
The‘CasadoPovo’culturalcentreinSãoPaulo,aniconofthesecularJewishworkers’movement:acrumblingtheatreflankedbystaircases,entrywaysandcorridors.Constructionnoisedronesawayinthebackground,clinkingcrockery,abroomsweepingovertiledfloors,anexpressivefaçadeofcountlessadjustablepanesofglasscoveredbyapatina.It’sOctober2016andagroupofyoungpeoplearepreparingapreviewofBickels[Socialism].Thevenueistoformaprologuetothecompletedfilm,whichtours22buildingsinIsraeldesignedbySamuelBickels,mostofwhichforkibbutzim.Dininghalls,children’shouses,agriculturalbuildings,brightstructuresinsertedintotheMediterraneanlandscapewithgreatingenuity.Anarchitecturewithasell-bydate:Thatmanyarenowemptyorhavebeenrepurposedatbestislinkedtothedeclineofthesocialistidealstheyembody.<br/> PaintingsbyJewishartistMeirAxelrodfromtheCrimeainthe1930sformtheepilogue.IttellsthetragicstoryoftheVioNovakibbutz,whichfirstfounderedundertheBritishMandateinPalestineandlaterfellvictimtoStalinism,beforebeingliquidatedentirelyundertheGermanoccupation.

