It is made up of 19 moshavim and 10 kibbutzim, and other villages.
Although there were attempts to form urban kibbutzim in the early 20th century, their success was limited and most failed.
These schools serve local kibbutzim and moshavim, along with accepting private students from nearby towns.
The hardships that these early settlers endured, like other pioneers who founded other kibbutzim, were great.
As late as the 1970s, kibbutzim seemed to be thriving in every way.
In recent decades, some kibbutzim have been privatized and changes have been made in the communal lifestyle.
Kibbutzim also practised active democracy, with elections held for kibbutz functions and full participation in national elections.
The population in moshavim shitufiim was around 18,000, compared with 350,000 in moshavim and kibbutzim combined.
