Hi everyone,
This past week has been a fairly standard one on Boneh, with the seminar theme focusing on Modern Enlightenment and the Realm of Choice. The seminars are moving into much more modern times, and hopefully much of the background the workshoppers have been looking at over the past month has laid a good foundation for these seminars and themes.

Through looking at the French & Russian Revolutions, the Bund, the Pale of Settlement, and the story of Moses Mendelsohn, the seminars sought to explain how emancipation led to the active participation of Jews in civil society across Europe. As a result, many Jews who earlier were practically locked out of the rest of society, turned to Jewish political movements (ie Zionism), or revolutionary movements or were able to emigrate to countries of better opportunities.

The chavura group this week had the theme of the Russian Revolution, and used an interesting method of a somewhat dodgeball-style activity. This week one of the kvutsot picked Jerusalem Artichokes with Table to Table, and the other kvutsa worked in various work branches on Netiv HaLamed Hey. Hadracha class this week looked at a basic introduction to Youth Psychology and general Youth Development.

Today the siyur (excursion) was to the settlement of Gedera (just south of Rehovot), to the museum on the history of Gedera and the Biluim. The Biluim, being the pioneers from Bilu - the first activist Zionist movement. The siyur comprised of both a tour in the museum, but also in the outdoor, surrounding buildings of the settlement. This siyur was an introduction to the upcoming seminar which moves into 1st, 2nd and 3rd Aliya and the Modern Zionist era.

Next week (aside from Sunday which is a regular day), the workshoppers will be on a 4 day hiking trip, mainly in the south of Israel. More information on this will follow in the next few days.

Housekeeping

As Workshop continues to hum along I wanted to address a few issues that have been brought to my attention. First off I would like to point out that by and large the program is going quite well. While at times minor frustrating technical issues have arisen, the seminars, tiyulim, and kvutsah experiences are going well. I also would like to apologize for delays in communication that have occurred recently. I continue to be slowed down and frustrated as it turns out I have a bone contusion in my right foot. That being said I will be making every effort to address all issues and concerns in as timely a manner as possible.

That being said a couple of issues which bear addressing and explaining have been brought to my attention. As some of you have emailed and called me about, there has been some issue with the quality and consistency of meals on Kibbutz. From my experience there and the feedback I have gotten from parents and the madrichim, often the meals in dining room are quite good or decent. Unfortunately at times the meals are just inadequate and this inconsistency is very problematic.

We have been working aggressively with the mitbach to address this issue of consistency at meals as parts of our agreement and meal plan with them have not entirely been held up on their end. It seems we have been making progress as some limited reports I have suggest that the food is getting better. I will continue to monitor the situation and assess what other measures might need to be taken to insure there is an acceptable meal and food situation for the Workshoppers.

It has also been brought to my attention that the computers in the moadon(clubhouse) have been broken. This has been frustrating on both sides as the PCs were apparently tampered with and have delayed the repair process. All the computers though are coming back online, albeit slower than was expected. There is still wireless internet and apparently a number of laptops owned by various Workshoppers so a connection to the internet should still be readily available.

Also in case it was not known to all the Workshop parents, but their is in fact a parents listserv that was created by a fellow Workshop parent. If you would be interested in joining please don't hesitate to email me and I will give you this person's contact information. The listserv is a forum for you the parents to talk to each other about your experiences and questions you might have for each other. If you have questions or concerns that you would like me to address I would strongly encourage you to contact me directly via phone or email if you would like a timely answer.

Lastly I will be going to Israel in the evening of November 12th until November 25th for a conference. I will also have the opportunity to spend some time with the Workshoppers and on Kibbutz to check in on how things are going. During that time I will be checking my email but will be slowed down in my response time. I will also be reachable by cellphone which I will keep on at all times and will give you all the number soon.

Hi again,
This week on Boneh the focus was on the period that lasts from the destruction of the 2nd Temple in Jerusalem, to the beginning of the Emancipation. This is a very large period of time, most of which is commonly referred to as the Great Exile, and it marks the beginnings of the Diaspora.
On Sunday, a giant board game was played which aimed to give all the workshoppers an overview of what was going on with the Jewish Nation throughout the Exile period; to understand and examine the decisions made by Jews to ensure their survival; and to start thinking about the complexities of survival in the face of persecution. A look was taken at the transition from Beit Hamikdash (the Temple) to the formation of the Synagogue in the Diaspora. A further look was taken at the concept of Messiah, and how that has shaped the Jewish people throughout the exile period.
On Tuesday, an in-depth look at Spanish Jewry started with the viewing of a video on Torquemada, the chief inquisitor in Spain. This was followed by a long discussion and overview of the Golden Age of Spain, followed by the Inquisition and subsequent Expulsion. Many fascinating facts were discovered throughout the discussion, as it was a topic that was new to many of the workshoppers. That evening, a chavura group ran a peula on the Spanish Inquisition, which involved a lot of candy and chocolates, and some very amusing skits!
The siyur this week was to the Diaspora Museum in Tel Aviv, which focuses on the question of how Judaism was able to persevere throughout such a lengthy period in Exile. The highlight was definitely the Synagogue displays where there was a model of the very uniquely designed Conservative synagogue from Elkins Park, PA, which some of the workshoppers are very familiar with! Afterwards, we traveled to Yavne, which is where the spiritual centre for Jews was created by Yochanan Ben Zakkai, which entirely shaped the way we look at Judaism up until today. All that remains of the original settlement which stretched back to Biblical Times is a small hill (tel) which is fairly dilapidated, but has great views of the area. We then had a short walk through the town to the Synagogue where Rabban Gamliel is considered to be buried. There we had a discussion focusing particularly on the Pesach Hagaddah and the influence Gamliel had in its creation.
This week some of the workshoppers also worked on the Kibbutz, at various branches such as kitchen, dining room, gardens and laundry. Other workshoppers picked beetroots with Table To Table.
This Friday & Saturday is a weekend seminar focusing on the legacy of Yitzhak Rabin z"l, together with all Habonim Dror Long Term Program Participants. The seminar will finish with the annual Rabin memorial ceremony, held at Rabin Square in Tel Aviv.
Shabbat Shalom

Hi again,
My apologies for the delay in updating the blog - we experienced some slight technical delays which I hope will not occur again!

To give a short recap of the past few weeks… The workshoppers last Wednesday (17^th) picked radishes with the Shulchan l’Shulchan (Table to Table). For those who don’t know, Shulchan L’Shulchan is a great project which aims to feed and provide for needy families with fresh and healthy food. So combined with having fun and some time outdoors, everything the workshoppers are doing is going to a worthy cause too. On Thursday (18^th) the excursion was to the Museum on the Seam in Jerusalem. Museum on the Seam is a unique museum in Israel, displaying contemporary art that deals with different aspects of the socio-political reality. It is also called the Coexistence Museum as most of the material it deals with, calls for listening and discussion, for accepting the other and those different from us and respect. After the museum, the workshoppers had processing time with their madrichim, before departing for a free weekend.

Also last week was the first chavura session, which is the peer-led sessions where the workshoppers together with the UK participants, are split into smaller groups with themes. Each group presents their peula on Tuesday nights, and last weeks was on the Story of Job.

This past week the seminar theme was "Sovereignty" and covered the period of time between the Egyptian exodus and the Roman exile (the Temple Periods up until the destruction of the 2^nd temple in Jerusalem). This was a chance to explore a period of time where the Israelites were primarily living “at home” in (ancient) Israel.

The seminars explored the differences between Priests and Prophets, Leadership, Kings and Civil Society (with a focus on King Solomon’s reign), Hellenism vs Judaism (To what extent did the Jews (both their leaders and the masses) embrace the surrounding values and culture and assimilate, and to what extent did they rebel and attempt to keep their own values intact?) and also different examples of Jews revolting (the Macabees & the story of Chanuka, Masada & the revolt against the Romans, Bar-Kochva)

The Excursion on Thursday was to Horbat Midras, which are also called the Bar Kochba caves. These caves were considered an ideological strongpoint, but were also considered very impoverished (as comparable to the nearby Tel Maresha caves which were considered to be very wealthy, but lacking in Jewish symbols), and were a vital link in Jewish defence and rebellion. Some of the walking involved squeezing through small cave openings, which proved a bit too claustrophobic for some of the workshoppers! Afterwards, the siyur continued to the Tower of David Museum in Jerusalem. The museum covers the history of the city of Jerusalem across the past 4000 years, focusing on the main events of each period. Afterwards, the workshoppers had processing with their madrichim in Jerusalem.

Also this past week the workshoppers looked at Communication, Delegation and Motivation in the weekly Hadracha class. The peula involved each kvutsa making a newspaper within a certain time limit, and various problem solving ideas.

The chavura group for this week led a program surrounding the birth of Christianity, using a very unique method of TV and commercial slots in the moadon.

The upcoming week is jam packed, with a Solidarity Event on Sunday night for the Kidnapped Soldiers; and seminars on the theme of Survival and Preservation, looking at the time period of the Exile until Emancipation, with an excursion to the Diaspora Museum and Yavne; together with all the usual Boneh activities.

Shabbat Shalom

Hi again,
Last Wednesday morning the workshoppers picked Butternut Squash and Green Bell Peppers, with the Table to Table project once again at Kibbutz Kvutsat Shiller next to Rehovot. Afterwards, they had Hebrew classes on the Kibbutz. Last Thursday, the excursion was to Neot Kedumim, a biblical landscape reserve, situated near Ben Shemen. Neot Kedumim has recreated the physical setting of the Bible, in an attempt to bring the Bible and its commentaries to life. The excursi0n there was in order to get a more visual and hands on feel for the stories which the workshoppers are reading.
This weeks seminar theme was the Exodus, continuing on in the story, and seminars were held on Sunday and Monday. The workshoppers revisited the concept of "Freedom To and Freedom From", looked at the Ten Plagues and devised modern day plagues in society, Nachshon - someone who wasn't afraid to take a leap of faith, and the Ten Commandments as a possible fundamental structure which is needed to create a model society. On Monday afternoon, the workshoppers had Hadracha class, and discussed concepts crucial to working as a tzevet (team).
This week has Yom Kvutsa on Tuesday, avoda and ivrit on Wednesday and an excursion to Museum on the Seam in Jerusalem on Thursday.

This past week, the theme on Boneh has been the introduction to the Tanach. On Sunday, the workshoppers had Hebrew class in the morning and then in the afternoon looked at stories of Creation and Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, after a general Biblical Overview. The 1st two chapters of Genesis were looked at from a feminist perspective and the story of the Garden of Eden was looked at from a somewhat obscure 17th century Socialist perspective of Diggers and Levellers which provided a very interesting discussion for all.
On Sunday night, on their own initiative, a number of workshoppers travelled to Beit Shemesh in order to donate blood at the Magen David Adom station. As you may or may not know, there is currently a blood shortage at the blood banks across Israel.
On Monday, the workshoppers had Hadracha class in the morning where different leadership theories and methods were discussed in a conventional Leadership vs Management dynamic, together with a more relevant Habonim Dror hadracha context. This was followed by Yom Kvutsa, together with each kvutsa's respective madrichim.
Most of today was in seminar sessions. In the morning, there was a session on Noah, and a session looking at the Tower of Babel. After recapping the story of Noah and the great flood, we related to the issues of breakdowns in society and the corruption which exists in our lives. The Tower of Babel story, a rather bizarre addition in the middle of the chapter, looks at communication and language and the scattering of peoples across the globe - we used this to talk about common language in our kvutsa, movement and lives. In the afternoon we summarized the week and looked at Joseph and Dreams, using our own dreams as a trigger to see how well we can intepret them! In the late afternoon, the chavura planning groups split up to begin planning their activties. Chavura is an opportunity for the workshoppers to plan in mixed groups, evening programming on topics such as The Story of Job, the Russian Revolution, The King David Hotel Bombing and Chanuka.
Tomorrow all the workshoppers will be back at Kibbutz Kvutsat Shiller to pick fruit with TableToTable, followed by Hebrew classes in the afternoon.

Yam L Yam

Hi all,
The workshoppers started tiyul early last Sunday in Achziv, with a short tekes (ceremony) of filling a water bottle from the Meditteranean, which symbolised the journey we were about the set off on, together with all the other Habonim Dror participants from all around the world - Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, England, Brazil, Argetina and Uruguay. Altogether, there were approximately 200 people participating in this years tiyul.
On Sunday we hiked part of the Cziv trail, which is near Montfort and Goren Park. The hike ended with the workshoppers arriving to the campsite by foot, just in time for sunset and to set up the campsite. The hike was relatively short (4 hours) but had a very steep incline at the end, which proved very challenging for most of the workshoppers!! For dinner we had a giant barbeque, followed shortly by a world musicale hosted by our very own workshoppers.
On Monday we set off with a short bus ride to Elkosh bridge, and walked along Niria river bed, to Hirbet Homema (near the base of Mt Meron) and then proceeded to climb up to the top of the Meron. Mt Meron is the 2nd highest mountain in Israel, and has stunning views of the entire region. Most of the group then continued down Meron, along towards our campground for the night, Nachal Amud. The Nachal Amud camping ground is situated on the Cross Israel Trail, a very busy hiking track which goes from the north of the country, all the way to the south. Camping right next to us, were 400+ high school chanichim from Hanoar HaOved V'Lomed, our Israeli sister movement!
On Tuesday the workshoppers set off to hike the Upper Nachal Amud trail, but unfortunately, about 45 minutes into the hike, we got a weather update from our cheder matzav (situation room) of the Moked Teva (Nature Hotline) which, due to a heat wave warning, did not let us continue the length of Nachal Amud. Instead, the workshoppers spent some time in the Schia Pools, small pools of water along the track and rested and played games with the other hiking groups. After lunch, we were allowed to continue on another 1.5 miles/2 km and then along a different track towards Sfat, which once again had a very steep incline (anyone familiar with Sfat will know that it is in a very mountainous area!). A short bus ride took the workshoppers back to the Camping Ground. Upon arrival back, the workshoppers were met with the famous sight of the spinning roasting chickens, which provided a sumptous feast for dinner (With vegetarian options of eggplant and tomato stew provided of course!)
On Wednesday, we got up our earliest yet - 5am! - in order to pack up the campsite and after a short bus ride near to Kibbutz Hukuk, start the final leg of the hike, primarily through banana fields, and all the way to the beach at Kibbutz Ginosar. We finished with a short tekes, involving the bottle of water which we had filled up and carried from the Meditteranean to the Kinneret, and the distribution of Yam L Yam shirts!! After that everyone rejoiced in some swimming time and the chance to have a shower finally, before boarding buses back to their destinations for the Simchat Torah chag.
A great time was had by all, and some workshoppers made great friends with various other Habonim Dror participants from around the world. The next worldwide Habonim Dror event, the Rabin Memorial Seminar weekend, will be at the beginning of November.
This upcoming week, the workshoppers return to the usual Boneh schedule. This weeks seminar theme is an Introduction to the Tanach - looking at stories and interpretations from Creation, Noah, Abraham and the founding fathers and mothers.