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
Thursday, 20 January 2011
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)