Chag Sameach

Shalom and Chag Sameach to all,
Kaveret has been bustling along at a fast pace, with the intense realization to all that the Workshop end date is creeping closer and closer. Messimot have been in full swing and as Michael mentioned, many of the workshoppers were involved in special Pesach day camps the whole week prior (more of that to follow later).
A few weeks ago, the kvutsa from Acco went on tiyul (hiking) for 2 days in the Golan heights region. On the Thursday they walked from Nimrod's fortress all the way to the Banias waterfall. Nimrod's fortress was built in the crusades period and is 1 of 3 fortresses in the region (one of which is Beaufort, known to many after the contemporary Israeli film) and is the largest in Israel. From the top, you have a view of much of the Eastern Golan heights, together with the Hula Valley and the Naftali mountains. Suffice to say, on a clear day the view is spectacular. The workshoppers basically walked down the mountain to the area of the Banias and then along the Banias (Hermon) River to the stunning waterfall at the end. The hike was relatively comfortable and painless for all! That night, the group slept on Dugit beach, on the eastern shores of the Kinneret, after a sumptuous barbeque feast on the sand. On the Friday, the group walked in Susita - from above Kibbutz Ein Gev, all the way down, practically to the beach. It was also a comfortable hike, except for the end part which involved a very steep decline, requiring many workshoppers to sit down and slide part of the way!
Last week all the workshoppers went on a siyur (excursion) to the old Ein Harod cemetery. Ein Harod is famed as being the "1st big kibbutz" and was central to the development of the Kibbutz movement as a whole. It is crucial to hear some of the stories of those buried in the cemetery, in order to learn from history and important events that occurred. Through those stories we discussed many different aspects of leadership, particularly leadership from within a group; and also the concept of "paying a price" for a deed, as opposed to making a "sacrifice". We also had really excellent views of the Yizrael and Harod Valleys from the top of the Gilboa mountain ridge.
With only a few weeks left of programming, most of the supplementary Thursday classes (Israeli Society & Judaism) have finished. There are many upcoming 'chaggim' in Israel - Yom Hashoa, Yom HaZikaron, Yom Ha'atzamut together with May Day which will prove to be a very busy last few weeks of workshop. The schedule for the last few weeks roughly remains the same (bar the special events for the aforementioned days) with the final concluding seminar of workshop starting on May 15th.
Wishing you all chag sameach