The kibbutzim, which represent 4 percent of the total population of Israel, are voluntarily closed societies based on communal property, production, labor, and consumption and living arrangements. As small groups, the kibbutzim are subject to the influences of their surroundings. Contact with tourists and foreign norms of drinking, visits to foreign countries, and the influence of imported television programs have contributed to the growth of nonritual alcohol drinking as a tool for emphasizing self-oriented values, fun, and pleasure. Kibbutzim youth, exposed to outside influences from television, the press, military service, and contact with nonkibbutzim youth, have started drinking beer like their urban counterparts. Moreover, alcoholics from the kibbutzim have started to present themselves for treatment in percentages similar to those in the general population. The Kibbutz-Community Model for alcohol abuse prevention seeks to insure that everyone who plays a role in student lives is provided with the same information as the students and is involved to make the total community supportive of the prevention program. The program involves about 30 instructional hours in a workshop format that is supplemented with summary, reinforcement, and extracurricular activities. Exercises are included to facilitate decisionmaking and value clarification related to kibbutz life. The program recognizes the importance of modifying social and environmental factors through community action programs based on educational efforts in schools. 4 references