ABSTRACT
The widest and strongest area of Bruderhof relations with outside society was, of course, in the United States, where they could find expression in mutual visits and strong ties of cooperation. In the wide network of relations fostered by the Bruderhof with the outside world, those with other Christian communes held pride of place. The Bruderhof delegation’s visit to Israel strengthened relations between the historical and exciting movements, chiefly because it had given them public expression. In 1983, the board of directors of the Yad Tabenkin Research Institute in Israel initiated an international conference of commune scholars, researchers of the kibbutz, and kibbutz members, that was to be held in May, 1985. As the opening of the conference approached, the organizing committee received a letter from Hans Meier, dated 5 December 1984, in which he confirmed the participation of a six-person delegation, five from the Bruderhof and one from the Hutterite commune in Minnesota.
