Alumim

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Alumim
Founded	1966
Founded by	Former Bnei Akiva members
Region	Negev
Industries	Agriculture, light manufacturing, tourism
Affiliation	Religious Kibbutz Movement
Website	www.alumim.co.il

Alumim (Hebrew: עלומים‎, lit. Youth) is a kibbutz located in the north-western Negev desert in southern Israel. Located close to the Gaza Strip, it falls under the jurisdiction of Sdot Negev Regional Council.

[edit] History

The kibbutz was established in 1966 as a border settlement with Egypt by Bnei Akiva members from a Nahal Gar'in. Its land had belonged to the Religious Kibbutz Movement since the 1940's and was previously farmed by kibbutz Be'erot Yitzhak, which was relocated as a result of its destruction in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.

Over the years other nahal groups joined the kibbutz, as well as groups of immigrants from World Bnei Akiva. The largest groups from abroad came from the United Kingdom. Today Alumim has about 140 members, comprising of around 70 families. About 20% of the membership are imigrants from the UK.

[edit] Economy

Alumim is today one of the few kibbutzim that is largely based on agriculture. Alumim has maintained the classic kibbutz collective life style. Each member receives an allowance based on his or her needs (size of family, age of children etc.). The allowance is not connected to the occupation of the member. There are no monetary incentives for any form of work. Chores such as serving in the dining hall, guard duty at night, milking the cows at the weekend are done on a rota basis.