Purim at the Kibbutz - the early 1970s
The early 1970s. A Purim party at the kibbutz. The picture was taken in the "court" of the dining hall, that is to say, the addition that was paved in a "modern" style of broken pieces of stone and had above a very large sliding roof. That is what reveals the place. A year or two ago we had celebrated Purim in the "mosad", i.e., the high school that was built at some distance from the kibbutz and where we lived a sort of autonomous youth existence. In the rigid life of the kibbutz in those days, Purim gave us a special occasion to release tension and go wild. It was an excuse to drink a little alcohol – and vomit our guts out – to dance madly and let down all barriers. But more of that immediately.
The early 1970s. A Purim party at the kibbutz. The picture was taken in the "court" of the dining hall, that is to say, the addition that was paved in a "modern" style of broken pieces of stone and had above a very large sliding roof. That is what reveals the place. A year or two ago we had celebrated Purim in the "mosad", i.e., the high school that was built at some distance from the kibbutz and where we lived a sort of autonomous youth existence. In the rigid life of the kibbutz in those days, Purim gave us a special occasion to release tension and go wild. It was an excuse to drink a little alcohol – and vomit our guts out – to dance madly and let down all barriers. But more of that immediately.
First about the picture. Above from right to left: Amos, Uriel, me and Baruch. Below from right: Efraim, Edna and Batyah (if I'm not mistaken). Lying down in the front of the picture is Ahron, the white panther.
A couple of years ago we still celebrated in the mosad, and when I look at the white panther I remember his unforgettable performance at that Purim in the mosad. Ahron (today Dr. Benedik from France) joined us as a youth. He came with his brother Edi (who lives to this day in the kibbutz) and although he adjusted well and became one of us, maintained his characteristic French ways. Among other things he acquainted us with Jacques Brel, and in general was much more open to what was happening in the world than we were. Incidentally the idea to come to the party disguised as a white panther was really inspired by the black panthers that were making the headlines in Israel at that time. It would be interesting to know what he thought of us, the provincials. But his performance showed us that he thought, for example, that we were a group of yes-men. On that Purim he took the stage and presented daring songs, a sort of Jacques Brel trying to kick us in the ass. We didn't understand what he wanted from us. After every song he turned around in quick ritual steps and changed hats. The song that made him famous among us for all time was written to the tune of the Marseillaise, the French national anthem. It went this way:
Fellows of the mosad
We need to do something
Against against the instructors
Against the pigs
Ta ta ta tam (change hats)
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