MBI Tet Zayin 2007: A successful and meaningful summer Israel

Well MBI has come to a close with a hectic but successful travel day coordinated on both sides of the ocean. It was quite moving to see the group of 160 MBIers come out a bit tanner then when I saw them 5 weeks ago and clearly more of a group then before. The tearful goodbyes were a difficult challenge to overcome in my efforts to avoid missing connecting flights. There are some who say the measure of success at summer camp is the amount of crying on the last day and with that rubric MBI apparently was a success.

With all the hours and effort put in to the building and running of MBI, it was rewarding to be at the airport and see the friendships forged, connections made, and the new found love of Israel that this wonderful group came back with. I want to thank everyone who helped out on the travel day to make a rushed effort a success and making sure everyone made their connecting flight and bus. Thank you especially to Elana Shippen for her efforts that enabled the Vancouver/Victoria Miriamniks travel back to Canada to be successful.

Of course much of the credit due for the success of the program are the efforts of our Rosh Leon Schneider and the wonderful tzevet we hired. They spent many late nights working to ensure quality programming took place as well as working tirelessly to ensure the safety, security, and care of all the MBIers was looked after. Sarah Michaels-Levy, our techni(technical director), also worked tirelessly behind the scenes to coordinate any number of important logistical aspects to the program and was instrumental in the program's success. Leon and Sarah were the backbones on the ground and were vital to providing leadership and guidance to the tzevet(staff) and the MBIers themselves.

I also want to generally thank you the parents for your many efforts to voice support for our work in making MBI a success. This has been quite a challenge and learning process for me and I am glad that overall things have gone quite well and I am always open to and wanting to receive any constructive feedback you might have for the future. I look forward to being in touch and perhaps crossing paths as I will be visiting every Machaneh(camp) region as I did this past year. I hope everyone has a great rest of their summer and it is time to sign off as all good things must come to an end.

All the best,
Michael

Travel Day Update

Well the day so far has gone pretty well. Everyone got on their intended connecting flights with the Detroit flight having pushed from the gate and awaiting their take-off. Their flight as of this writing has been delayed to depart at 1:23pm and arrive in Detroit at 3:17pm. The Portland 2 have yet to depart but are currently on schedule and will be resting at the Central Office bayit(house) in Brooklyn. The buses departed a bit late but otherwise despite the rush of flights, this morning went pretty well. The Seattle flight apparently is coming in 30 mins late and as such might cause some delay in getting to Vancouver. The Shippen's will be in touch with an update. It's hard to believe its almost over but don't worry I'll be posting at least once more!

The Last Day and The Flights

Well I'll today's entry a bit in reverse. Everything went smoothly at Ben-Gurion Airport and both ELAL flights have taken off and are en route to JFK. We are excitedly awaiting their arrival and I will be at the airport bright and early to greet the MBIers and send everyone on to their final destination.

Today the MBIers got a bit of a sleep-in and had a wrap up peula(activity) where they talked about the program and what they were taking away from it and what they are going to bring back to the their communities and the ken. Then had a delicious lunch of cholent among the many options at the buffet in the dining room.

After lunch they headed off to their rooms to finish packing up and then had a final peula(activity) with their bus. They had some last fun, had last wills(where they give each other funny imaginary last wills) and got their bus shirts. They also finally got their official MBI sweatshirts that they had designed themselves. A final tekes(ceremony) was hold to mark the closing of MBI Tet Zayin and then a final Israeli dinner was had. Then they packed up the buses headed to the airport and as I have already mention got on their flights and are currently heading back to North America.

Tomorrow I again will be reachable on my cellphone at 917-822-2330 should any questions or issues arise.

For Galil Families: Saul Jaffe will be chaperoning the bus instead of Ilana Goldfus. Please make note of this change.

The Final Shabbat

First off as some of you may or may not have heard a shooting took place in Jerusalem in the Old City. The details of the attack are still being figured out but nobody from MBI was near the attack and everyone is safe and sound at the Neve Ilan hotel outside Jerusalem. The site of the attack was also at a location that is forbidden for us to take groups so the MBIers would never have been there in the first place.

That being said the MBIers did have a splendid day in Jerusalem. They started in the morning at the Biblical Zoo. The Zoo has animals that are mentioned in the bible and at each animal's habitat the biblical quotes are denoted as well. The Zoo is also home to some beautiful gardens which in combination with the unique animals at Zoo made it a fun morning.

Then they headed to Jerusalem's biggest kenyon(mall) where they got to have their choice of lunch and had sometime to do some shopping for those last minute goodies and gifts. Afterwards they headed back to Neve Ilan to start the process of wrapping up MBI. Each bus had its activities to reflect on what and where they had been and recognizing how far the group and the individuals had come from the beginning of MBI. Then they had time to clean up and get ready for the final Shabbat.

They had Mishpachot with their home machaneh(camp) followed by a final rousing, Rosh Story told by the illustrious Leon in his distinctive Australian accent. Kabbalat Shabbat and Shabbat dinner followed. The final oneg(play) was performed by Bus 1 who did their best to get the most and last laughs in front of the whole group.

Tomorrow they will have a short sleep-in and have two peulot(activities) to continue the sikkum(wrap-up) process. They will of course finish up packing, receive their official MBI sweatshirts which the MBIers designed and voted on themselves, and will have a closing tekes(ceremony) to mark the end of MBI Tet Zayin, the 16th and largest MBI that Habonim Dror North America has run. Then off to the airport they go to start their journeys back home to North America. I will be posting an update to the blog confirming the flights have taken off once I get the word from Leon.

The Miriam bus to Seattle will be chaperoned by Elana Shippen, mother of Nellie Shippen, who has graciously agreed to ride from Seattle to Vancouver. Also the travel plan listed below spells specific plans for regions with unique plans and everyone else whether from the Midwest, West Coast, or Toronto, or elsewhere will have their flights just as they did on the way to New York and will be escorted to their flights by the Habonim Dror staff. Lastly I will be in the office for a few hours tomorrow afternoon but can be most reliably reached by my cellphone if you have any pressing questions to ask me.

Shabbat Shalom le kulam(to everyone!)

Eilat and the countdown to the end...

Today the MBIers headed out from their hostel spend sometime in the Red Sea and having the opportunity to do some shopping. Each bus took their turn getting a guided snorkeling experience in the Red Sea. Swimming and getting to see the tropical fish was a pleasurable way to pass the time. When they weren't snorkeling they got to walk along Eilat's Tayelet(boardwalk) where they got explore the different wares of various Israeli merchants as well as getting to go to Eilat's Mall.

Then the MBIers headed to Kfar Hachof (The Village Beach) which is a private beach with a restaurant where the MBIers enjoyed a lovely meal while looking out at Eilat and the glistening waters of the Red Sea. After they digested their food the MBIers got some time on the beach and a chance to go swimming in the Red Sea. Having had short but immensely enjoyable time in Eilat they packed up the buses and headed off for a long bus ride North.

They arrived at their final stop of MBI at Neve Ilan where they will be staying until they head to the airport on Saturday night. There they got their rooms, had dinner and prepared for the final mesibah(party). With Shabbat coming up they had karaoke party to start the ending process of MBI Tet Zayin and the amazing five weeks that are coming to an end.

Tomorrow they will be heading to the Biblical Zoo which are located in Jerusalem and is home to both animals and gorgeous gardens. Then they will head to the Malka Kenyon(Mall) which is the biggest mall in Israel to have a final chance to buy any last-minute gifts or goodies to bring back home. In the afternoon they will head back to Neve Ilan to start doing some sikkum(wrap-up) activities and to get ready for shabbat and the typical customs ahead.

The travel information is listed in the post below. Only 55 hours until the MBIers are scheduled to land in JFK! (But who's counting right?)

Here is the Travel Plan(sorry about the bold but the blog is acting funny):

THE ISRAEL FLIGHT INFORMATION IS AS FOLLOWS:

Flight: EL AL #1

Departs Tel-Aviv at 1:00 am - Arrives JFK at 5:35 am

Flight: EL AL #3

Departs Tel-Aviv at 12:30am – Arrives JFK (New York) at 5:30am

Each flight will have about half the group.

Please Note: Myself and Habonim Dror staff will be at the airport to greet those departing and will assist with all connecting flights. If you are picking your kid up at the airport, please make sure we cross your name off our list before you leave.

Going to Philadelphia, Baltimore and Silver Spring

Those departing to the above mentioned cities will board a bus to the below locations.

Bus Drop Off Locations

1. Elkins Park - KI Synagogue: 8339 Old York Road. Elkins Park, PA 19027. Departure Time: Approximately 7:30 am Arrival Time: 10:00am. Please note if everything were to run perfectly its possible the bus could get there a little earlier. The chaperone on the bus will be Ilana Goldfus and can be reached at 609-558-1396 on the travel day. Please try not to bombard her with inquiries about the bus' whereabouts.
   
2. Baltimore - Beth Israel Congregation: 3706 Crondall Lane off of Owings Mills Blvd. Owings Mills, MD 21117. Departure Time: 7:30 am Arrival Time: Approximately 11:30am
3. Silver Spring - Montgomery Blair High School: 51 University Blvd. Silver Spring, MD 20901. Arrival Time: Approximately 12:30 pm The chaperone for the bus will be Hollis Architzel and can be reached at 646-267-1146 on the travel day.

Miriam Families from the areas of Vancouver, Victoria, and Seattle:

Miriam Participants from these areas will be bused to Vancouver on August 12th from Seattle, WA from Jet Blue Flight #175 Departing JFK on August 12th at 8:55am and arriving at Seattle Airport at 11:53am on August 12^th. The bus is scheduled to depart approximately at 1:00pm from Seattle and arrive at the JCC Parking Lot at 950 West 41 St at approximately 5:00pm.

All of the e-tickets are were sent out before the program's start via email which included both the departure and arrival tickets.

During the travel day I can be reached on my cellphone at: 917-822-2330
If you have trouble getting through and have an urgent question you can also call:
Kenan: 302-220-1762
Yona: 914-673-6114

If anything is unclear or for some reason you do not have a copy of your MBIers e-ticket please call or email me.

Masada, Dead Sea and Eilat here they come!

Today the MBIers awoke to the sunrise at 5am in the soon to be warm Bedouin tents where they slept. They were greeted in the morning with another round of traditional Bedouin tea which the MBIers apparently quite enjoyed and also had Israeli tea biscuits as morning snack before they headed off for their journey up Masada. After collecting water the MBIers headed off for their hike up Masada.

The hike up Masada early in the morning allowed the MBIers to avoid some of the desert heat while getting some of the stunning views of atop the mountain and the Dead Sea off in the distance. While on Masada the groups got to tour the ruins left behind and hear about the stories relating to Masada's story and its place in the Israeli and Jewish narrative. After the hike the MBIers set off for their special experience in the Dead Sea.

For those who forgot about various cuts and scrapes they had gotten earlier in the week the Dead Sea kindly reminded them. Of course floating the highly concentrated water was enjoyed as was utilizing Dead Sea mud rich in minerals. A one of a kind, in many ways a once in a lifetime opportunity was had for all. Afterwards they began their long trek further south in the Negev Desert down to Eilat!

When they go to Eilat they settled into their rooms at the Eilat Youth Hostel, ate dinner and prepared for the fun evening ahead of them on the Disco Boat. They set off on the boat a ways into the Red Sea and were able to see Jordan, Egypt, and even Saudi Arabia lit up in the distance. The boat had levels of dance floors and a fun night of dancing and games were had as the boat traversed the Red Sea.

Tomorrow the MBIers will be going to spend the morning snorkelling as well as having a chance to walk about the Tayelet(Boardwalk) and go to the Eilat Kenyon(mall) to do a little more shopping as MBI comes to an end. They will have lunch at Kfar Hachof(The Village Beach) and then will get to spend some time on the beach of the Red Sea as well as going swimming there. Then they will head out back North to Jerusalem where they will be staying until the end of the program. They will be staying at Neve Ilan which is set in the beautiful hills of Jerusalem and in the evening they will have a big final karaoke party as MBI enters its final days.

A quick overview of the travel plans with a note to start. New York today experienced some kind of crazy storm today including a small tornado that touched down about 15 blocks from where I live. This meant that not only did the basement where I live flooded, but transportation for much of New York came to a halt with Jamie spending over three hours getting to the office and Kenan effectively getting shut out by the trains stopping to run. In a nutshell we experienced some technical difficulties here and as such I will be giving a brief explanation of the travel plan followed by a detailed one tomorrow. Your patience and understanding is appreciated.

The 2 ELAL flights will land on Sunday August 12th at 5:30 and 5:35am respectively. From there the buses for Galil and Moshava will depart at approximately 7:00-30am and make the same stops as before. Everyone else will be helped to their connecting flights by my tzevet(staff). The Seattle flight is scheduled to land at 11:53am and will have a bus to Vancouver at approximately 1pm.

Heading down south

Today the MBIers wrapped up their time on Machaneh Kayitz (Summer camp) at Yaar Levi with their new found friends from HaNoar HaOved. As they awoke in the quiet of the forest, they had breakfast and a peula(activity) in the morning. The peula focused on talking about the Ken(local Habonim Dror activities during the year) for both Habonim Dror and for the Israelis from HaNoar HaOved. In Israel there is more of a culture of youth movements and groups and it was unique opportunity for each to compare the differences in their different movement cultures. The peula(activity) seemed to open both sides eyes to a lot of the realities Israelis and North Americans are challenged with.

Afterwards there was a closing ceremony to wrap up this special time period and ended with the MBIers receiving special chultzot(movement shirts) with one of a kind design and the Israelis receiving their own with its own design. Of course as a sign of friendship and part of appreciating other cultures, many people ended up trading shirts to show off something Israeli for when they get back and something North American for the Israelis. The MBIers packed up and got on their buses to begin their trek south.

By the time they finished all the fun and goodbyes with the Israelis it was late enough that the buses headed straight to Mamshit, the Bedouin tents, where they are staying for the evening. When they arrived they were welcomed in the big tents covered with many rugs where they sat down and were offered traditional sweet tea. There they learned from their Bedouin hosts about the history of Bedouins, their traditions, and culture of Bedouin hospitality that they are famous.

After relaxing with their tea and learning about the Bedouins, the main event of a delicious Bedouin meal was served. In the tradition of the Bedouins, huge platters filled with rice, hummus, meat, and salads were placed in front of the groups of MBIers, along with the traditional large pita breads that were freshly baked. Part of the tradition is to eat without utensils, utilizing the bread and hands to eat.

The quiet, sated MBIers got to sit out undernearth the desert sky where they found themselves able to relax in the quiet of the desert and admire the stars above. A medurah(bonfire) was started to provide some warmth and to facilitate some fun performances and singing to round out the evening. The MBIers found space on the mattresses in the Bedouin tent and went to sleep in the slightly colder then usual desert weather.

Tomorrow the MBIers will wake up with the sunrise and head off to hike up Masada and hear its story and look out on the desert beauty below. Then they will head to the Dead Sea to take advantage of the salty water and mineral-rich mud that the Dead Sea is famous. Then they will head down farther south to Eilat where they will be staying for the evening. At night they will get to have some fun dancing and get a taste of the escape that is Eilat on a Disco Boat where they will dance the night away.(Not too late though as they will have a big day ahead of them!)

August 6th 2007

Saturday the MBIers had a relaxing shabbat at Nes Harim, with a welcomed sleep-in. In the afternoon they had chugim(special interest group activities) lead by the madrichim(counselors) and themselves. They continued with their traditional shabbat with musicale(open-mic) and havdallah. They then set-off with those went on free weekend to start their next adventure during the Machaneh Kayitz(Summer camp) time period. This is when the MBIers will get to spend time with a large group of youth their age from our sister youth movement in Israel, HaNoar HaOved ve HaLomed, at the campsite of Yaar(Forest) Levi.

The campsite which is located near the Golani Junction, due west of Tiberias, is a secluded site situated in the woods and gives a more outdoor/camp sense as they are large tents with beds where they will be sleeping out. On Sunday the Israelis arrived at lunch which takes place in the dining hall also at the private Yaar Levi campsite. In the afternoon they were divided into groups where they took part in different outdoor training games with the goal and outcome to bond the MBIers and the new Israeli's they met.

For the MBIers this a chance to meet some Israelis their age who in many ways are similar to them are from various cities throughout Israel and belong to HaNoar HaOved(our sister youth movement) as do the MBIers to Habonim Dror. Their day of meeting and learning about each other's stories of growing up in different societies and youth movement experience continued with some fun in the evening. They had a fun night of various games all using apples in different zany games that found their own way to use apples!

Today the MBIers had some peulot(activities) with their new Israeli friends and had a chance to flush out the similarities and differences between them in an organized activity. They also got to explore how Judaism impacts and is part of both the Israelis and North Americans lives. In the afternoon they had chugim(interest group activities) ran by both the MBIand HaNoar Haoved madrichim(counselors) with a range of intriguing fun activities to take part. Afterwards they had a diverse cultural exchange in a special musicale(open mic) with both groups showcasing their musical talents and their different musical and languauge backgrounds. Tonight they will have a Beit Cafe(Coffee shop) well they will have activities in a relaxed, candelit atmosphere where they will get a chance to know the Israelis on a more personal level.

Tomorrow morning they will have a last peula(activity) with their Israeli friends from HaNoar HaOved and then pack and clean up the campsite. They will get on the buses and head south for their big excursion to the South of Israel. They will go to the Dead Sea where not only will they to be at the lowest point on earth but get a chance to go into the Dead Sea and feel the wonder of having no choice but to float. In the evening they will be staying at Bedouin tents where they will be greeted with traditional Bedouin hospitality, a delicious meal, and a night to sleep out in the desert.

As MBI enters its final week I am sure some of you are curious about the final travel plans. I will be posting all the details shortly but in brief the flights land at JFK at 5:30am and from there everyone will be catching a connecting flight, bus, or pickup home. I will post all the details very soon.

Free Weekend

Well the buses departed for Jerusalem, Tel-Aviv, and Haifa this morning and the drop-offs overall went smoothly. For the hearty bunch who stayed back a fun day was had. The morning greeted them with a hike at Tel Goded where they got to explore the caves there. The caves date back to the Macabees with one part of the caves involved reaching a room filled with holes with perches for pigeons. They also were underground in the caves climbing through some holes that at times were tight and small in order to reach the next part of the caves.

Then the group went to Old Nitzanim which is where a Kibbutz was founded with members of the 2nd aliyah. There the tragic tale was explained and shown to the MBIers of the Kibbutz's role in the Independence War and the battles and losses sustained there. There were many young people and young women who ended up fighting and its a sad tale of ideals and war's effect on them.

Then the group headed to the Harel Mall to get some lunch, escape the heat, and do a little gift shopping as MBI has a little over a week to go. Then they headed back to Nes Harim to rest, clean up and get ready for Shabbat. Then they had mishpachot(camp time) followed by the Rosh's Story told by Leon to an intrigued group. Kabbalat Shabbat and a nice Shabbat dinner followed. In the evening an oneg(play) was performed and as I type Rikud(Israeli dancing) is taking place followed by a basketball game for those still full of energy.

Tomorrow the group at Nes Harim will get the morning to have a genuine sleep-in and relax with optional breakfast and the first planned activity being lunch. In the afternoon they will have chugim(special interest group activities) led by the madrichim there followed by the usual suspects of Musicale, Dinner and Havdallah. In the evening the Free-Weekenders will be dropped off at 8:30pm to the various cities and MBI will depart the lovely campsite of Nes Harim to their Machaneh Kayitz(Summer camp) time period at Yaar Levi, set to start Sunday morning. Shabbat Shalom to all!

Thursday August 2nd

Today the MBIers took part in a variety of activities in the Jerusalem area. In the morning they went to the Museum on the Seam which is an interesting, progressive museum where they viewed an exhibit on equality. The exhibit explored the issue on a local and global level and looking at the issues involved in the creation of inequalities in the society and the world and the challenges to creating equality.

The buses at various points took part in the different aspects with some starting with the Sataf hike which is an hour or so hike that hikes through some of the hills of Jerusalem and involves a few small springs. It had some beautiful vantage points of the areas surrounding Jerusalem and was a great hike for them. Afterwards they went to the Mishkenot Sheananim neighborhood outside of of the old city of Jerusalem. There they got a tour there and learned more about the city of Jerusalem's history and the neighborhoods place in the incredibly diverse city that is Jerusalem.

The MBIers also went to the Shiloah Pool which is the location of one of the oldest Aqueducts in the world. It was fascinating for the MBIers to see a water tunnel system that dates as far back being built by King David. Of course learning about its importance to the city and its health add to the awe of such an old water system.

To cap off all their travelling and seeing different parts of the city and surrounding area the MBIers stopped in Abu Ghosh for some delicious local fare. Abu Ghosh is acclaimed for being the site of some of the best hummus in the country though of course Israelis will fight and disagree on which place or city actually has the best. Abu Ghosh is also a fascinating Arab village in Israel that has been at the forefront of a lot of coexistence efforts as well as being one of the only villages that fought with Israel during the War of Independence. There the MBIers got to have some delicious hummus, pita, and knafe which are the wonderful and uniquely bright orange pastries found in arab bakeries. The warm, syrupy pastries filled with a sweet goat cheese filling is just delicious and shouldn't be missed. They ended the evening with a peula back at Nes Harim.

Tomorrow the MBIers will depart for free weekend but those staying back have a fun day ahead as well. In the morning the MBIers will go to the Hulda forest where Beit(house) Berl is located. They will also go to Nitzanim which is where one of the first Kibbutzim from the 2nd aliyah is located and has quite a story in relation to the Independence war and the losses they sustained there. For lunch they will go to the Harel Mall in Mevassert Tzion where they will receive some money and get a chance to buy whatever they please for lunch there. We had to cancel going swimming as their is a lifeguard strike going on Israel. Bye for now!

Quick Free Weekend Note

The Jerusalem Drop-off point has been asked to be clarified: It is at the Soldiers House/Yad Lebanim which is on Rehov Ben Tzvi(St) and is between Gan Sacher and Binyanei Haomah. The drop-off again is 9:30am in Jerusalem and again at 8:30pm on Saturday night. If you have not called or emailed me already with your free weekend plans it is all but impossible for them to happen at this point (2:19pmEST).
Tel-Aviv 10:30am Redding Terminal see earlier posts for specifics
Haifa 11:30am Lev Hamifratz parking lot
8:30pm drop-off on Saturday night for all places.
Bigger update later.

Happy August!

Well the MBIers welcomed August with a day of learning, reflection, and introspection on their pasts and the collective pasts of Israelis and the Jewish people. The morning began with each bus going to Yad Vashem(Israel's Holocaust Museum) where they received a guided tour. The museum which was which was renovated 2 years has a unique design being a sort of long triangle that at the end there are windows piping light. In order to reach the light you have to criss-cross through each section of the museum, which spans from before the Holocaust looking at communities, through the end of the war exploring the many difficult topics and some of the more inspirational tales of righteous gentiles and the youth movements role in the war. The tour tries to focus on some of the aspects of the Holocaust without trying to overwhelm everyone too much by the enormity and difficulty inherent.

Afterwards the MBIers headed to Har(Mount) Herzl to get a tour and learn more about many of Israel's great leaders and historical figures buried there. Both Golda Meir and Yitzhak Rabin are buried there and being Israel's military cemetery, soldiers who fall in combat are buried there as well. It is an important place to see and learn about Israel's past and reflect on the hardships Israel has endured to exist as it does today in 2007.

In going through this very powerful day it was decided to be too much to do the Sataf hike and instead the groups sat together to process everything they saw and heard. It was a chance to ask questions, share feelings and emotions and try to discuss the signicance of everything they experienced.

The day ended on a lighter note as they returned to Nes Harim where they had a Medurah(campfire). There various MBIers performed various comedic acts, skits, sang songs, and generally celebrated being in Israel and being together as a group. It was a great way to end the day and affirm their collective experiences and to balance out the emotional day they had.

Tomorrow the buses will be heading to the Museum on the Seam in Jerusalem. They will also be going to the Shiloah Pool which is where one of the oldest aqueducts in the world is located. They will get to go hike Sataf and its springs in the hills around Jerusalem. The MBIers will also go to Mishkenot Sheananim which is of the first neighborhoods outside the old city to get a tour. Before they head back to Nes Harim the MBIers will make a stop in Abu-Ghosh for some of their famous and delicious hummus as well as knafe which is a delicious, warm Arab pastry that while being bright orange is filled with a sweet goat cheese filling and is definitely something to go out of your way to try at least once in your life. In the evening they will have a peula with their bus.

In terms of free weekend. The Saturday night drop-off for every location will be at 8:30pm. The buses will be at each location ready to go then so please make sure to be there on time. Also I have a small personal request to please try to call our office phone during office hours rather than my cellphone. Usually I am in my office from 9-6 so it would be appreciated to try to reach me there if possible.

Tuesday July 31st

Today the MBIers woke up and commenced their day of rotating through activities coordinated with the JNF. The groups took part in following three activities. The first component involved going to Habonim's forest to do a some avodah(work) to help tend to its health and upkeep. The forest which is near Kibbutz Tzorah underwent a small transformation as the groups took part in cleaning, gardening, and the general landscaping upkeep to keep the forest beautiful and continue to make us proud to have a forest with Habonim's name on it.

The MBIers also took part in some group missions and team building exercises at Nes Harim facing some group challenges that required them to flex their minds, muscles, and teamwork to overcome. The final component involved the unique experience of getting to get involved first hand with an archaeological dig. The groups went to the Yitra Ruins located just south of Bet Shemesh and got to learn about some of the intricacies of an archeological dig and take part in it. A few archaeological finds were made and really took hands on learning a step farther.

The MBIers came together for a delicious barbecue dinner which involved kebabs, veggie schnitzel, and of course Israeli salads and hummus to make it a complete meal. The evening involved a peula that began their preparation for the day ahead of them. Tomorrow the MBIers will be going to Yad Vashem(Israel's Holocaust Museum) which tends to be one of the more powerful days with a lot of time for reflection and processing of the Holocaust.

Tomorrow the MBIers will head to Yad Vashem in the morning where they will get a guided tour of the museum which was redone two years ago and really is powerful and meaningful part of their trip. Afterwards they will head to Har Herzl where many of Israel's leaders and soldiers are buried to talk more about the people who helped build the state of Israel and were integral parts of the state's evolution. In the afternoon they will take part in the Sataf hike which is located in the hills outside Jerusalem and involves a short hike that leads to few springs. In the evening they will return to Nes Harim and have a big medurah(campfire) to round out the day.

Lastly there has been a time change for the drop-off for the MBI free weekend. On Friday the pickup for Jerusalem will be at 9:30am. For Haifa the pickup will be at 11:30am. While Leon will be doing his best to be in touch with all the families please pass on the information as well to make sure all the information gets passed along.

MBI Super Update!

Well there had been quite an absence of writing from the blog but have no fear I am back and writing will proceed as normal. This weekend I was a bit under the weather coupled with moving apartments yesterday so here I am with a huge update for your reading pleasure.

Shabbat! Shabbat was a relaxing day on Sde Boker with the group getting to sleep-in and had a peula in the morning. In the afternoon they had Chugim(special interest group activities) led by the madrichim(counselors) as well as some MBIers led their own. Afterwards they went to Ben-Gurion's grave where a tekes(ceremony) where people spoke and read about him and reflected on his great role in the creation of the modern state of Israel. They also had musicale(open-mic), havdallah, and an evening of adventure.

The bus groups took turns taking part in a Scorpion hunt and visiting a snake zoo on the Kibbutz. The scorpion hunt involved walking through some desert near the Kibbutz with an ultraviolet light to try to find scorpions. Both activities were thrilling explorations of some of the feared creatures of the desert and everyone finished the evening braver than before.

On Sunday the MBIers left Sde Boker and headed for a day in Jerusalem. They started at the Sherover Promenade which has gorgeous gardens and overlooks the old city of Jerusalem. From there they got an overview of Jerusalem and its various neighborhoods. The groups proceeded to have a tour of the old city with a stop at the Davidson Center which has an interested focus on the second temple. There they have an interactive computer program with a picture of the second temple and shows where things are today in relation to it.

The groups also got a chance to stop at the Kotel and some time to reflect on the place and its relationship to Judaism. For many it is their first time at the wall which gives it extra significance as there is a truly special atmosphere at the Kotel with its obvious rich history and place in the Jewish narrative. The experience at the Kotel got a special twist as the Kotel had a special visitoras for those of you keep up with pop culture Akon was visiting at the same time as the MBIers. Pictures and autographs were had by some and it apparently add a new dimension their experience.

For dinner the MBIers got to stop in Ben-Yehuda which is a famous street and area around it for its stores and restaurants. There the MBIers got to partake in some delicious falafel and schwarma from some great places in the market. They also had an opportunity to walk around and explore some of the special things Israel has for sale. In the evening the MBIers went to the Time Elevator which is fun museum/movie/ride. There is a theater where the participants sit in seats where they put on restraints and watch a movie that explores the history of Jerusalem over the last 3,000 years and involves the seats moving and jostling them as they travel through time. Its a fun and educational way to learn about Jerusalem's history. Afterwards they went to Nes Harim, located near Bet Shemesh, which is where the group will be staying until Sunday. It is a beautiful site with cabins, a dining hall, and a great sense of the outdoors and machaneh(camp) that most people are used to from their home machaneh(camp).

Today the MBIers had a peula(activity) where they explored the issues of Democracy in Israel. The buses then headed off to Tel-Aviv where they split up and took part in the following activities. The group got a tour of Yafo(Jaffa) which included a sort of scavenger hunt with stops at places like the Old Clock Tower and the Cannons from Napoleon's wars in Israel. They also got to go to Shuk(market) HaCarmel where the MBIers got a real taste for an Israeli open-air market. There many were hawking their wares whether they be fruit, vegetables, shesh-besh boards(backgammon), Judaica items, or any number of wonderful baked goods. The smells, sounds and sights of the shuk are a vivid part of any MBIers memory of their trip. Of course some shopping and haggling took place as they walked around.

The MBIers also got to go the Hall of Independence. The hall is where Israel declared its independence and gives a first-hand look at where this momentous occasion took place and a chance for the MBIers to learn more about it and the significance and history involved. Afterwards they went to Kikar(Square) Rabin named after former Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin and the place of his assassination. There the MBIers got a chance to see the place where so much hope was placed and lost and understand the role that Rabin played in strengthening the state and promoting its prospects for peace. The MBIers took part in a tekes(ceremony) to commemorate the Yitzchak Rabin and all that the stood for. In the evening they returned to Nes Harim and took part in Erev Tarbut(Culture/Fun night) with their bus. Various games and fun activities were played to bond the buses and enjoy each other's company.

Tomorrow the MBIers will be taking part in a day incorporating elements led by the JNF. The MBIers will be taking part in three different activities that were arranged in coordination with the JNF. The MBIers will get the special experience of going to the Habonim forest, which is near Kibbutz Tzorah, and planting trees there. They also will get to do some group building, group challenges that will involve different games and activities. They also will get to take part in an archaeological dig at the Yitra Ruins which are located just south of Bet Shemesh. They will be having a fun and delicious barbecue for dinner and have a peula in the evening.

Well that hopefully brings you all up to speed on the goings on of the MBIers. Starting tomorrow Leon will be getting in touch with all the free weekend contacts to double check that they know the drop-off locations and times. Of course it would be useful to pass along the information I already posted in the blog to your family and friends as well. If you have not gotten in touch with me about your MBIers plans for free weekend please email or call me ASAP. I have gotten a lot of requests in the last few days and if you are planning to wait much longer issues of space on buses might arise.

Shabbat on Sde Boker

Well this morning the MBIers departed from Nachsholim and headed south to Sde Boker where they will be staying over Shabbat. On the way down they stopped and had a great lunch where they had schnitzel for meat eaters and falafel for the vegetarians. A typical Israeli meal and of course delicious!

After reaching Sde Boker, the MBIers set out to on a hike in Ein Avdat. It was a beautiful desert hike that eventually led to a small waterfall. As they walked through some canyons the MBIers saw some Ibexes and as they reached the waterfall they saw small crabs frolicking in the small pool at bottom. It ultimately was a great way hike and start to the MBIers getting acquainted with the desert environment of the Negev desert.

Afterwards they came back to Sde Boker where they had to some time to prepare for Shabbat and also had their laundry taken to be cleaned. They had Mishpachot(families) where each camp got to reunite and sit together and have some time to reflect on their individual bus experiences and spend sometime just with their friends from home. Then they heard the Rosh's story, had Kabbalat Shabbat and had Shabbat dinner.

In the evening Bus 3 performed an oneg(play) which brought some comic relief and general merriment to the group. Rikud(Israeli dancing) followed with great enthusiasm by the MBIers. The night was rounded out by a group of MBIers playing a game of late night basketball.

Tomorrow they will have a much appreciated sleep-in followed by breakfast and a morning peula(activity). There also will be chugim(special interest group activity) led by the madrichim(counselors) and they will walk to Ben Gurion's grave where they will have ceremony to reflect on Israel's first Prime Minister and his role in creating the state of Israel. They will also have musicale(open-mic performances), Havdalah and end the evening with a Scorpion hunt! It is a night hike where they will be lead by tour guides to try to spot these special creatures.

Here is the preliminary free weekend that pertains to Friday morning with the times being when approximately the MBIers bus will arrive:

Tel-Aviv: 10:30am at Redding Terminal which is by Park Hayarkon on Rokach Rd.

Jerusalem: 10:30am at the Soldier's House/Yad Lebanim

Haifa: tentatively 11:00am at the Lev Hamifratz parking lot.

If any of this is unclear to your relatives or cousins or yourselves, let me know and I will ask Leon to clarify further the locations of the drop/off pick up points.

Shabbat Shalom.

July 26th 2007, Its Hot!

It was a hot one today! It was 111F/44C and as such the morning tiyul(hike) in Caesaria was cancelled. Instead the MBIers stayed active but cool in the shade and on a water hike near their hostel, Nachsholim. Despite being a land of many water issues there are several great water hikes that the MBIers have now gotten to take part.

After the hike the group went to get a tour of Baron Rothschild's grave. There they learned about who he was an the integral role he played in funding and pushing for the creation of the state of Israel. As they learned previously he was instrumental in funding Rosh Pina which the MBIers visited earlier in the week. The group also got a chance to walk through the lovely gardens that are there in his name as well.

After lunch the the MBIers were back at Nachsholim where they split up into groups and had a peula(activity) with graduates of Habonim Dror who are currently living in Israel. They explored what its like for them to live in Israel, having largely come from North America, and talked about what it means to live out the movement's values. It apparently provoked a lot of good discussions and dialogue as the peula(activity) ran longer than intended.

Finally in the evening they had an activity by bus to have some fun and relax. Some of the buses played various games, some celebrated birthdays of MBIers on their bus and some time was spent on the beach of the Mediterranean which is a mere two minute walk from the hostel and is another gorgeous backdrop to a hostel they are staying.

Tomorrow they will depart Nachsholim and head south to Kibbutz Sde Boker which is located in the south of the country. It is famous as David Ben-Gurion(Israel's first prime minister) lived there. They will have lunch there and go on a short hike to Ein Avdat which will be the MBIers first taste of the desert landscape as they hike through Ein Avdat's canyons. They will return the Kibbutz and start to prepare for Shabbat as they will Kabbalat Shabbat, Dinner, Oneg(play), and Israeli dancing to round out their Friday evening.

Lastly I will not be in the office tomorrow as yet again duty calls me elsewhere but I will be reachable on my cellphone and I will be checking my email and of course posting an update on the blog. Also Leon has been trying to send me some pictures and the free weekend places but he has gotten tied up this week and will be doing his best to send it me soon. Thank you for your patience.

Departing from the far North

This morning the MBIers departed from their hostel at Tel Hai and headed south to Haifa. There the buses split up to take part in the two main activities during their time in Haifa. Buses 1&4 went to the Bahai Gardens which is situated on the eastern side of Mt Carmel where Haifa is situated. These stunning gardens are a multi-tiered garden that is focused on symmetry, balance and creating a peaceful, tranquil environment for everyone who goes there. The groups started at the top where there is an incredible view of the eastern side of Haifa, the Port of Haifa and Mediterranean, and if look down the steps and the road that it leads to the Sea, Akko is directly off in the distance as well as much of the North. The group went down the steps and got an explanation of the gardens, the Bahai faith and its relationship to Haifa. Not that any of the MBIers necessarily wanted to climb the hundreds of stairs, but only members of the Bahai faith who are on a pilgrimage are allowed to ascend the central steps of the garden.

At lunch they met up with buses 2&3 and prepared to do go to Hapaala(Illegal Immigration) museum where buses 2&3 had been for the morning. The Hapaala museum is a fascinating museum looking at the dangerous and heroic efforts made during the immigration. It also houses some old naval ships that took part in the immigration. There all the groups got a tour and a chance to appreciate another aspect of the hardships that many suffered to help create the State of Israel.

Afterwards they went to their hostel, Nachsholim, which is located south of Haifa, on the Mediterranean Sea. From there they went to Jerusalem for the Israel Experience Mega Event! The event took place near the Sultan's Pool in Jerusalem. There were 8-9000 participants of Israel Experience programs there and each group took part in a parade with a band playing classic Israeli music to greet each individual group. After some fun and short speeches their was singing, dancing and a concert by the Israel band Gaia, famously known to many in Habonim for the song Yahad. A fun and late night was had by all.

Tomorrow the MBIers are going to get to sleep until 8am! In the morning they will go to Caesarea to get a tour of the historic location. In the afternoon they will have two peulot(activities) the first of which will be run for the buses by their madrichim(counselors) and the second will bring graduates of Habonim Dror who are living in Israel. They will get a chance to explore what life is like for them in Israel and discuss where movement values and ideals are headed. Finally in the evening there will a more relaxed atmosphere, with a possible bonfire and a general chance to a breathe from all the hustle and bustle of the week.

A final note. To whomever is posting chapters of books on the Guestbook. They will be deleted and will not be delivered to the participant you are sending them. It is an infringement on copyright laws and I do not want to be party to any lawsuits that may stem from these actions.

Talk to you all soon!

Picture of Jilabun Hike

July 24th 2007

Well as you read this update you'll notice that it is quite different from what I wrote yesterday about the plans for today. The reason for this is that I told you the plans for tomorrow rather than the plans for today. Somehow Leon and I mixed signals on the days events so I prematurely told you about Wednesday. In any event the day's activities match the planned activities you all have on your itineraries and the description I gave of tomorrow still stands though I will copy and paste it to make everything clear.

So on to the actual activities of today. In the morning the MBIers hiked through Jilabun which is a great hike in Golan Heights. You can see a picture of it above and more are soon to come of the MBIers themselves.(Full Disclosure:The picture is not of the MBIers but from another trip) The hike took a few hours and involves some waterfalls and pools as pictured. It definitely affords the MBIers a chance to escape into nature on this hike and see more of what the country has to offer.

Afterwards they went to Ein(Spring) Tina which is a short water hike. The hike follows the spring to a small pool where the MBIers got a chance to splash around and cool off from the heat. Due to the need to stagger the buses, most the groups afterwards had a siyur(tour) of Rosh Pina. Rosh Pina is a wonderful city in the north situated on the side of the hill the Tzfat(Safed) resides and is lovely artist colony as well location of many bed and breakfasts that Israelis escape to for a weekend vacation. It has great historic connections as one of modern Israel's oldest cities dating back to the first aliyah.

After dinner everyone piled into the buses for a dose of Canadian culture as they head to Mercaz Canada(Canada Centre) which is located near Metulla. It was a fun night as the place has an ice-skating rink, indoor water slides and pool, and it even has a bowling alley. It was a great night to escape the heat and enjoy some good fun as a group.

Tomorrow(for certain) the MBIers will be departing from Tel Hai and heading south a bit with a stop on the morning in Haifa. There they will stop at the Ha'apala(Illegal Immigration) Museum and also get a tour of the Bahai Gardens. They will then head down to Jerusalem for an Israel Experience(our program provider) Mega Event with participants from all their programs in Israel. They will get to meet other participants their age, get see a little bit of the Old City, and as part of the event there will be a concert with the Israeli band Gaia, who sings among other songs Yahad, which is sung at many if not all the Habonim Dror camps.

July 23rd MBI Update Part 2

Today the MBIers woke up and headed out to to a hike at Hazuri. It is actually one of the more challenging hikes on the whole MBI tochnit(program). The hike took them over three hours and involved a lot of uphill and downhill hiking and at a few points some minor rock climbing. Everyone was a bit worn out by end the hike but the rewards of the beauty and overcoming the challenge of the hike was apparent.

Afterwards they went to Tel Hai where they had a siyur(tour) of the city and delved into its history and significance to Israel. They learned about its place in pre-state history and the story of Trumbeldor and how he fell in its defense. Tel Hai is also significant in its role in securing land for the state of Israel before and after its creation.

In the afternoon the MBIers headed to Kfar Blum which is both the first Kibbutz founded by Habonim members as well as being the launch site for kayaking and rafting on the Jordan river. The whole group had a blast as they got wet as a group and employed the kayaking and rafting skills they had learned during Machatz and before arriving in Israel.

After dinner they had a peula(activity) by bus exploring Tel Hai, its significance and exploring it as a metaphor for the the role they can play in the future. Part of looking at Tel Hai is to explore how certain actions have shaped the future of Judaism and the Jewish people and the MBIers discussed their role and the impact they can have in shaping the future of the Jewish people.

Tomorrow the MBIers will be departing from Tel Hai and heading south a bit with a stop on the morning in Haifa. There they will stop at the Ha'apala(Illegal Immigration) Museum and also get a tour of the Bahai Gardens. They will then head down to Jerusalem for an Israel Experience(our program provider) Mega Event with participants from all their programs in Israel. They will get to meet other participants their age, get see a little bit of the Old City, and as part of the event there will be a concert with the Israeli band Gaia, who sings among other songs Yahad, which is sung at many if not all the Habonim Dror camps.

A couple final notes. First some over-excited counselors had read out loud some Guestbook messages to their buses in a moment of short-sightedness. This practice has been addressed and will not happen again on the program. Also please keep in mind a few things when posting messages on the Guestbook. First off it is a great way to pass along pressing and relevant information to your MBIer. Please keep in mind that on top of the many responsibilities to programming and safety that Leon and Sarah(our techni/technical director) are always keeping on top of, the process of printing out the message can be time consuming, especially in the case of posting whole chapters of books as messages. Please continue to use the Guestbook as a speedy way to keep in touch but please try not to abuse its ease of use in order to not overburden our already hardworking tzevet(staff).

July 23rd MBI Update Part 1

On Sunday the MBIers bid farewell to their Kibbutzim to begin the next part of the MBI tochnit(program). In the morning the buses collected everyone from their Kibbutz and brought them to Mt. Ben-Tal which is located in the Golan Heights and is located just south of Kibbutz Merom Golan. A joyful and exciting reunion took place as all 169 MBIers reunited there and got to see there friends from home and the new friends they had started to make before Machatz started. They had a delicious lunch hummus, pita, and a variety of salads.

After lunch the buses each set off on their own hike on and around Mt. Ben-Tal. Hiking around Mt. Ben-Tal gave the MBIers the chance to see Syria off the distance and really begin to grasp the proximity of Israel's neighbors. They learned about the nearby military base and '67 and '73 wars and their impact on Israel and its neighbors. Part of all these discussions were to consider the Golan Heights and its place in Israel and the complex history behind its annexation. They got to look and see the Valley of Tears where one of the bloodiest battles took place during the Yom Kippur War of 1973. Seeing all these places first hand really puts into perspective the wars they have heard about or studied but now the MBIers have seen first hand where things actually took place.

Buses 1,3, and 4 also got to Tel Facher which is near the Lebanese border, while Bus 2 spent some extra time at Mt. Ben-Tal soaking the many different historical aspects of the area. Tel Facher again gave the MBIers another chance to appreciate and understand the political situation as they not only saw Syria off in the distance but Lebanon was also close-by, all seen in a day, in a fairly short journey.

In the evening they went to the hostel they are staying called Tel Hai. It has a gorgeous view of the Hula Valley and is a quiet area in the North for the MBIers to stay. After dinner they had a peula(activity) with their bus looking at the impact of ongoing conflicts on society, with Israel as the clear case study. During the MBIers time they in Israel they will be exploring Israel and much of its complexity from understanding to the people as they did on Kibbutz to exploring a deeper understanding of trying to grasp what its like live in society that in many ways in perpetually in conflict.

Today in the morning they will be going to Nahal(river,stream) Hazuri to do nice hike there. They will also go to Tel-Hai and tour and learn about its story and place in Israeli history. In the afternoon they will be going Kayaking at Kfar Blum just to be sure that everyone had their chance to Kayak down the Jordan river. In the evening they will again have a peula(activity). I will be giving an update about the day's activities later though.

Just to clarify a few things. First off I have been and will continue to be in New York for the duration of the program. Leon and I talk on a daily basis to give me updates which enables me to write these detailed blog entries. Also just a reminder about Machatz. Everyone took part in the major components of having an overnight tiyul(hike), avodah(work) project, and of course meetings and fun with Kibbutzniks their age. The variations in programing lie in the fact that each Kibbutz developed its own program that took the above mentioned components as the foundation for their planning.

Lastly while everything about the program on the Israeli side is meticulously planned and organized, Machatz is a busy time for Leon and the madrichim(staff) as MBI is spread out on 8 Kibbutzim who each had their own unique program which Leon was making sure to stay updated on and visit all the Kibbutzim many times throughout the Machatz time period. Delivering the Guestbook was a bit delayed as such, but things are back to normal and I will be deleting the vast majority of messages today as they have been delivered.

The Last Few Days of Machatz

Well I am writing you all from beautiful Machaneh(Camp) Gesher where unfortunately the dialup internet has not been cooperating with my efforts to update the blog. At last though the internet connection has been restored and a big update awaits.

Kibbutz Gvat on Thursday went on their tiyul which included having the chance to go kayaking. In the evening they came back to the Kibbutz and after dinner played a rousing game of Who wants to be a Millionaire in Hebrew and English. On Friday they went to beach in Haifa where they got a chance to enjoy the Mediterranean and relax a bit as the week was coming to an end. In the evening after shabbat dinner the MBIers and the Kibbutzniks their age sang Karaoke at their clubhouse. Last night they went out to the movies and where they had a chance to see the latest Harry Potter movie.

Kfar Hahoresh on Thursday were on tiyul where they went on a hike to the Banias river and also went to Nimrod's Fortress which is a Crusader's Fortress. On Friday they continued their tiyul with a kayaking trip and in the afternoon finally returned to the Kibbutz. In the evening Shachar (one of the four licensed tour guides) told the Rosh's story which is part of a tradition that some of the machanot(camps) have where the Rosh(head counselor) tells a story to the whole machaneh(camp), and it tends to be fun or serious story with a message to contemplate on Shabbat. In the evening they celebrated Shabbat by having disco party with the Kibbutzniks their age on the Kibbutz. Shabbat was spent doing more relaxing activities and preparing for the week ahead.

Ein Dor on Thursday was also on tiyul and got their chance to go kayaking and enjoy the river and the thrill of the ride. On Friday they had more social activities with the Kibbutzniks their age, played games, and got some down time to get ready for Shabbat. On Shabbat they had very interesting day of mixed relaxing activities. In the morning they went on a short hike that was walking distance from the Kibbutz and ended at a beautiful waterfall. In the afternoon they had a meditation session with a Buddhist monk who lives on the Kibbutz, which was a very special and unique experience for the MBIers. Finally in the evening they had a big medurah(bonfire) where the MBIers put on small performace for all the Kibbutzniks their age and some of their families.

Meoz Hayim on Friday had a lot of fun as they got to ride around the Kibbutz on tractor rides. For lunch they had pizza and escaped the heat in the afternoon with some movie watching. On Shabbat they had a barbeque and the evening had a disco with the Kibbutzniks their age as their time on Kibbutz was coming to an end.

Afikim started their day on Thursday doing their avodah for the Kibbutz which involving doing some landscaping and beautification projects. In the afternoon they went rafting at Kfar Blum and slept out at camp site. In the morning they woke up and went on a water hike at Nahal(river) Hatzbani where parts of the hike actually involved walking the river. For lunch they stopped at a well known place called Abu Salach where they ate some great falafel. To round out Shabbat and the week they had a fun movie marathon to relax and escape the heat.

Afik on Thursday went on a tiyul and got to see some different parts of the Golan Heights which included a stop at Gamla. They stay and swam at the Labnun beach on the Kinneret. On Friday they continued their tiyul with a stop at Naharayim which has a memorial for some slain Israelis just south of Ashdot Yaakov. In the evening they got to have some fun with the Kibbutzniks their age, dancing away at a disco.

Sha'ar Golan on Thursday were on tiyul at the Chalutzim beach on the Kinneret. In the evening they came back to the Kibbutz and cooked dinner together where they made a delicious pasta meal and ended the night watching Shrek 3. On Friday they finally got to do some avodah for the Kibbutz doing a few different projects with anything from working with at kids house, with the cows at the refet(barn), or on painting project. In the afternoon they went a museum on the Yar Mukim Culture, had pizza's they made together for lunch and played some soccer. In the evening they got have a Shabbat dinner with their host families, which added a special touch to their experience and ended their night with a disco with the Kibbutzniks their age.

Merom Golan apparently was having so much adventuring on tiyul and spending time on their Kibbutz that they had not yet confirmed with the Leon all the great details of their time when I spoke with Leon Friday afternoon. Rest assured they are doing well and were scheduled to have some time on the Kibbutz, doing activities with the Kibbutzniks and having some relaxing Shabbat activities.

I am hoping that I might be able to give another update later about today's activities but getting a signal at Gesher has been challenging at times but I will be speaking to Leon this afternoon. If all goes well with my flight back to New York I hope to be able to give another update.

Machatz Continues...

Today many of the Kibbutz groups were off on adventures for the tiyul part of their Machatz experience. Of the many activities they all did today I'm going to give small updates from each Kibbutz of the some of the things their days consisted. Merom Golan for example was out on the Kinneret where to they got do some fun water activities including banana boating and kayaking on the Kinneret. Banana boating is where the MBI participants got to ride on a "banana" being pulled by a motor boat.

Ein Dor and Afik were also at the Kinneret today to enjoy the water, sand, and do some hiking nearby. Afik spent their time at the Kinneret at the Lavnun beach. Gvat and Kfar Hahoresh were also on tiyul(hike) exploring more of what the land of Israel has to offer in its nature and hiking in the Golan Heights and the areas surrounding the Kinneret.

Afikim went as far north as Kibbutz Kfar Blum where they launched into the Jordan River on their kayaks. While they are not quite the rushing rapids of some of the mighty rivers of North America, the MBIers definitely get a thrill and get wet on this fun adventure down the river. Sha'ar HaGolan had a more relaxing day on their Kibbutz and are rounding out their evening with a viewing of Shrek 3.

The MBIers on Maoz Hayim had a different and more serious day with their Kibbutz. Today was the 1st yahrzeit of a soldier from the Kibbutz who had been killed in the war with Lebanon last summer. The MBIers had a peula(activity) in the afternoon about the war last summer and in the evening went to the memorial that the whole Kibbutz attended. It was a more somber day but an important learning process to remember the hardships that Israeli society suffers at times due to the political situation. It seemed to also personalize the war as not being about violence and fighting in a far off land but how the value of one human life can and does affect a community.

Tomorrow through Sunday I will be at Machaneh(camp) Gesher, near Toronto. If you have any pressing question please call my cellphone as I will not be in the office tomorrow. Additionally I will most definitely be posting on the blog tomorrow but due to my travels its possible that it might be much later that I would hope.

Wednesday July 18th

Well Machatz enters its first full day with a wide range of activities that transpired on our 8 Kibbutzim. In order to help you all better locate where the MBIers are now or at other times in the program I have found an even better map website where you can even search for places and cities. I have listed the website on the right side but I will put it here as well: http://www.atlasct.com/global/israelenglish/. The site uses transliteration for many city names and occasionally is not the same English spelling that you or I might be used to. Hopefully between these maps and the blog you should be able to keep pretty good tabs on where your MBIer is throughout the program.

As I started mentioning, the MBIers activities today were quite varied. First off most of the Kibbutzim have host families for the MBIers which definitely adds a special dimension to their experience. Today, for many of the MBIers, was their chance to do some avodah(work) for the Kibbutz they are staying on. One project today on one of the Kibbutzim involved working in the orchards doing fruit picking. Another group worked in a vineyard planting and working with the vines and grapes. One of the groups even got to plant trees for their Kibbutz.

One of the groups woke up from sleeping out and completed their hike of Nahal Yehudiya, which has beautiful trails and has five small rivers that each lead to waterfalls. It is located in the heart of the Golan Heights and is a great place to spend a day in nature. Another group is heading out to a different Kinneret beach to sleep outside with the Kibbutzniks their age and prepare for their own hike in the morning.

Another group got a full tour of their Kibbutz and got an in depth look at the history and changes that their Kibbutz had undergone. One of the groups got a treat in taking a field trip to Nazareth and where they walked around the shuk(market) of this beautiful and diverse city. Most groups will be going on their planned tiyul(hike) tomorrow while the groups who have already will be doing many of the activities the other Kibbutzim already have done. Machatz ultimately has been a great time thus far to relax and explore, with time at the pool, get togethers with the Kibbutzniks their age as well as those who have host families, and some time to soak in and reflect on their MBI and Kibbutz experience.

Tomorrow I hope to have more Kibbutz specific updates as the MBIers will be more settled and while Leon will be continuing his daily travels, he'll hopefully have some more updates specific to each Kibbutz. Leon during Machatz will be travelling around to all the Kibbutzim to check in on all the groups and make sure everything is going well. He has done a lot of driving in the past two days and has several more days of driving ahead of him but he was in good spirits and it seemed to him that MBIers were really having fun on their individual Kibbutzim.

Machatz Begins!

The MBIers got an early morning wake up call by the beautiful sunrise this morning on Chof Dugit where they were sleeping out. They had an early breakfast, packed up, got on their buses and headed off to begin their time on Kibbutz. As each group got dropped off at one of the 8 Kibbutzim they began their varied times and experiences ahead on their Kibbutz. Each Kibbutz has its own schedule of activities for the MBIers and as such each group will have similar but occasionally different experiences. As such I will be trying to report on the various goings on as Leon will be spending his travelling from Kibbutz to Kibbutz to check-in on the groups and get first-hand updates that I will passing along. So here's a taste of what the MBIers have been up to on their first day.

On one Kibbutz they started their time by playing some icebreakers with the Kibbutzniks their age and play sports together. After settling in a bit they had a fun evening activity of participating in a Beit Cafe(literally coffee house) but often in Habonim Dror language means more than just going to a coffee shop. It was a fun activity where they got to sit in coffee shop setting and be served coffee shop type drinks from the counselors while playing games, sitting in groups and rotating around to ask questions that go beyond the surface level, and generally is a relaxed way to spend time and get to know everyone in the group better. In the morning the group will be learning about labor on a Kibbutz as they will actually planting a vineyard for the Kibbutz.

Another group has already headed out to do the outdoor/hiking component of Machatz. They are at Yehudiya where they will be going on a hike in the morning. At their campsite in the evening they had a campfire where they not only got start bonding with the Kibbutzniks their age, but they got have a delicious dinner of kebabs, hummus, Israeli salad, veggie food and more. This group is quickly learning the all that Israel's great outdoors has to offer.

One of the other groups got to the Kibbutz, settled into their living situations and headed to the Kibbutz pool to meet their new Israeli Kibbutznik friends. They got a chance to swim, relax, and play some icebreaker games with the Kibbutzniks their age. In the evening they too had a bonfire and a delicious dinner similar to those camping out. To cap off the evening they had a "disco" party at the clubhouse for Kibbutzniks their age where they got to dance to some favorites and hear some Israeli pop music as well. In the morning they will be heading off to have their own work experience working in one of the Kibbutz's orchard.

The experiences on Kibbutz thus far seems quite positive and are just another part of the experience of really understanding the different aspects of Israeli culture and society first-hand. Some of you might have been able to hear from your child via the internet as some of them have had a chance to access the internet. Some of them even posted a comment on the last post I made. Also for those you trying to reach your children via their cellphones, their time on Kibbutz while busy, will leave them with a healthy amount of downtime which might give them that extra time to call home. Generally speaking whenever they have free-time though they can call home and often the best times to reach them is 6:30-8:30pm and around 10-10:30pm. Lastly please remember to put your child's name and bus number in your Guestbook messages. More about Machatz adventures tomorrow!

Yom Habonim Dror

This morning the MBIers finally bid farewell to their lovely rooms at Ohalo as they packed up and got on their buses to head down for their big day at Yom Habonim Dror(Habonim Dror day) The day by and large was a huge success with over 500 members of Habonim Dror coming together for a fun, educational, cross-cultural experience like no other. The over 500 participants came from no less than 11 different countries including Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Mexico, Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil, the U.K., Holland, and of course the U.S. and Canada.

When they arrived in the late morning at Sdot Yam, they were greeted with cake and coffee and listened to a speech given by the long-standing Gizbar(Financial Director) of World Habonim Dror, Rami Zdafee, who has taken part in many previous days and seen the movement and program change over the years. This was followed by a peula(activity) that mixed up all the participants into many groups. They proceeded to get to know each other and where everyone came from and eventually put on little skits and compared the differences and similarities of Habonim Dror in their home country. For example the US and Canada are unique in that other countries do not have the same culture 1-2 month summer camp experiences as most have week-long to 10 day camps. Some countries the emphasis is specifically on the ken,(yearly activities) twice a week in some places!

This was followed by lunch and some time to relax and have some fun on the beach. The MBIers had a chance to go swimming for the first time in the Mediterranean. There apparently was some sort of inflatable pyramid in the water that they could climb up and then slide down into the water. The afternoon was also a continuation of bartering and trading of Habonim Dror paraphernalia from across the globe. Many of the MBIers are going to come home with funky shirts from the many different countries they met people.

Before the day ended their was a tekes(ceremony) to close out and give out Chultzot(Movement shirts) and red strings to all the MBI participants. Of course just be sure that the MBIers have enough Habonim Dror stuff to bring home, they also received Green Yom Habonim Dror shirts and also Habonim Dror water bottles. The accumulation of exciting things to bring home begins!

Afterwards they headed back to the Kinneret to Chof Dugit where they are spending the night. They had dinner there followed by a big Medurah(campfire) where everyone sat around and sang kumzitz(campfire songs) with every machaneh(camp) adding its own songs and flavor. As the sky darkened and the stars began to fill the sky, the MBIers sang and began to settle in for their night sleeping out.

As many of you have noticed tomorrow they are heading off to their respective Kibbutzim for machatz. In the morning they will pack up and then be driven to their Kibbutz where they will be dropped off with their group and their madrichim(counselors). They will get a chance to settle in there and begin to meet the Kibbutzniks their age and the coordinators and counselors running the programming during their time on Kibbutz. I sent out the lists today so hopefully you all should have them soon.

MBI marches on

Shabbat as I mentioned before, was a relaxing peaceful day at Ohalo. The MBIers got to sleep-in to the late of hour 9am and after breakfast started the day with a peuloa(activity) about Kupa(communal fund). In their bus groups they discussed what Kupa meant to them, how they hope to see it work and ultimately what it's place is in their lives and in Habonim.

In the afternoon they had Shabbat Chugim(Special-Interest activities) which ranged from drawing, music appreciation, reading, to discussions on Israeli slang, Judaism and even the '60s. This was followed up by a rousing musicale(open-mic), dinner and Havdallah which was framed by the Kinneret, Golan Heights, and twinkling lights of Tiberias off in the distance. Then MBI went to Hamat Gader which is a wonderful hot springs and capped off their peaceful day with a dip in some pools that are filled with water from hot springs. It was very quiet and relaxing there and a great way ultimately to finish off Shabbat and get ready for a full week of MBI coming up.

Today(Sunday) the MBIers headed off in the morning some exciting challenges ahead of them. Buses 1&4 started the day off by doing Snappling/Rappelling near Kibbutz Metsuba where many of the MBIers learned about the excitement and thrill of this challenge. They then met up with buses 2&3 for a fun lunch of pizza where they got to swap stories and hear about buses 2&3 morning in Akko. Buses 2&3 had morning trip walking through much of the old city of Akko which is a fascinating, diverse city and many of the streets they walked through were the same ones that Napoleon Bonaparte walked through! In the afternoon Buses 2&3 got their chance to go rapelling fresh off hearing the stories of the other 2 buses. Buses 1&4 went to Lochamei Hagetaot(Ghetto Fighters) which is a museum on a Kibbutz by that same name, where they got to learn about the Holocaust and the role of youth in ghetto uprising, specifically the links of Dror(as in Habonim Dror) to the Warsaw Ghetto uprising.

It was a packed day that was capped off in the evening with meeting with the coordinators and counselors from the Kibbutzim they will be spending machatz. Tonight they will get to learn more about the different Kibbutzim they will be spending 5 days on during the Machatz time period which starts on Tuesday. They will get to know the Kibbutz and people from MBI that they will be spending time with as well as meeting some of the contacts from their Kibbutz.

Tomorrow MBI will finally be saying goodbye to Ohalo as they pack up and head off for one of the most exciting days of MBI, Yom Habonim Dror(Habonim Dror day). The big event which is comprised of everyone from Habonim Dror either on a summer tour program like MBI or on a year program like our Workshop will take place at Sdot Yam. It will be huge gathering of hundreds of Habonim Dror members and the trading of ideas and paraphernalia from all the countries that will be there including the UK, Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, Australia, France, Uruguay, and Mexico among others, will make it a day to remember.

In the evening they will head to Chof Dugit on the banks of the Kinneret where they will have a big dinner and medurah(campfire). They will get a chance to enjoy the outdoors and even sleep under the big sky and stars above. They also will be having a big ceremony where they will finally be receiving their chultzah tnua(movement shirts) which are our blue shirts with red strings. For us and many of the MBIers this is a very special and momentous occasion in their Habonim Dror lives as they continue to grow and hopefully will be the future leaders of the movement, Israel and greater Jewish community of North America.

Well that was quite an update if I do say so myself. On Tuesday the MBIers will be having their laundry done and they will get it back by Friday. Also I have noticed that some people have been posting comments to their MBIer on the comments section of the blog. That is fine by me but they will not be printed out and distributed and will only be viewed if your child reads the blog. The Guestbook still remains the best way to get messages across in a quicker method.

The First MBI Shabbat

After another early morning wake up call the MBIers headed out to Kibbutz Eifat to see their museum on early settlement life. The museum had 8 stations setup with actors who portrayed and presented different aspects of their lives during the pre-state time period. The MBIers learned about the building of the roads, the sacrifices of those who made aliyah, and a lot of the issues that faced the early Kibbutzim. From the dining hall to working the fields to the Children's house, the interactive museum was great for looking back at Israel's foundation.

For lunch they stopped at a Chinese restaurant in Katzrin called Chai Tai. The MBIers enjoyed their lunch and were even more excited to stop at lovely ice cream shop nearby where they slowly waited in line to get their own scoop of delectable Israeli ice cream. They are all slowly (or perhaps quickly) learning about the joys of eating Israeli ice cream especially during the heat of the summer.

In the afternoon the buses had to split up and two of the buses had a short tour of Tzfat (Safed) and the other two went to Mizpe Gedut. In Tzfat they got to see bit of the city, its architecture its place in Israeli and Jewish history. The buses that went to Mizpe Gedut got to hear about the Golan Heights and the role of Eli Cohen and the Six-Day war in Israeli society and geographic makeup.

They came back to Ohalo in the late afternoon and had a chance to rest and clean up for the coming Shabbat Queen. They had mishpachot(family time) which is a custom at most if not all machanot to split up into smaller groups before Kabbalat shabbat and have some to reflect on the week and be with friends or family from camp. On MBI this means spending time with your home machaneh(camp) kvutsa(group and getting a chance to touch base with everyone despite all the travel and being split at times.

After a filling Shabbat dinner they went down to the beach of the Kinneret which again is a stone's throw from their rooms. The madrichim(counselors) performed this week's oneg(play) which I am sure was quite hilarious. Afterwards they danced Rikud(Israeli dancing) on the beach which as I write this they are still dancing with the Kinneret nearby and the moon in sky above.

It so far has been a magical first Shabbat and the relaxed nature will continue tomorrow.
They will get to sleep in until 9am(On Friday they woke up at 7am and 6:15am the day before) and have a peula(activity) in the morning. After lunch they will have Shabbat Chugim(activities that the 
individuals get to choose which to go to)lead by their madrichim
(counselors) which are relaxed and often more serious discussion 
groups about various topics. Afterwards they will have Musicale(open-mic)
where anyone who wants to perform will have the chance and
later they also have Havdallah. Finally in the evening they will head to Hamat Gader
which is a wonderful, relaxing and ultimately fun hot
springs.  They will get swim or float in pools filled with water 
from hot springs and enjoy its health benefits and the 
wonderful smell that is sulfur.

I hope you all have a wonderful Shabbat. I generally speaking try not to work on Shabbat so I will try to post an update either tomorrow night or definitely on Sunday.

Shabbat Shalom.

Thursday July 12th

Well Thursday has come and gone in Israel and another successful day of MBI was had by the MBI participants. The morning started early to beat the heat and still manage the two hour hike they had in store for them on Mt Arbel. Mt. Arbel which is just northwest of Tiberias, is a great hike with historical links to the Assyrians and King Herod. It also has beautiful views of the valleys nearby and the Kinneret off in the distance. The spirited hike which was staggered so that all the participants were not trying to do the same hike at same time. Afterwards buses 1 and 4 went to Ein Nun where they got to do a short hike enjoy a nice spring at the end of their hike. The other two buses did not have enough time to make it there but everyone met up for what apparently was a great packed lunch.

Apparently lunch on the go was quite good. For the meat eaters there were sandwiches with kebabs or chicken schnitzel and for the vegetarians there were omelet or corn schnitzel sandwiches as well as having a variety of salads in addition. After lunch they headed to Majrase where they had a short twenty minute hike to a spring where everyone got to get wet and swim who wanted. In the evening they had a peula(activity) again by bus with the goal of looking at the Goals, fears, and expectations of the MBIers as individuals and as a group. The day seemed overall to be quite successful as Leon overheard some MBIers saying, "This was the best day of MBI!" despite it being only the second full day!

Tomorrow also will be quite hot and we have to make a few changes to the itinerary as well. In the morning the group will go to the Eifat Museum which focuses on the settlement of Jezreel Valley, the 1st Aliyah, and Kibbutzim in the region. There are plays and a lot interactive parts to the Museum so it should an intriguing and informative stop. They will then head Tsfat(Safed) to have a tour of the city. They will explore one of the oldest cities in Israel and diverse population there and the elements of Jewish mysticism that really make the city a fascinating place which has a truly unique feel that you can only sense while being there. The city is also elevated on a hill with some great of views of the surrounding area.

They will come back in the late afternoon to have time to rest and get ready for Shabbat. One of the great parts of MBI is that despite all the newness and travelling involved in the trip, Shabbat is a time usually to bring back some familiarity and comfort to what is usually one of everyone's favorite part of the week at machaneh(camp). They will do Kabbalat Shabbat looking out on the Kinneret, have a nice Shabbat dinner and enjoy an oneg(play) put on by their madrichim(counselors). Finally the evening would not be complete with some Rikud(Israeli Dancing) in no better place to dance then in Israel itself!

I will be sending via email the bus lists for you all to look over. Once you receive the list please begin to post on the Guestbook with both your MBIers name and bus number this will help ensure the speedy delivery of the messages. Also as you may or may not have noticed, a day or two after the messages have been delivered I will be trying to delete them from the Guestbook site. Though if I haven't deleted your message, it does not mean the messages have not been delivered. Finally the comments section of the previous post and I think this one as well included some ordering information posted by an helpful, organized parent for getting the seventh Harry Potter book in Israel. Please see her post for more information.

Talk to you soon!

MBI in Full Force

As the post from last night suggested, today was the first day of MBI at full strength. The morning was a bit relaxed to help continue the MBIers transition to Israel and being on MBI. They had two peulot(educational/fun activities) one of which involved making Chocolate balls and using it as an example of how they should be an active part of their MBI experience.

In the afternoon they went to Hatzer Kinneret where they split up into 8 groups and were lead through guided tours of the story and location. Afterwards they went to the Kinneret Cemetery where many famous Zionist thinkers are buried such as AD Gordon, Borochov, Cirkin and even the famous Israeli singer Naomi Shemer is buried there. There the madrichim(counselors) and the tour guides staged some colorful and active perfomances of some of the lives of those buried there and it seemed to be well received by the MBIers. From there they walked back to Ohalo which was a short 5-10minute hike back.

In the evening they finally had an official MBI Opening Ceremony to symbolize the full start of the program. Afterwards the buses were finally announced and everyone split into their bus to begin getting to know the smaller group they will be spending a lot of time during the summer. They also participated in a peula(activity) ran by their bus madrichim(counselors). Leon will be sending me a list hopefully tomorrow that I will send out so everyone can see the bus lists and their corresponding madrichim(counselors)

Tomorrow will be hot enough (34C/93F) that a heat warning was issued and we will be making some slight changes to the itinerary as such. As of now they are planning to hike Mt. Arbel in the morning before it gets too hot and then go to Ein Nun which is a spring nearby where they will be able to get wet and splash around in the water. In the afternoon they will head to another spring to keep cool. They will come back a bit early to avoid the heat and finally have a peula(activity) in the evening.

Please note; When using the Guestbook please only make public postings as private posts will not be published. I noticed a few people had posted privately and Leon will not be able to print those out in Israel to distibute to the MBIers. Also please print clearly at the top the name of the MBIer that the message is intended for. Feel free to use any endearing nicknames afterwards but we just want to make sure your messages get delivered to the intended recipient!

Talk to you all soon.

MBI Address

Apologies for the long delay in getting the mailing address.
To mail your MBIer please send to the following address:

[MBIer's name] - Habonim Dror MBI
c/o Hanan Rubin - Israel Experience
Kiryat Moriah
3 Ha'askan St.
P.O Box 92, Jerusalem
91000

More of an update later but I wanted to pass that along.

Michael

Last Flight!

The last flight has arrived and is on its way to Ohalo. Thankfully all our flights have made it to Israel safely. Tomorrow I will most definitely post the address to send things via the mail so be on the look out for the post.
Good night.

MBI Commences!

Phew! It has been quite a busy 2 days getting everyone off to Israel but the last flight to Israel left this morning at 11:55am.

By and large everything went quite smoothly yesterday. With the unfortunate exceptions of the cancelled Detroit flight, extremely delayed Oakland flight, and the lack of air conditioning on the early Moshava bus. Due to these issues I had not posted earlier as Kenan, Jamie and I ended up staying at a hotel in Newark with the wonderful group of MBIers from the Detroit and took them to JFK early this morning for their flight to Israel.

The first 4 flights have arrived in Israel already and everything seemed to go just fine with those flights. As each flight arrived a bus and madrichim (counselors) were there to greet them at the airport and whisk them to the first place they will be staying which is called Ohalo, and it is a beautiful Kibbutz hotel situated right on the Kinneret(Sea of Galilee). The MBIers can walk out of their rooms and see the Kinneret as well as a stunning view of the Golan Heights. It truly is a great place to stay and start their journey this summer.


As the first three flights arrived, the majority of MBI was present and activities commenced on the program. They had a lovely summer snack of juicy, sweet Israeli watermelon which of course makes most American melons pale in comparison. They then proceeded to play several rounds of Icebreaker games led by their madrichim (counselors) and generally had some fun getting to know each other. Then they settled down and Leon(Rosh MBI) reviewed the rules and expectations of the program. They also had a peula (educational/fun activity) that was an introduction to Israel and a beginning to their acclimation and familiarizing process to the country. Overall everyone seems to be in quite good spirits and excited to be with the group!

Tomorrow morning they will have a couple peulot with the counselors. They will again be more activities to acquaint everyone in the group as the final flight will have already landed by then. It will of course also be more introductions to the program and some of educational goals we will be stressing throughout. It will also tie into the afternoon where they will go to Hatzer Kinneret which is located a very short drive from Ohalo and is location of where the first Kibbutz in Israel was founded. There they will begin to hear, see, and understand the story and foundation of the Kibbutz movement. It is a very fascinating and inspirational story to look back at youthful pioneers and their role in building the state of Israel.

Two quick reminders: Please remember when you are posting on the Guestbook to write the full name of the MBIer and once they get their bus number, the bus number as well. Also you'll notice I have added a link to the right side panel, and that I list below, that I think may be useful resource. It is an interactive map of Israel that details many of the places MBI will be going and often includes pictures and explanations of certain places. One for example is Hatzer Kinneret! Feel free to check it out: http://www.eyeonisrael.com/

Below their is a note for the families of the Detroit flight. Feel free to read it but that's all for now!

Michael

Detroit Families and Minkoffs: The Flight to Israel is ELAL flight 22 that is scheduled to arrive at 5:10am and I will post a message as soon as I hear it has landed. Unfortunately as many of you know, many of your children did not get their luggage as Northwest continues to earn its place as the Central Office's least favorite airline. Kenan and myself stayed after their flight left to check on the status of the missing bags and actually managed to identify almost all of them as they arrived to JFK on a noon flight from Detroit. However, one of Erez Brandvain and Olivia Hern's bag were not found but Northwest will continue to search for them, as will I. They are going to be sent to Israel via KLM airlines and probably will take another day or two before they make it to Israel.

In the meantime when they get to Israel we will make sure to buy them some clothes and toiletries and of course once I have more news about their luggage I will be letting you all know. It has been a trying ordeal but soon they will get to Israel and eventually they will get their stuff. I want to thank Renee Pinsky for all her efforts yesterday at the airport to help this great group through all these complications and getting them on another flight so that they could make it to Israel. I look forward to talking to you all soon and having some good news to report.