Movement Connections

Ketura was founded in 1973 by a settlement group from Young Judaea, an American Zionist youth movement, and about a quarter of Ketura's current members were members of Young Judaea. Our ideals of religious tolerance and gender equality are clearly rooted in this Young Judaea heritage.

Since 1968, Hadassah has been Young Judaea's sole sponsor, and as such has taken an active interest in Ketura's growth. In addition to substantial contributions to such projects as the dining hall and cultural center, Hadassah has also provided crucial political backing at various stages in Ketura's development.

Young Judaea's tradition of religious and political tolerance led it decades ago to forge an official alliance with the Israel Scouts -- the only similarly pluralistic youth movement in Israel. For much of the 1970s and early 1980s virtually all of the native Israelis settling on Ketura came from the Scouts.

No'am is the youth arm of the Israeli Conservative movement. Although Ketura has no official synagogue affiliation, our practices closely resemble those of Israeli Conservative Judaism, and groups from No'am are often hosted on Ketura. Our teenagers participate in regular No'am activities on the kibbutz, and often attend the No'am summer camp in the North.