Welcome to life in England’s Bruderhof community
Leaving modern life behind for a simpler life is something which many of us have likely talked about from time-to-time.
But what if I told you could actually leave it all behind and live out the rest of your days in a close-knit community where there’s no crime, no one has any debt and there’s no divisions between rich of poor?
Well, that’s exactly what you could do if you joined a Bruderhof Community, one of which exists in East Sussex.
What are Bruderhof Communities, and what is it like to grow up in one?
In case you haven’t guessed it already, the Bruderhof are part of the Anabaptist sect of Christianity, who forego the trappings of modern life and return to principles found in the early days of the religion.
This includes relinquishing all belongings – meaning that you don’t own the house you live in or the shoes on your feet – and instead dedicate your time in service of the community and your religion.
Sharing similar attitudes to groups such as the Amish and Mennonite communities in America, Darvell Bruderhof was established in 1971 and is currently home to around 300 inhabitants.
Children growing up in Darvell Bruderhof have a massively different experience to your average teenager in the UK, as there’s no phones, no watching TV or sinking hours into social media.
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Instead, children the community attend religious services and sing with their families.
The stark difference between life in and outside of the community can be seen in the BBC’s 2020 documentary Inside the Bruderhof, which allowed us to get a glimpse of what life behind the gates looks like.
One of the moments from the documentary saw community member Bernard Hibbs discuss how most modern children use iPads while growing up, to which one of his children replies: “What’s an iPad?”
Going on to explain how children in the community are completely shut off from the modern world, Hibbs said: “Children here don’t have access to the internet, they don’t have a smartphone, they don’t play video games.”
Going on to explain why he believes this is a ‘good thing’ for children in the community, he continued: “A lot of social media is very isolating… I think kids should be doing stuff with their friends. Face to face.”
The difference between Bruderhof families and the average UK child was perfectly summed up by Hannah, the eldest daughter of one of the families.
“I feel like [I’m from] a different time,” she said. “It’s like if someone from the middle ages shows up in London… I kind of feel like a foreigner.”
