Update

Hello Shnat parents and friends! A lot has happened since we last wrote you. The kibbutz period has been flying by, with the chanichim learning Hebrew and working around Revivim in jobs ranging from dishwashing, to caring for toddlers, to bicycle repairs. They have been meeting kibbutznikim of all ages and have been very warmly received as a group, thanks in part to their big effort to reach out – including making greeting cards for every kibbutz family which they left in their mailboxes on Tu B'Av, the Jewish festival of love! They also participated in the "Chag Hameshek" celebration of the kibbutz's birthday which was a special festive evening for the whole kibbutz, and their presence and dancing greatly enlivened the party.

In terms of Shnat programming, the Shnatties have also been busy with a number of different seminars since the end of the Machon and Boneh blocks. The first was World Veida – which happens every 4 years and is the main ideological forum of the worldwide movement, with delegates participating from over 10 countries around the world, together with all the shnatties who happen to be on Shnat currently. For most of the shnatties this was an opportunity to make new South American friends and engage in intense discussions. A highlight was a tour of a new museum “Beit Telem Ha’Aroch” on Kibbutz Degania (the first kibbutz), highlighting 100 years of kibbutz, together with a tour of the kibbutz’s cemetery and hearing some of the fascinating stories of the founders.

Immediately following that, the shnatties participated in what is undoubtedly a highlight of every shnat year - the History of Habonim Seminar. This seminar gives the shnatties an opportunity to meet past bogrim from the movement who have made aliya, and to hear their stories of what the movement was like, and in what ways it has shaped their decisions and life choices. Many movement members are not aware of the invaluable contribution Habonim Dror had in building Kibbutzim in Israel. This seminar allows each shnattie to evaluate and challenge the direction they think Habonim Dror should be moving in.

More recently the shnatties participated in Yom Habonim Dror on Kibbutz Sdot Yam beach. Participating were over 500 chanichim on long or short term Habonim Dror programs in Israel from the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Brasil, Canada, France, Holland, New Zealand, South Africa, Turkey, Uruguay, USA and the UK, together with bogrei tnua (movement graduates) who have made aliya. It was a really fun day in the sun, meeting up again with new South American friends.

Last week the shnatties had a Judaism Seminar. This is a new seminar on shnat, whose aim is to analyse and strengthen each shnattie’s connection to their Judaism and in the movement as a whole. They explored questions such as; What is Judaism? How do we practice it? Judaism as a civilization – breaking down the idea that it is a religion which fits into one corner of life, Reading many texts and analysing different streams of Judaism, In-depth chuggum (small group study) focusing on Shabbat. In addition, there were a number of speakers who came to the group – Barry Solomon, former Habonim Dror Olami mazkir; Irie Kassel, former executive director of the Reform Movement in Israel And Beit Tfila Israeli - a young, liberal, independent, participatory community in Tel Aviv, which offers a meaningful context and venue for Shabbat and holiday services, lifecycle events, and Jewish-Israeli Identity exploration. There was a siyur in the Old Trumpledor Cemetary in Tel Aviv, widely considered the “Pantheon” of Israel where stories of Nordau, Tchernikovsky, Bialik, Ahad Ha’am, Sharett, Brenner and others were discussed along with their connection to how they saw Judaism, as a renewal of the Jewish people.

Currently the shnatties are on the 3rd Poland preparation seminar. The first two were based on Revivim, over weekends, and this one is being held mainly at the Lochamei Hagetaot (Ghetto fighters) museum which is just north of Acco. The Kibbutz of the same name was established by many youth movement members who after making aliya post-Shoah have dedicated their lives to Shoah research and rememberance. You might remember that on Yom Hashoa the group went to the closing ceremony which was held at the museum. Some of the exhibits they will visit are: Janusz Korchak, Resistance, Righteous Gentiles, Warsaw, and Ghetto & Deportations.
The seminar continues through to Saturday evening, and the group then returns to Revivim for their final 2 weeks on Kibbutz.