ABSTRACT
The kibbutz way of life has long been a focus for social and behavioral research, refl ecting widespread interest in assessing the effect of collective living on the well-being of its members (Anson, Carmel, Levenson, Bonneh, & Maoz, 1993; Leviatan, 1989, 1999). Today, about 90 years since the establishment of the fi rst communal settlement in Israel, the kibbutz population is aging, with many kibbutzim hosting at least three generations, from founding fathers to grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Almost 12 percent of the kibbutz population is over age 65 (Statistical Abstract of Israel, 2001). The question of whether aging in a kibbutz is more “successful” in comparison to other milieus is of special interest because of its bearing on the understanding of the way social variables affect well-being in late life (Leviatan, 1989, 1999).
