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.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Monday, July 30, 2007
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! 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.
Friday, July 27, 2007
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.
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.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
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.
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.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
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!
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!
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
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.
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.
Monday, July 23, 2007
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).
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.
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.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
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.
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.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
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.
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 18, 2007
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.
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.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
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!
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!
Monday, July 16, 2007
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.
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.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
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.
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.
Friday, July 13, 2007
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.
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.
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 12, 2007
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!
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!
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
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.
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:
Michael
To mail your MBIer please send to the following address:
[MBIer's name] - Habonim Dror MBIMore of an update later but I wanted to pass that along.
c/o Hanan Rubin - Israel Experience
Kiryat Moriah
3 Ha'askan St.
P.O Box 92, Jerusalem
91000
Michael
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
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.
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.
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.
Monday, July 9, 2007
MBI Flight Day
Dear Families,
Fast and Brief Update.
2:30pm Flight on its way to Israel.
4:00pm Flight on its way to Israel.
8:55pm Flight on its way to Israel.
Oaklanders flight to Israel at 11:55pm on its way shortly.
Detroit Flight set to land at Newark at approximately 11:40pm.
Detroit flight plus Rachel Minkoff set to depart on ELAL Flight tomorrow morning at 11:55am.
More to come but besides the the Oakland and Detroit flights, the day has overall been a success.
Thanks to all who helped,
Michael
Fast and Brief Update.
2:30pm Flight on its way to Israel.
4:00pm Flight on its way to Israel.
8:55pm Flight on its way to Israel.
Oaklanders flight to Israel at 11:55pm on its way shortly.
Detroit Flight set to land at Newark at approximately 11:40pm.
Detroit flight plus Rachel Minkoff set to depart on ELAL Flight tomorrow morning at 11:55am.
More to come but besides the the Oakland and Detroit flights, the day has overall been a success.
Thanks to all who helped,
Michael
Friday, July 6, 2007
3 Days until they fly to Israel!
Welcome again to the MBI Blog where I will be posting relevant and informative updates for your reading pleasures. The MBIers departure is very close and we in the office are excited and making all the final preparations for the travel days. I wanted to just add a few reminders and some information that is relevant.
For everyone travelling by bus at somepoint during travel. PLEASE BE PUNCTUAL! The buses are intended to leave shortly after their designated time as we want to insure that they will have plenty of time to get to the airport to make their flights. Please make it a priority to not be the one to hold up the bus!
Also before you leave your home please triple-check that your MBIer has their passport. Not having your passport will cause significant problems so please do your part to avoid the potential headaches that will be caused by forgetting.
For everyone with an e-ticket to New York: To check in all you need to do is show a passport at the check-in counter. The emailed e-ticket is purely for reference and your records. It of course can be a useful resource on your travel day and you should feel free to print it out as such. Again if you encounter any issues at the check-in counter please call me so we can make sure to resolve all issues quickly.
In case it was still unclear, for their flights to Israel we have the records of their e-tickets and the MBIers will need nothing else but their passports to check in for their flight to Israel.
Below you will see a list of the Kibbutzim they will be on during the Machatz time period starting on Tuesday July 17th. I will be sending a list shortly of which Kibbutz each MBIer will be on during that time period.
Shabbat Shalom,
Michael Kanter
Merakez Tochniot/Programs Director
Habonim Dror North America
For everyone travelling by bus at somepoint during travel. PLEASE BE PUNCTUAL! The buses are intended to leave shortly after their designated time as we want to insure that they will have plenty of time to get to the airport to make their flights. Please make it a priority to not be the one to hold up the bus!
Also before you leave your home please triple-check that your MBIer has their passport. Not having your passport will cause significant problems so please do your part to avoid the potential headaches that will be caused by forgetting.
For everyone with an e-ticket to New York: To check in all you need to do is show a passport at the check-in counter. The emailed e-ticket is purely for reference and your records. It of course can be a useful resource on your travel day and you should feel free to print it out as such. Again if you encounter any issues at the check-in counter please call me so we can make sure to resolve all issues quickly.
In case it was still unclear, for their flights to Israel we have the records of their e-tickets and the MBIers will need nothing else but their passports to check in for their flight to Israel.
Below you will see a list of the Kibbutzim they will be on during the Machatz time period starting on Tuesday July 17th. I will be sending a list shortly of which Kibbutz each MBIer will be on during that time period.
Merom GolanThat's all for now! I will be writing again on Sunday with the last few details to keep in mind.
Afik
Afikim
Sha'ar Hagolan
Ein Dor
Kfar Hachoresh
Gvat
Maoz Hayim
Shabbat Shalom,
Michael Kanter
Merakez Tochniot/Programs Director
Habonim Dror North America
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