impression. Tapping into your exhaustive insider knowledge as you guided us through every facet and feature of the Lavi kibbutz was one of the highlights of our trip so far. Everything that we saw was a treat, especially the superstar hotel, the elaborate milking machines, and all of the fine-honed stages of processing and producing your upscale furniture. We may not become kibbutzniks, but we will always have a soft spot in our hearts for you, your extended family, and for the “principle”embodied by Lavi. Thank you so much for finding the time and the patience to help us understand yet another wonderful aspect of Israel.