After returning from Jerusalem seminar, we got back into Boneh routine with a week on the history of youth and youth movements. This week looks at what is the specific significance of the period of youth, what different kinds of meaning and activity can be central to this period, and how youth have created youth movements as a forum for empowerment. We then looked at the origin of the Habonim movement specifically. We wrapped up the module with a visit to the Illegal Immigrant Detention Camp in Atlit, where we heard a few of the amazing stories about how Habonim, Dror and other youth movement members from Israel, Europe and North America ran a dangerous and illegal international endeavor that brought tens of thousands of homeless Holocaust survivors to the land of Israel.
The following week was the final module, which dealt with the Jewish communities of Australia and New Zealand. We examined them first through a humorous look at some of the lesser-known facts about these communities, then through a look at the origins and the history, an examination of the present, and finally a discussion of the possibilities for the future and the place of Habonim Dror in shaping that. To wrap it up the Shnatties built board games that convey the Australian and Kiwi Jewish experience in a fun way:
That week they also enjoyed a tiyul with their madrichim to “White Cliff” hill, a beautiful hiking trail literally across the street from Ein Gev:
The past week was the Boneh ending seminar. During this week we took a look back at the material we have dealt with in the last four months, and asked the question of how it connects to going forward to messimot in Kaveret and to leading the movement back in New Zealand and Australia. The Shnatties also enjoyed a Hebrew treasure hunt around the kibbutz by Nira, their wonderful Hebrew teacher; some communal ice cream on a hot ein gev day; a last conversation with Muki Tzur, and a nighttime bonfire and kumsitz on the beach. And to wrap it all up, they planned and ran a final tekes (ceremony) saying goodbye to the kibbutz and Boneh with speeches and presentations in Hebrew and English:
We wish all the Shnatties a great time and a meaningful experience in chofesh, kibbutz and kaveret!
Ruth, Fabian, Gil and Nadav
