Hello Workshop Families and Friends!
It has been too long since the last update and for that I
would like to apologize.
Here is what has happened on Workshop in the last few
weeks:
Early November brought us to the Yitzchak Rabin
Seminar. This seminar was held in the
north of Israel in a place called Poriya.
200 Habos from all over the world plus some rain made conditions a
little soggy, but most every participant really chose to approach the whole
weekend with a good attitude and in the end the seminar was a major
success. There was a fantastic meeting
of cultures – this seminar is the only time in the year where all the English
speaking and all the Spanish speaking chanichim come together - and on top of that, the message of the
seminar, Peace, was an important one that was well discussed by all.
The week after the seminar the Yitzchak Rabin Memorial
Rally was held in Tel-Aviv. The rally
itself was preceded by a smaller rally put together by and for Israeli youth
movements that Workshop also attended.
Both rallies were very moving and meaningful, and it was another
opportunity for the Workshoppers to get out to the streets with the rest of
Israeli society to have their voices heard, this time in pursuit of the ancient
Jewish value of peace.
Other than Rabin related events, the Workshoppers have
been continuing on Boneh. The topics
have slowly moved towards the beginnings of Zionism, the formation of the State
and the institutions that preceded it, as well as the Arab-Israeli conflict and
the complex dilemmas that arise from it.
These topics have been complemented by trips all over Israel to better
understand the stories and ideas, including trips to Jerusalem, Tel Aviv,
Haifa, and the Golan Heights.
Currently the Workshopper are on the History of Habonim
Dror Hagshama Seminar (or Habo History for short). This seminar is a week of traveling around
Israel to meet the people that made history, that dug their fingers in the soil
of the nation to build the society we know today, all in the name of
Habonim. They meet old Kibbutznikim,
most of who grew up in Habonim in their home country before coming to found a
Kibbutz. They meet young pioneers who
are building a new Kibbutz movement of educators to continue the work of
creating a just society. They have challenging peulot at night to help them
process all the things they see and hear.
Today they went to the Kibbutzim Kfar Blum (the first Habo Kibbutz),
Kfar Hanasi (one of the oldest British Habo Kibbutzim) and Yizreel (a Kibbutz
founded by New Zealand and South African Habonim). There is more to say, but I’ll save it for
the next update, which I can assure you will be very soon.
Lastly, the Workshoppers were officially told the cities
they’ll be living in for Kaveret! George
and Mor’s kvutsa will be in Akko and Bria and Yotam’s kvutsa will be in
Karmiel!
They will be discussing their messimot (volunteering
places) in the coming weeks. Next week
is the final week of Boneh and then they have their Orientation Seminar for
Kaveret in their houses! I’ll tell you
all about it as the time comes.
