Communal settlement (Israel)

A communal settlement ( _he. יישוב קהילתי, "Yishuv Kehilati") in Israel is type of cooperative community that in contrast to a Kibbutz or a Moshav involves no economic cooperation between the residents. Cooperation is on a societal level only; education, religious actives and public works are some issues planned based on communal decision making. Residents form a legal cooperative union that is recognised by the state as the local authority.

Many communal settlements have a particular shared ideology or religious perspective that they wish to perpetuate, while others are simply set up as a method of local government. The first communal settlement in Israel was Neve Monosson, in Gush Dan which was established in 1953. Many Israeli settlements on throughout Judea and Samaria are set up as communal settlements; there are also many such communities in the Galilee and elsewhere in rural northern Israel.

To permanently move to a communal settlement one must join the cooperative. An interview and acceptance process is often required to join the cooperative and move into the community. Most communal settlements in Israel are relatively small, with a few hundred or thousand residents. Some communities are even smaller, with under 30 residents. Some communities cater to specific populations, such as the Haredi town of Betar Illit. Residents are often screened, to ensure religious/social compatibility. The Association for Civil Rights in Israel has charged that this screening process is designed to deny membership to Arabs, and that sometimes Jews of specific ethnic or socio-economic groups are also discriminated against. However, these communities are predominantly self-selective. Many communities are open and welcoming to all who wish to join their community.