A Wall of Light - Edeet Ravel [45]
Others feel that it doesn’t matter what people say; we must direct our efforts first and foremost to creating a new society and living our collective lives in the most profound way possible.
Dori
We all have worms. Everyone except Skye.
The way to get rid of worms is an enema. Daddy takes me to the infirmary and fills my tushi with soapy water. I run to the toilet and out comes all the water. With the worms I hope.
My brother David has another method. You put lots of soap and water on a piece of toilet paper and then you stick it in your tushi. I’ll try that next time.
Skye’s grandmother in Boston sent her a necklace with a gold heart. The only thing we’re allowed to have that’s our own in the Children’s House is our toothbrush because of germs and our shoes and slippers because someone else’s wouldn’t fit. But that bracelet could fit anyone.
But it’s only Skye’s.
Transcript of the Social Committee Meeting December 1961
Chair:
Gila
Present:
Martin, Shula, Lou, Varda, Hanan, Ora
Gila:
The question we have to decide on is whether or not
to suggest a reassessment of our personal property
policy at the Meeting, and if so, what sort of changes
we propose. There have been a lot of hard feelings lately
about gifts individual members are getting, especially
the Israeli members, who bring things back with them
almost every weekend.
Ora:
I don’t know why you’re always picking on the sabras.
You guys get plenty of gifts from home.
Lou:
Either way, as the standard of living rises, maybe we can
afford to be more flexible.
Varda:
True. Remember the fuss about the two kerosene lamps
that you-know-who found in one of the Arab houses!
Two lousy kerosene lamps, I think we discussed it until
2 a.m.
Martin:
Luckily we’re more enlightened now.
Lou:
Why don’t we look at what people are keeping for them-
selves and then get a general overview of what we’re
dealing with. It’s just too abstract otherwise. There’s a
difference between a guitar and a watchstrap.
Varda:
But how detailed are we going to get? Some things really
are irrelevant. And by the way, don’t think I haven’t
heard the snide comments about my red belt.
Martin:
I move that we omit Varda’s red belt from the list.
Gila:
All right, let’s start with a vote on whether to a) look
at specific cases before deciding on the need for new
guidelines, or b) try to come up with a formula first,
based for example on whether the item could be useful
to others, its value, its purpose …
Martin:
Acquisition equals mass times the speed of envy squared.
Lou:
Envy doesn’t enter into it.
Dori
We’re at Galron. I pick up a cardboard wheel that teaches you how to read with dots. I turn the wheel and look at the different dots. I could learn it now if I wanted to. But what’s the rush?
A new girl joined our Group today. Her name is Hannah. She’s very tall with white skin and long blonde hair that she doesn’t want to braid or put in an elastic. She doesn’t have a mother and I think her father is a dentist. He’ll have to do things aside from fixing teeth because most people’s teeth don’t need fillings more than once a year. It’s different with Dafna because there’s always someone who’s sick.
Hannah isn’t a Pioneer and she doesn’t want to be one. She doesn’t like Eldar and she doesn’t like us. I tried to talk to her but she didn’t answer me.
Diary of a Young Man
6 February 1922. There is still much that is missing from our commune; we don’t even have a clothing pool yet. People hesitate to share in this area.
8 February 1922. Finally, there is a clothing pool.
At the moment it’s not mandatory, but most members were enthusiastic, and immediately a procession of suitcase-bearers formed in the yard, marching towards the