Degania

Degania (also spelled "Deganya") was the first kibbutz. It was founded in 1909 by ten men and two women led by Joseph Baratz. The land had previously been owned by a Persian family resident in Beirut. Despite its small size, Degania has been home to many famous Israelis and members of the pre-state yishuv. The poet Rachel, the "prophet of labor" A.D. Gordon, and Joseph Trumpeldor, all worked here. Many early members of Degania left Degania to found other kibbutzim.

Degania exists in two independent kibbutzim – Degania Alef and Degania Bet. Both kibbutzim lie along the southern shores of the Sea of Galilee.

Technically Degania is a kvutza and not a kibbutz. The distinction comes from its small size. Degania is also distinctive in that children there never slept communally. Children always slept in their parents' quarters.