Poland was amazing. I have genuinely never experienced anything like it before.
Before I went I told myself, I’m not the type of person to feel anything, I’m so numb to it all, I’m not the kind of person that will break down into tears at any random moment, but I definitely proved myself wrong.
I thought I would feel the most at Auschwitz because it’s the camp I’ve been educated about the most, but it wasn’t the case. Majdanek was the camp that really made me think a lot and actually made me cry, which is where I guess I learnt a bit about myself too!
The journey overall was amazing, the places we stayed at were luxurious which I really think we needed because the days were so intense and cold that we needed somewhere warm and exciting to go back to which was lovely.
Overall it was an unbelievable journey and definitely something that will stay with me for life. I think people should definitely be pushed to go and hear about other peoples journeys there because it’s such an important part of history.
I’m really thankful I got to go and experience everything.
Tash Davies
Shnat 10/11
Monday, 21 March 2011
Back from Poland and still more to come!
Hello again all of you Shnat fans,
So it's been a week since we returned, tired and weary after an intensive week, from the Poland Journey of Shnat 10-11. Having already gone through two separate preparation seminars, including 2 long days at the Ghetto Fighters' Holocaust Museum (the first ever Holocaust museum!), we set off at the early hour of 6am on Sunday March 6 for the big week ahead.
We touched down in Warsaw right on time, and after everyone had found their luggage (thankfully there was none lost in transit!), we headed for the long drive to Krakow. Once we arrived, we toured the old Jewish quarter of Krakow, named Kazimierz. The quarter was named after the 15th century king of Poland, who invited Jews to come and settle in the city. We toured a number of ancient synagogues, from the oldest and most traditional, to the newest synagogue known as "The Temple", and understood the essence of what Jewish life was through the centuries in poland. We examined the relationship that Jews had with the surrounding society, and we ended the day with a trip to the Galicia Museum, a museum which visually portrays the rich history of Jewish life in the area of Galicia, and the tragedy that the shoah created in destroying whole communities of Jews.
After arriving at our hotel for the night, the shnatties had a peula based on the work of Julian Tuwim, a famous Polish and Jewish poet. It raised difficult questions of the dilemma of Jewish and national identity and how to reconcile those tensions.
The second day was a long day for the shnatties. We spent the day at the infamous concentration and death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. The morning was spent in Birkenau, which is largely untouched and preserved as it was during the Russian liberation. The afternoon was spent at the Auschwitz I camp, which is the site of the world-renowned museum. Through the day the workshop groups examined what camp life was like, and how these camps represented the reality according to the Nazi vision - one of hierarchy and inequality. The day ended with the first of the workshop/shnat run tekkesim (ceremonies), where the shnatties were given responsibility to create a communal expression for the memory of the place.
In the evening, after returning back to the hotel, the shnatties had a peula and discussion on the essence of humanity. Looking at texts and poems from Hannah Senesh and the Rambam, the workshoppers discussed what the essential elements are that make a person human. Given the difficult content of the day, the shnatties had plenty to say!
On the third day, the group started at the notorious labour camp of Plaszow. Having watched Schindlers' List on the bus, it gave the group an important insight into the experience of Jews in Krakow and Plaszow during the Shoah. We headed from there to a tour of the Krakow Ghetto, which included parts of the ghetto wall still standing, as well as the famous pharmacy which kept spirits up during the Ghetto period. We also visited the old chava (communal living space) of the Akiva youth movement during the time of the Ghetto, and understood that their lives and experiences were based on very similar codes to the shnatties' experience this year. We ended the morning by speaking about the Krakow uprising, when a Nazi-frequented cafe was bombed by the members of the youth movement. For lunch, the shnatties got a first-hand feel of polish life, with 2 hours free time in the Sukiniece market square in Krakow. Here they were free to buy what they wanted for lunch, as well as idle through the market square and coffee shops.
We then headed out of Krakow, and took the long journey to Lublin, where we arrived late and subsequently did not have a peula that evening.
The following day we started with a visit to the recently renovated Chochamei Lublin Yeshiva. The Yeshiva was a centre of Chassidic thought and study before the Shoah, and was only recently returned ownership to the Jewish community of Poland. We then toured the city of Lublin, visiting buildings that were used as centres of policy during the Nazi regime. When the Nazis occupied Poland during World War II, Lublin became a regional centre, and many high-ranking SS and Gestapo offices were living in the city. We visited the old Gestapo headquarters, as well as the old Nazi party headquarters. We discussed the Nazi lifestyle, and how it infiltrated into all elements of life - culture, study, home life, even socializing.
In the afternoon we visited the Mjadanek concentration and death camp. With big parts still standing, it was an eerie experience for the shnatties. We walked through the gas chambers and crematorium, as well as through the old bunkers of the inmates. We also arrived to the large monument at the end of the camp, which holds 7 tonnes of ashes, a testament to those who were murdered at the site. The day ended with another tekkes to commemorate that place, before we left Lublin and headed back to Warsaw.
That evening, the shnatties had a peula based around the famous letter from Albert Camus - the 4th letter to a German friend. It brought up questions surrounding the content of the days' places, and looked at the ways of dealing with despair and finding hope in humanity and human interaction.
Our first full day in Warsaw started with a tour of the old and largest of the ghettos in Poland during the Shoah - the Warsaw ghetto. At its' biggest, the ghetto held up to 450,000 Jews, and took up almost a quarter of the city in its' size. We toured sections of the old wall that are still standing, as well as some of the old buildings that still stand from the ghetto period. We spoke about leadership dilemmas in the ghetto - ranging from the spiritual and youth leaders, to rabbis, to the Judenrat - what their approaches to leadership during the time were based on, and how they dealt with responsibility over their communities.
Then we headed to the Jewish cemetary of Warsaw. The cemetary is huge and we only got to see a small part of it, but we did manage to see some of the more distinctive graves and people buried there. Among them we spoke about Adam Czerniakow, the first head of the Judenrat of the Warsaw Ghetto during the shoah period, as well as Ludovic Zamenhof, creater of the Esperanto language, who are both buried there.
In the afternoon we visitied the national monument for the Polish Uprising of 1944, and spoke about the tragedy of the uprising act, in which massive numbers of Poles were killed. We also gained more insight into the modern day Polish culture, with a visit to the old city square of Warsaw. Originally destroyed during the War, it was rebuilt to resemble the exact old square of the city, complete with a statue of a mermaid in the middle - the symbol of the city.
After returning to our hotel, the shnatties started the first part of a two-part peula. The peula revolved around readings from the book "During the days of destruction and revolt" By Tsivya Lubetkin. Tsivya Lubetkin was a member of the Dror movement and one of the leaders of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. The readings examined what the movement was doing during the days both just before the war, and during the war, and the discussions went into depth about how it related to Habonim Dror today, and what we see as our role in society.
The penultimate day started with a drive out to the old Jewish shtetl of Tykocin. Originally in the area annexed to the USSR at the beginning of the war, the Jewish community of the shtetl was virtually destroyed in two days after the Nazi conquest of 1941. We started our visit at the famous old synagogue, which still stands nearly 400 years after it was established. We also visited the old market square where, on a fateful day in the spring of 1941, the 2,500 Jews of Tykocin were taken and driven to the nearby forest of Lopochowa, where they were shot and buried in mass graves. We drove the short journey to the forest and visited the 3 grave sites of the atrocity, where we ended with another meaningful tekkes, created by the workshoppers and shnatties together.
From there we headed to the memorial site of the death camp Treblinka. The infamous camp managed to murder almost 900,000 people over its' 12 months of operation, with the overwhelming majority of them Jews. Now a monument stands where the camp once stood, where the chanichim learnt about how the camp worked, as well as about the famous rebellion of the workers of the camp, who succeeded in escaping and alerting the world to the atrocities taking place there. The visit there, too, ended with a tekkes created by the hands of the chanichim.
We headed back to the hotel for our final night in Poland, and continued the discussions from the previous night, relating to the things we had seen through the day and the exciting itinerary coming up for the final day.
The last day of the journey was all about our movements' history both before, and during, the Shoah. We started the day visiting Grochov, which was the old Hachshara farm before, and even during, the war. Here, young 17-19 year old members of the Dror movement would come to learn farming and living communally, as well as learning and examining their future plans as a kvutza and their connection to aliya. We then headed to 34 Dzielna street, which is the site where the 'Bayit' (communal home) of Dror was during the Ghetto period. It was here that seminars were run, the movement leadership lived together, and the movement spirit was in action!
The afternoon all revolved around the heroic story of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. Starting from the memorial at the Umschlagplatz (deportation square) of the Warsaw Ghetto, the shnatties spent the next two and a half hours walking the path of the main battles and stories of the ghetto uprising of April 1943 - a heroic act guided by the youth movements from all streams. The discussions finished at the memorial at Mila 18 - the bunker where a large number of the ghetto and youth movement leadership were gassed and killed at the hands of the Nazis, including the Warsaw Rebellion leader - Mordechai Anilewicz.
We then headed to the Rappaport Memorial - a national monument in commemoration of the Warsaw Ghetto fighters, for our final and closing tekkes. Filled with emotion and personal sentiment, it was a befitting end to a week full of intense discussion and understanding, strong support, and large and varied content.
Before heading to the airport we did stop for dinner and were treated to a night of Polish folk dancing and music. As is tradition - the shnatties were also able to join in! Needless to say, it was a nice release after such a long week.
Within minutes of boarding the plane everyone was fast alseep, and upon arrival to Israel, they shnatties were whisked back to Akko for a few days of rest and relaxation.
The shnatties are back into the swing of things on kaveret now, and have started preparations for the annual "Pasechet" English-speaking camps which will take place in their locations for messima (volunteering projects)in the week before Pesach chofesh. Next weekend will be our annual May-Day seminar, which will be the first chance for the shnatties to meet and get to know the new Australian, New Zealand, and South African Shnat groups. We will be examing labour and exploitation in the world today, and the role of Habonim in our communities in creating solidarity and standing up against oppression, exploitation, and enslavement in all its' forms.
Woah - i need to take a breath! It has been a busy few weeks, but the ride still has a large section to go! I wish you all a shavua tov, and hope that you had a chag sameach for purim yesterday!
Until next time,
Leon.
Shnatties getting comfortable in the old Jewish quarter of Kazimierz, in Krakow
Shattie boys listening intently next to the old walls of the Warsaw Ghetto
The Shnat group next to the Memorial for the fallen of the Polish Uprising of 1944
The Tekkes group at the Lopochowa forest - commemorating the murdered Tykocin community
The Tekkes for the murdered at the Treblinka memorial
The traditional picture of the workshop and shnat groups in front of one of the sites of the roots of our movement - the former Hachshara farm at Grochov!
The Shnat group begins the Path of Heroism of the Warsaw Ghetto Fighters - at the deportation square memorial in Warsaw
The group singing "Mi Ha'Ish" at the ancient synagogue in Tykocin
Dancing it up for Polish Folklore!
So it's been a week since we returned, tired and weary after an intensive week, from the Poland Journey of Shnat 10-11. Having already gone through two separate preparation seminars, including 2 long days at the Ghetto Fighters' Holocaust Museum (the first ever Holocaust museum!), we set off at the early hour of 6am on Sunday March 6 for the big week ahead.
We touched down in Warsaw right on time, and after everyone had found their luggage (thankfully there was none lost in transit!), we headed for the long drive to Krakow. Once we arrived, we toured the old Jewish quarter of Krakow, named Kazimierz. The quarter was named after the 15th century king of Poland, who invited Jews to come and settle in the city. We toured a number of ancient synagogues, from the oldest and most traditional, to the newest synagogue known as "The Temple", and understood the essence of what Jewish life was through the centuries in poland. We examined the relationship that Jews had with the surrounding society, and we ended the day with a trip to the Galicia Museum, a museum which visually portrays the rich history of Jewish life in the area of Galicia, and the tragedy that the shoah created in destroying whole communities of Jews.
After arriving at our hotel for the night, the shnatties had a peula based on the work of Julian Tuwim, a famous Polish and Jewish poet. It raised difficult questions of the dilemma of Jewish and national identity and how to reconcile those tensions.
The second day was a long day for the shnatties. We spent the day at the infamous concentration and death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. The morning was spent in Birkenau, which is largely untouched and preserved as it was during the Russian liberation. The afternoon was spent at the Auschwitz I camp, which is the site of the world-renowned museum. Through the day the workshop groups examined what camp life was like, and how these camps represented the reality according to the Nazi vision - one of hierarchy and inequality. The day ended with the first of the workshop/shnat run tekkesim (ceremonies), where the shnatties were given responsibility to create a communal expression for the memory of the place.
In the evening, after returning back to the hotel, the shnatties had a peula and discussion on the essence of humanity. Looking at texts and poems from Hannah Senesh and the Rambam, the workshoppers discussed what the essential elements are that make a person human. Given the difficult content of the day, the shnatties had plenty to say!
On the third day, the group started at the notorious labour camp of Plaszow. Having watched Schindlers' List on the bus, it gave the group an important insight into the experience of Jews in Krakow and Plaszow during the Shoah. We headed from there to a tour of the Krakow Ghetto, which included parts of the ghetto wall still standing, as well as the famous pharmacy which kept spirits up during the Ghetto period. We also visited the old chava (communal living space) of the Akiva youth movement during the time of the Ghetto, and understood that their lives and experiences were based on very similar codes to the shnatties' experience this year. We ended the morning by speaking about the Krakow uprising, when a Nazi-frequented cafe was bombed by the members of the youth movement. For lunch, the shnatties got a first-hand feel of polish life, with 2 hours free time in the Sukiniece market square in Krakow. Here they were free to buy what they wanted for lunch, as well as idle through the market square and coffee shops.
We then headed out of Krakow, and took the long journey to Lublin, where we arrived late and subsequently did not have a peula that evening.
The following day we started with a visit to the recently renovated Chochamei Lublin Yeshiva. The Yeshiva was a centre of Chassidic thought and study before the Shoah, and was only recently returned ownership to the Jewish community of Poland. We then toured the city of Lublin, visiting buildings that were used as centres of policy during the Nazi regime. When the Nazis occupied Poland during World War II, Lublin became a regional centre, and many high-ranking SS and Gestapo offices were living in the city. We visited the old Gestapo headquarters, as well as the old Nazi party headquarters. We discussed the Nazi lifestyle, and how it infiltrated into all elements of life - culture, study, home life, even socializing.
In the afternoon we visited the Mjadanek concentration and death camp. With big parts still standing, it was an eerie experience for the shnatties. We walked through the gas chambers and crematorium, as well as through the old bunkers of the inmates. We also arrived to the large monument at the end of the camp, which holds 7 tonnes of ashes, a testament to those who were murdered at the site. The day ended with another tekkes to commemorate that place, before we left Lublin and headed back to Warsaw.
That evening, the shnatties had a peula based around the famous letter from Albert Camus - the 4th letter to a German friend. It brought up questions surrounding the content of the days' places, and looked at the ways of dealing with despair and finding hope in humanity and human interaction.
Our first full day in Warsaw started with a tour of the old and largest of the ghettos in Poland during the Shoah - the Warsaw ghetto. At its' biggest, the ghetto held up to 450,000 Jews, and took up almost a quarter of the city in its' size. We toured sections of the old wall that are still standing, as well as some of the old buildings that still stand from the ghetto period. We spoke about leadership dilemmas in the ghetto - ranging from the spiritual and youth leaders, to rabbis, to the Judenrat - what their approaches to leadership during the time were based on, and how they dealt with responsibility over their communities.
Then we headed to the Jewish cemetary of Warsaw. The cemetary is huge and we only got to see a small part of it, but we did manage to see some of the more distinctive graves and people buried there. Among them we spoke about Adam Czerniakow, the first head of the Judenrat of the Warsaw Ghetto during the shoah period, as well as Ludovic Zamenhof, creater of the Esperanto language, who are both buried there.
In the afternoon we visitied the national monument for the Polish Uprising of 1944, and spoke about the tragedy of the uprising act, in which massive numbers of Poles were killed. We also gained more insight into the modern day Polish culture, with a visit to the old city square of Warsaw. Originally destroyed during the War, it was rebuilt to resemble the exact old square of the city, complete with a statue of a mermaid in the middle - the symbol of the city.
After returning to our hotel, the shnatties started the first part of a two-part peula. The peula revolved around readings from the book "During the days of destruction and revolt" By Tsivya Lubetkin. Tsivya Lubetkin was a member of the Dror movement and one of the leaders of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. The readings examined what the movement was doing during the days both just before the war, and during the war, and the discussions went into depth about how it related to Habonim Dror today, and what we see as our role in society.
The penultimate day started with a drive out to the old Jewish shtetl of Tykocin. Originally in the area annexed to the USSR at the beginning of the war, the Jewish community of the shtetl was virtually destroyed in two days after the Nazi conquest of 1941. We started our visit at the famous old synagogue, which still stands nearly 400 years after it was established. We also visited the old market square where, on a fateful day in the spring of 1941, the 2,500 Jews of Tykocin were taken and driven to the nearby forest of Lopochowa, where they were shot and buried in mass graves. We drove the short journey to the forest and visited the 3 grave sites of the atrocity, where we ended with another meaningful tekkes, created by the workshoppers and shnatties together.
From there we headed to the memorial site of the death camp Treblinka. The infamous camp managed to murder almost 900,000 people over its' 12 months of operation, with the overwhelming majority of them Jews. Now a monument stands where the camp once stood, where the chanichim learnt about how the camp worked, as well as about the famous rebellion of the workers of the camp, who succeeded in escaping and alerting the world to the atrocities taking place there. The visit there, too, ended with a tekkes created by the hands of the chanichim.
We headed back to the hotel for our final night in Poland, and continued the discussions from the previous night, relating to the things we had seen through the day and the exciting itinerary coming up for the final day.
The last day of the journey was all about our movements' history both before, and during, the Shoah. We started the day visiting Grochov, which was the old Hachshara farm before, and even during, the war. Here, young 17-19 year old members of the Dror movement would come to learn farming and living communally, as well as learning and examining their future plans as a kvutza and their connection to aliya. We then headed to 34 Dzielna street, which is the site where the 'Bayit' (communal home) of Dror was during the Ghetto period. It was here that seminars were run, the movement leadership lived together, and the movement spirit was in action!
The afternoon all revolved around the heroic story of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. Starting from the memorial at the Umschlagplatz (deportation square) of the Warsaw Ghetto, the shnatties spent the next two and a half hours walking the path of the main battles and stories of the ghetto uprising of April 1943 - a heroic act guided by the youth movements from all streams. The discussions finished at the memorial at Mila 18 - the bunker where a large number of the ghetto and youth movement leadership were gassed and killed at the hands of the Nazis, including the Warsaw Rebellion leader - Mordechai Anilewicz.
We then headed to the Rappaport Memorial - a national monument in commemoration of the Warsaw Ghetto fighters, for our final and closing tekkes. Filled with emotion and personal sentiment, it was a befitting end to a week full of intense discussion and understanding, strong support, and large and varied content.
Before heading to the airport we did stop for dinner and were treated to a night of Polish folk dancing and music. As is tradition - the shnatties were also able to join in! Needless to say, it was a nice release after such a long week.
Within minutes of boarding the plane everyone was fast alseep, and upon arrival to Israel, they shnatties were whisked back to Akko for a few days of rest and relaxation.
The shnatties are back into the swing of things on kaveret now, and have started preparations for the annual "Pasechet" English-speaking camps which will take place in their locations for messima (volunteering projects)in the week before Pesach chofesh. Next weekend will be our annual May-Day seminar, which will be the first chance for the shnatties to meet and get to know the new Australian, New Zealand, and South African Shnat groups. We will be examing labour and exploitation in the world today, and the role of Habonim in our communities in creating solidarity and standing up against oppression, exploitation, and enslavement in all its' forms.
Woah - i need to take a breath! It has been a busy few weeks, but the ride still has a large section to go! I wish you all a shavua tov, and hope that you had a chag sameach for purim yesterday!
Until next time,
Leon.
Shnatties getting comfortable in the old Jewish quarter of Kazimierz, in Krakow
Shattie boys listening intently next to the old walls of the Warsaw Ghetto
The Shnat group next to the Memorial for the fallen of the Polish Uprising of 1944
The Tekkes group at the Lopochowa forest - commemorating the murdered Tykocin community
The Tekkes for the murdered at the Treblinka memorial
The traditional picture of the workshop and shnat groups in front of one of the sites of the roots of our movement - the former Hachshara farm at Grochov!
The Shnat group begins the Path of Heroism of the Warsaw Ghetto Fighters - at the deportation square memorial in Warsaw
The group singing "Mi Ha'Ish" at the ancient synagogue in Tykocin
Dancing it up for Polish Folklore!
Thursday, 20 January 2011
And now - a message from the shnatties themselves!
Hey Habo Dror you’re a real cool cat!
Finke and Hodar here with Shnat’s very late very first update! We’re currently sat on the walls of the old city of Akko, looking over the sun-drenched port of Haifa, the sparkling Mediterranean and the hustle and bustle of erev Shabbat in the holy land. (Jealous?)
After a wild night to mark the erection of our new XXXL Union Jack, the early morning wake up wasn’t embraced by the entire kvutzah. Nevertheless seven brave shnatties embarked on the long and arduous (15 minute) journey to the world (Israel) renowned Hummus Said (pronounced Sayeed not said). We joined the mile long queue to be seated, which moved remarkably quickly as the welcoming waiter was of course eager to meet his new friends from Habo. The group was divided over whether Hummus Said was the best Hummus in the world of in fact oily cement.
We then had a shmy around the market where we bought a variety of shuk-ey stuff including incense, sahleb cham, freshly squeezed juices and fake flowerbomb perfume. Hodar’s new necklace was ripped to shreds when he foolishly asked a camel-mounted jeweller to repair it. On a meander down a cobbled Akko street we saw a cool hippy-looking shop called The Shop for Meaning. We walked in and in the broadest Leeds accent the woman behind the till chirped ‘’iya!’ Turns out she knew all our ex-habo parents which was just great.
Bananas are my favourite fruit,
but they don’t make banana juice,
so we got fresh squeezed orange juice - from a juice cart.
(poem courtesy of Hod)
The reason why we passed said (pronounced said not Sayeed) cart was because we decided to walk the 4km to the Baha’i gardens. Of course, as a group of British Jews, it was our duty to fail and instead get taxis, which we did with unparalleled success!
Finally we made it to the Baha’i gardens where we slowly wandered through the tranquil gardens. Finke and I also stopped to chat with two Bahai’im of our age, who were doing their year of service in Akko and we found out all sorts about their religion, which I recommend you should Wikipedia when you get the chance. We could go on with elaborate descriptions but we think you’re probably getting bored now and the sun is beginning to set so…
Shabbat Shalom,
Lots of love,
Aleh Ve’Hagshem,
Shnat 10/11
Finke and Hodar here with Shnat’s very late very first update! We’re currently sat on the walls of the old city of Akko, looking over the sun-drenched port of Haifa, the sparkling Mediterranean and the hustle and bustle of erev Shabbat in the holy land. (Jealous?)
After a wild night to mark the erection of our new XXXL Union Jack, the early morning wake up wasn’t embraced by the entire kvutzah. Nevertheless seven brave shnatties embarked on the long and arduous (15 minute) journey to the world (Israel) renowned Hummus Said (pronounced Sayeed not said). We joined the mile long queue to be seated, which moved remarkably quickly as the welcoming waiter was of course eager to meet his new friends from Habo. The group was divided over whether Hummus Said was the best Hummus in the world of in fact oily cement.
We then had a shmy around the market where we bought a variety of shuk-ey stuff including incense, sahleb cham, freshly squeezed juices and fake flowerbomb perfume. Hodar’s new necklace was ripped to shreds when he foolishly asked a camel-mounted jeweller to repair it. On a meander down a cobbled Akko street we saw a cool hippy-looking shop called The Shop for Meaning. We walked in and in the broadest Leeds accent the woman behind the till chirped ‘’iya!’ Turns out she knew all our ex-habo parents which was just great.
Bananas are my favourite fruit,
but they don’t make banana juice,
so we got fresh squeezed orange juice - from a juice cart.
(poem courtesy of Hod)
The reason why we passed said (pronounced said not Sayeed) cart was because we decided to walk the 4km to the Baha’i gardens. Of course, as a group of British Jews, it was our duty to fail and instead get taxis, which we did with unparalleled success!
Finally we made it to the Baha’i gardens where we slowly wandered through the tranquil gardens. Finke and I also stopped to chat with two Bahai’im of our age, who were doing their year of service in Akko and we found out all sorts about their religion, which I recommend you should Wikipedia when you get the chance. We could go on with elaborate descriptions but we think you’re probably getting bored now and the sun is beginning to set so…
Shabbat Shalom,
Lots of love,
Aleh Ve’Hagshem,
Shnat 10/11
Wednesday, 19 January 2011
Kaveret kicks off in style!
Hello again all of you Shnat fans!
Well it indeed has been a very busy period of Shnat during December & Jaunary. The shnatties left kibbutz Ein Dor, after a final week of fun and sikkum (summary), which included a great hike up the greatest landmark in the area - Har Tavor! And on December 19, they entered the next big phase of their workshop year - Kaveret. Arriving in Akko full of excitement and enthusiasm, the shnatties set about making their house a home, and adding their personal touch to create their surroundings just as they envisioned.
Their first week in their kaveret house was a preparation seminar for their big journey to come. The week examined such issues as post-modernism today, and the challenges of ideology and educating values in a post modern world. The shnatties watched fight club, and understood the real-life scenarios of loneliness and creating meaning in someone's life in society today. The chanichim examined tikkun olam, and the role of education in creating a world as we envision it, according to humanist values in the vision of the prophets. The shnatties also spent plenty of time to discuss what it means to work as a 'tzevet' (team), and had a long and crucial asepha to work out which tzevetim they would be doing their 'messima' (means mission - refers to their educational roles in schools and clubs in the coming 5 months). And, they also spoke about safety and security, as well as getting to know about their city on a super siyur of the area! I don't know about you guys, but i'm out of breath just thinking about it!
The shnatties are active members in three different areas of Israel - cities, age groups, socio-economic standings, and backgrounds. Their messimot deal with:
Akko - the biggest tzevet of shnatties works in 2 schools in their home town - a Jewish school and an Arab school. They also work in an afternoon learning club, with wide and active methodologies and a lot of one-on-one work.
Hadar - the second tzevet works within the school system in Haifa - with many Russian immigrants and poorer socio-economic families. They are also acitve in an afternoon club in the area.
Kiyum Meshutaf - the final tzevet works within the arab villages in the area of the galil - educating arabs in middle and high school in English, while being exposed to the rich and unique arab lifestyle within the village.
After an action packed week - the shnatties then headed off for a week and a half of well earned rest during chofesh. Although from what i understand, it seemed for some it was even more busy and tiring than shnat itself! Phew!
The shnatties made their way back to karmiel on january 3, ready to start the next phase of their workshop year, and were straight back into the routine of learning, social action, and deep discussion.
This week the shnatties have been in full swing in messima, and have been settling into their surroundings in Akko very smoothly. There are many things still to come on the Shnat calendar - this weekend is their first Poland prep seminar, with a second to come in February, and our journey to Poland taking place between march 6-13. We also have a seminar with our 'chava achot' (sister chavot - communes of hanoar haoved 18 year olds going through a similar year experience as the shnatties) in February, and many many more things!
I'll leave you there for now. But i'll bring some photos in next time!
Until then,
Leon.
Well it indeed has been a very busy period of Shnat during December & Jaunary. The shnatties left kibbutz Ein Dor, after a final week of fun and sikkum (summary), which included a great hike up the greatest landmark in the area - Har Tavor! And on December 19, they entered the next big phase of their workshop year - Kaveret. Arriving in Akko full of excitement and enthusiasm, the shnatties set about making their house a home, and adding their personal touch to create their surroundings just as they envisioned.
Their first week in their kaveret house was a preparation seminar for their big journey to come. The week examined such issues as post-modernism today, and the challenges of ideology and educating values in a post modern world. The shnatties watched fight club, and understood the real-life scenarios of loneliness and creating meaning in someone's life in society today. The chanichim examined tikkun olam, and the role of education in creating a world as we envision it, according to humanist values in the vision of the prophets. The shnatties also spent plenty of time to discuss what it means to work as a 'tzevet' (team), and had a long and crucial asepha to work out which tzevetim they would be doing their 'messima' (means mission - refers to their educational roles in schools and clubs in the coming 5 months). And, they also spoke about safety and security, as well as getting to know about their city on a super siyur of the area! I don't know about you guys, but i'm out of breath just thinking about it!
The shnatties are active members in three different areas of Israel - cities, age groups, socio-economic standings, and backgrounds. Their messimot deal with:
Akko - the biggest tzevet of shnatties works in 2 schools in their home town - a Jewish school and an Arab school. They also work in an afternoon learning club, with wide and active methodologies and a lot of one-on-one work.
Hadar - the second tzevet works within the school system in Haifa - with many Russian immigrants and poorer socio-economic families. They are also acitve in an afternoon club in the area.
Kiyum Meshutaf - the final tzevet works within the arab villages in the area of the galil - educating arabs in middle and high school in English, while being exposed to the rich and unique arab lifestyle within the village.
After an action packed week - the shnatties then headed off for a week and a half of well earned rest during chofesh. Although from what i understand, it seemed for some it was even more busy and tiring than shnat itself! Phew!
The shnatties made their way back to karmiel on january 3, ready to start the next phase of their workshop year, and were straight back into the routine of learning, social action, and deep discussion.
This week the shnatties have been in full swing in messima, and have been settling into their surroundings in Akko very smoothly. There are many things still to come on the Shnat calendar - this weekend is their first Poland prep seminar, with a second to come in February, and our journey to Poland taking place between march 6-13. We also have a seminar with our 'chava achot' (sister chavot - communes of hanoar haoved 18 year olds going through a similar year experience as the shnatties) in February, and many many more things!
I'll leave you there for now. But i'll bring some photos in next time!
Until then,
Leon.
Habo History Seminar - What a week!
I'm sorry guys - this was supposed to have been posted last month! Sorry for the delay
Hello again all you Shnat fans!
Well the last week on Shnat was the huge ride of challenge, questioning, and inspiration that has come to be known as 'The history of Habonim Dror Hagshama seminar.' This seminar is generally regarded as one of the most intensive and invigorating weeks on the workshop calendar, and this year was no exception.
The week started on Sunday with a visit to the Kinneret courtyard, where the beginnings of the modern kibbutz movement found its' roots. It was here that, starting over a century ago, young and ideological zionists found their way to Palestine to start a life of agriculture and 'kvutza.' The shnatties heard stories of the hardships and successes of these young chalutzim (pioneers) as they struggled to come to terms with their new ways of life in the future Eretz Israel, as well as some of the stories of the great leaders of the Socialist Zionist movement who were there for periods, such as A.D. Gordon and Berl Katznelson.
The shnatties were also guided through the kinneret cemetary - one of the most picturesque sites around the kinneret. There, they heard the stories of more of the early chalutzim of the zionist movement - such as Rachel the poet, Moses Hess, and the great Israeli songwriter - Naomi Shemer.
The morning was rounded out with a trip to one of the newest museums in the area - The 'Bet Telem Ha'aroch' (The house of the Long Furrow). This museum, on kibbutz Degania Bet, tells the story of the change in ways of life for a young person from Eastern Europe in coming to Palestine, where every room is full of actors who play the role of these young chalutzim.
Kinneret Courtyard - the founding centres of the kibbutz movement
After the morning, the shnatties headed out to visit the first Habonim kibbutz in the country - Kibbuta Kfar Blum. Kfar Blum had the first ever 'Garin' (group of members of the movement who made aliya together to kibbutz) of Habonim Dror, in 1939. At Kfar Blum, they spoke to Dooby Ben-Ari, who is from the first generation of young people on Kfar Blum. He spoke to the shnatties about the decline of the kibbutz movement, and his belief that Socialism can no longer work. Needless to say - it was a lot to take in for the shnatties through the day!
The evening peula for the shnattiers gave them a chance to put their acting abilities to the test - a rendition of the famous Yehoshua Sobol play - 'The night of the twentieth.' The play deals with similar themes of the day - it's a group dialogue of young chalutzim based on one of the earliest kvutzot in the country. It also gave the shnatties a chance to examine how their kvutza and experiences relate to those of young people 100 years ago, what things they wanted to take from them, and what things they felt were best left in history.
On the second morning, the shnatties headed out to kibbutz Amiad - one of the earliest Habo UK kibbutzim to be established. There they spoke with Lenny Levine, who is originally from Ireland , who spoke of his upbringing and experiences in Habonim during the 40s, and his aliya to kibbutz and the changes since. The shnatties then headed to Kibbutz Kfar Hanassi, to speak with Aryeh Wolfin - an oleh and vatik (veteran) of British Habonim Dror. Aryeh has been living on Kfar Hanassi for over 40 years, and spoke to the group about his own movement experiences, and his attitude to the changes and privatisation measures that the kibbutz has undergone.
The workshoppers then headed out to kibbutz Bet Haemek to speak with Salo, an oleh who is originally from Habonim Dror in Holland. Bet Haemek is home to many olim from Habo Uk, Holland, and North America, and was the last place which hosted the year-long shnat experience for Habo Uk in the early to mid 90s. Salo spoke about his belief that the movement needs to be responsible for Israeli advocacy, and that the movement needs to take the word of Zionism to its' communities.
The picturesque Bet Haemek
The evening peula examined the privatisation process on kibbutzim as a whole, the different methods of responding, and what it means for the traditional kibbutz movement today.
Day three, and the workshoppers were off to Kibbutz Tuval. Kibbutz Tuval was the last traditional kibbutz established by a Garin from HDUK, in the beginning of the 1980s. There they spoke to Neil Mercer, a member of the original garin. Now the majority of the member work in social action and education within Israeli society. It was a really inspirational experience for the shnatties!
The group then set off to visit kibbutz Eshbal. Once a military base, the kibbutz was given to our sister movement, Hanoar Haoved, who now have a thriving kibbutz of smaller kvutzot who live there. The kibbutz also has a boarding school for 11th and 12th graders, a horse ranch, and a seminar centre. It gave the shnatties a chance to examine what a newer kibbutz looks like today, with a younger community with closer day to day ties to a youth movement.
That night, the shnatties discussed the situation in Israeli society today, and whose role it was to take responsibility where once the kibbutz movement took responsibility for. They talked about what role Habonim members played historically, and what our role is today in Israeli society, in dealing with the socio-economic reality of what is around them.
The next day the shnatties headed out to see their first 'contemporary' Urban commune setting - Kvutzat Ogen (Anchor). Ogen is made up of 6 members of habo from around the world (of which i am one!), including three from HDNA, and two who served on the national mazkirut from 2002-04. Here they learnt about the state of the movement in Israel today, and what it was like in the years in Habonim where there was no active 'Hagshama' (actualisation) of the movement goals, in terms of aliya to Israel and taking responsibility over Israeli society and the Jewish world.
In the afternoon they headed out to Kvutsat Yovel (Jubilee), the first of the modern urban kvutzot of Habonim. There they spoke with James, a boger and ex-mazkir of Habo UK, where the workshoppers debated the 'swinging pendulum' of what a youth movement is, and the range between a general club, and a cult, as the two extremes of possibility. Needless to say, it was a rivetting discussion!
The final day of the seminar saw the shnatties visit the newest commune of Habonim in Israel - Mishmar Ha'am. There, they saw and heard what the lives of new olim and members of the movement in Israel were like, including the chance to meet three of the four previous members of the HDNA and Australian national mazkirut, who are now living and working in Israel, in a kvutza.
The seminar ended with a final peula, which had a lengthy discussion about what the members of a socialist zionist youth movement actually do, and whether we, as members of Habonim Dror, achieve those things. It gave the shnatties a chance to put everything they had seen and heard throughout the week into perspective, and really examine what the role of Habonim Dror is today, both in British society, and specifically in Israeli society.
As you can see, it was a really big week for shnat! Definitely full of challenging and inspirational stories, and definitely a chance for them to understand all of the history that has come before them, and a glimpse into what may lie ahead for the movement.
This week, the shnatties will be wrapping things up on Boneh, and will be leaving kibbutz Ein Dor next Sunday to head to their next destination - Akko!
Until next time,
Leon.
Hello again all you Shnat fans!
Well the last week on Shnat was the huge ride of challenge, questioning, and inspiration that has come to be known as 'The history of Habonim Dror Hagshama seminar.' This seminar is generally regarded as one of the most intensive and invigorating weeks on the workshop calendar, and this year was no exception.
The week started on Sunday with a visit to the Kinneret courtyard, where the beginnings of the modern kibbutz movement found its' roots. It was here that, starting over a century ago, young and ideological zionists found their way to Palestine to start a life of agriculture and 'kvutza.' The shnatties heard stories of the hardships and successes of these young chalutzim (pioneers) as they struggled to come to terms with their new ways of life in the future Eretz Israel, as well as some of the stories of the great leaders of the Socialist Zionist movement who were there for periods, such as A.D. Gordon and Berl Katznelson.
The shnatties were also guided through the kinneret cemetary - one of the most picturesque sites around the kinneret. There, they heard the stories of more of the early chalutzim of the zionist movement - such as Rachel the poet, Moses Hess, and the great Israeli songwriter - Naomi Shemer.
The morning was rounded out with a trip to one of the newest museums in the area - The 'Bet Telem Ha'aroch' (The house of the Long Furrow). This museum, on kibbutz Degania Bet, tells the story of the change in ways of life for a young person from Eastern Europe in coming to Palestine, where every room is full of actors who play the role of these young chalutzim.
Kinneret Courtyard - the founding centres of the kibbutz movement
After the morning, the shnatties headed out to visit the first Habonim kibbutz in the country - Kibbuta Kfar Blum. Kfar Blum had the first ever 'Garin' (group of members of the movement who made aliya together to kibbutz) of Habonim Dror, in 1939. At Kfar Blum, they spoke to Dooby Ben-Ari, who is from the first generation of young people on Kfar Blum. He spoke to the shnatties about the decline of the kibbutz movement, and his belief that Socialism can no longer work. Needless to say - it was a lot to take in for the shnatties through the day!
The evening peula for the shnattiers gave them a chance to put their acting abilities to the test - a rendition of the famous Yehoshua Sobol play - 'The night of the twentieth.' The play deals with similar themes of the day - it's a group dialogue of young chalutzim based on one of the earliest kvutzot in the country. It also gave the shnatties a chance to examine how their kvutza and experiences relate to those of young people 100 years ago, what things they wanted to take from them, and what things they felt were best left in history.
On the second morning, the shnatties headed out to kibbutz Amiad - one of the earliest Habo UK kibbutzim to be established. There they spoke with Lenny Levine, who is originally from Ireland , who spoke of his upbringing and experiences in Habonim during the 40s, and his aliya to kibbutz and the changes since. The shnatties then headed to Kibbutz Kfar Hanassi, to speak with Aryeh Wolfin - an oleh and vatik (veteran) of British Habonim Dror. Aryeh has been living on Kfar Hanassi for over 40 years, and spoke to the group about his own movement experiences, and his attitude to the changes and privatisation measures that the kibbutz has undergone.
The workshoppers then headed out to kibbutz Bet Haemek to speak with Salo, an oleh who is originally from Habonim Dror in Holland. Bet Haemek is home to many olim from Habo Uk, Holland, and North America, and was the last place which hosted the year-long shnat experience for Habo Uk in the early to mid 90s. Salo spoke about his belief that the movement needs to be responsible for Israeli advocacy, and that the movement needs to take the word of Zionism to its' communities.
The picturesque Bet Haemek
The evening peula examined the privatisation process on kibbutzim as a whole, the different methods of responding, and what it means for the traditional kibbutz movement today.
Day three, and the workshoppers were off to Kibbutz Tuval. Kibbutz Tuval was the last traditional kibbutz established by a Garin from HDUK, in the beginning of the 1980s. There they spoke to Neil Mercer, a member of the original garin. Now the majority of the member work in social action and education within Israeli society. It was a really inspirational experience for the shnatties!
The group then set off to visit kibbutz Eshbal. Once a military base, the kibbutz was given to our sister movement, Hanoar Haoved, who now have a thriving kibbutz of smaller kvutzot who live there. The kibbutz also has a boarding school for 11th and 12th graders, a horse ranch, and a seminar centre. It gave the shnatties a chance to examine what a newer kibbutz looks like today, with a younger community with closer day to day ties to a youth movement.
That night, the shnatties discussed the situation in Israeli society today, and whose role it was to take responsibility where once the kibbutz movement took responsibility for. They talked about what role Habonim members played historically, and what our role is today in Israeli society, in dealing with the socio-economic reality of what is around them.
The next day the shnatties headed out to see their first 'contemporary' Urban commune setting - Kvutzat Ogen (Anchor). Ogen is made up of 6 members of habo from around the world (of which i am one!), including three from HDNA, and two who served on the national mazkirut from 2002-04. Here they learnt about the state of the movement in Israel today, and what it was like in the years in Habonim where there was no active 'Hagshama' (actualisation) of the movement goals, in terms of aliya to Israel and taking responsibility over Israeli society and the Jewish world.
In the afternoon they headed out to Kvutsat Yovel (Jubilee), the first of the modern urban kvutzot of Habonim. There they spoke with James, a boger and ex-mazkir of Habo UK, where the workshoppers debated the 'swinging pendulum' of what a youth movement is, and the range between a general club, and a cult, as the two extremes of possibility. Needless to say, it was a rivetting discussion!
The final day of the seminar saw the shnatties visit the newest commune of Habonim in Israel - Mishmar Ha'am. There, they saw and heard what the lives of new olim and members of the movement in Israel were like, including the chance to meet three of the four previous members of the HDNA and Australian national mazkirut, who are now living and working in Israel, in a kvutza.
The seminar ended with a final peula, which had a lengthy discussion about what the members of a socialist zionist youth movement actually do, and whether we, as members of Habonim Dror, achieve those things. It gave the shnatties a chance to put everything they had seen and heard throughout the week into perspective, and really examine what the role of Habonim Dror is today, both in British society, and specifically in Israeli society.
As you can see, it was a really big week for shnat! Definitely full of challenging and inspirational stories, and definitely a chance for them to understand all of the history that has come before them, and a glimpse into what may lie ahead for the movement.
This week, the shnatties will be wrapping things up on Boneh, and will be leaving kibbutz Ein Dor next Sunday to head to their next destination - Akko!
Until next time,
Leon.
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