Final Boneh update

The Boneh rakazim have been hard at work summing up and packing up this Boneh and attending as Labor Zionist delegates at the World Zionist Congress, but they have now sent over this final update:

After returning from the Jerusalem seminar, Boneh shnatties began the final module, Youth Movements. James Grant-Rosenhead came to speak about the concepts of childhood, youth, and adulthood, and about the origins of youth movements in general and Habonim specifically. He talked about everything from the world's first youth movement, Germany's Wandervogel to Habonim founder Wellesley Aron (who is also a distant cousin of Shnat Madrich Gabe Freund.)

James shared some of his expertise on youth, and his personal life was also of great interest to the Boneh shnatties. James is graduate of Habonim Dror UK and a member of Kibbutz Mish'ol, described briefly here in an article that appeared in Haaretz written by fellow Mish'ol-member and HDUK graduate Anton Marks:

This urban kibbutz, Kibbutz Mish'ol, is part of a wider movement of communities situated throughout the length and breadth of Israel which recognize that today's pioneering is living and working in the geographical and social periphery of Israeli society.

Boneh shnatties were excited to finally connect the Boneh content of Jewish history and Zionism to something really close to home: Habonim history. But what about Dror (which merged with Habonim in 1982)? Just wait for the Poland journey. (Hint: They will be visiting the museum at Kibbutz Lohamei Hagetaot and reading lots of stories from Zivia Lubetkin.)

A major portion of the final week of Boneh was spent reflecting on the process that Boneh shnatties went through--in shiyurim (lessons), ivrit, avodah (kibbutz work), siyurim (field trips), and everything else. They asked together how does the content of Boneh relates to their lives on shnat, on kaveret, and back home.

Boneh Awes!

Settled in at Revivim

It's been a whirlwind month for our Shnatties! They finished up Machon and Boneh, got some days of chofesh in, and went on the AZYC's Hasbara Seminar with Stand With Us, Habonim Dror Olami's World Veida (Congress), the History of Habonim Hagshama seminar. I'll write soon and let you know more about all of those meaningful experiences, but for now I wanted to let you know that, they have moved successfully into their new digs on Kibbutz Revivim, including a beloved house in which many Habo groups have lived before them:


They are spending these days sorting out work placements on kibbutz, sorting into Hebrew classes and getting to know their new environment and community. I can already tell you now that the Shnatties are thrilled with the kibbutz, enjoying each other's company and managing to stay cool in the midst of the desert: