July 2016 - GIVE

Day 18: Susan’s House & Assorted Chesseds

Today was really a chessed filled day on GIVE! We started the morning off very excited to see each other after a restful and fun off weekend. We were divided into a number of different groups throughout the day. Everyone went to a place called “Habayit Shel Susan.” This place teaches Israeli teens at risk an artistic trade and offers them a therapeutic and worthwhile job to engage in. There we made key chains and got to interact with some of the teens. Over the course of the day some people went to package food, others went to Shekel, a factory that employs adults with special needs. Other groups went to a place called Akim that is a home for people with special needs, others went to actually bake with those people. Some groups also got to go to Mamilla Mall and play a really fun scavenger hunt!! We all came together for a delicious dinner at Mevasseret sponsored by Lander College! We then had time to relax, learn with an advisor, attend a chaburah, or play basketball. Tomorrow we set out to our respective electives!!!

Day 15: Masada, Dead Sea, & Ein Gedi

We had an amazingly fun day today on GIVE! First we woke up early and went to Masada. There we learnt about the different stories and historical events that took place there. Even though we took cable cars both ways up and down, we still managed to drink a lot of water (as per our staff’s persistence). We then went to the Dead Sea and had a great time chilling there. Afterwards, we had lunch and went to Ein Gedi. We played in the springs and water pools, and it was an amazing cool-down for all of us!! Finally we set out to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv to get picked up for our off Shabbos! We’re all meeting back together on Sunday morning! Wishing everyone a safe and exciting weekend!!! We miss you all already!

Day 14: Goodbye Alumim Hello Paint Wars

On our last day at Kibbutz Alumim we had a tour of an older memorial kibbutz nearby, and we heard from a resident of the kibbutz about the lifestyle on the kibbutz. The woman shared with us some of her experiences living in a settlement that is so close to Gaza and was recently affected by the war in Israel 2 years ago. We were also introduced to 3 girls around our age who live on the kibbutz. We had time to ask them their thoughts and feelings about their lifestyle. We then went to Sderot and had a delicious lunch outing. After lunch we boarded the busses and headed back to Mevaseret. We then had time to relax and unpack. After dinner we had an awesome night activity that lead into a super fun paint fight!! (Stay tuned for crazy pictures) Later, there was an optional learning session with Rabbi Felberman that some girls really took advantage of. We’re heading to sleep now and can’t wait for a PACKED day tomorrow of Masada, Ein Gedi, and the Dead Sea!!!

Day 13: Picking, Planting, & Painting

Hi I’m Ruchama Borg!!! Today was our first day on the kibbutz alumim, and it was a day packed to the brim with activities. Our morning was pretty normal, with davening and breakfast like usual, but then we had something a little different. The night before we had chosen electives to do for the next day, the four to choose from were planting, painting, onion picking, and education. I put painting as my first choice, so I got to help paint the walls by a small playground for the kids. Some girls did some gardening around the kibbutz and others got to play with the kids here. The people who chose to do onion picking actually went about a mile away to pick the onions with bedouins.

The painting was an extremely hard task for me and it left me very tired, and all the other girls were pretty wiped too, so right afterward we had a break time. Later that afternoon we split into groups according to our colors and we had a round Robin of activities. There were two presentations about kibbutz alumim, and then there was a scavenger hunt that was modeled after The Amazing Race. The most anticipated event of the day though was swimming! It was awesome and there was a Zumba instructor there who taught us some sweet moves. To top off our awesome day at the kibbutz, we had an epic lip syncing battle, with each family sending up girls to represent them, and each one was awesome and so much fun to watch. It was our only full day on the kibbutz but it was an amazing day, and it was an amazing day 13 on GIVE.

Day 12: Kibbutz Alumim & Soldiers

Today we got up early and traveled to Kibbutz Alumim in the south. First we had a delicious lunch on the kibbutz and then we split up and settled into our rooms. Then we got a tour of the kibbutz, watched a video about it, and then we baked for soldiers. We then went to an army base to deliver the baked goods to the soldiers. After dinner we had an incredible panel of lone soldiers who shared their stories and experiences. It was a great day and we can’t wait for day 2 on the kibbutz tomorrow!!!

Day 11: Fast of 17th of Tammuz

Today we had a very meaningful day on GIVE. We started off the morning with an introduction to the new NCSY Pray for a Soldier movement. 2 soldiers came to speak to us and they told us their stories. Each girl then received the name of a soldier to pray for personally. We then heard a very insightful speech by Neil Lazarus about educating oneself on the Middle East conflict and understanding a Jews’ obligations in the political world. After that we boarded the busses and spent some time in Israel’s famous Holocaust museum, Yad Vashem. After we got back everyone got to rest a bit and then we headed to the Kotel for Mincha and Chaburot. We finally broke our fast in a cool restaurant called “Modern” and had a fun time celebrating the birthdays of two of our special GIVErs!!! Tomorrow we head off to Kibbutz Alumim for 3 days! Can’t wait!

Day 10: Shabbat in Mevaseret

We had an amazing and relaxing Shabbat in mevaseret this week! Friday night was filled with beautiful singing and delicious food. We had a chance to hear from some amazing girls and staff members by the oneg/tisch! Shabbat morning we slept in and after davening and chaburot we played an awkward/fun game that helped us make sure we know each others’ names well. After lunch we had menucha to once again catch up on much needed sleep. After that we had an open learning session and have seudat shlishit and ebbing. After an inspirational havdalah we soon headed out to the busses and had a blast bowling. Not sure which was more fun, the bowling, dancing, or eating Pizza Hut. Either way it was an great end to an incredible and chilled weekend!!!

Day 9: Tunnel Fun and Machane Yehuda

Today we had a great Erev Shabbat!! We went to the chezkyahu water tunnels and some of us had fun shutting off our flashlights and following the direction of the friend in front of us. We then went to the shuk in Machane Yehuda and we’re now getting ready to have a great Shabbat in our base in Mevaseret!! Shabbat Shalom!

Dance for Life: A Reflection On 24 Hours Of Achdus

(The following was sent out to NCSY GIVE parents by GIVE Director, Erin Stiebel, in response to a series of very meaningful programs our GIVErs participated in this week.)

We live in an age where we often take what we have for granted. Life is easy. We have all of the amenities we need, and when the news becomes too much for us to handle, we can just turn it off.

Until tragedy strikes.

Less than 4 weeks ago, thirteen year-old Hallel Yaffa Ariel was brutally murdered while sleeping in her bed in her home in Kiryat Arba. The thought is almost inconceivable. How could someone take the life of such a precious, pure soul, in cold blood, in
her own home, as she helplessly slept to get a good night’s rest for the day ahead?

While people all over the world were outraged and heartbroken by the tragedy, Hallel’s family and friends were left behind to pick up the pieces. One of these people was her dance instructor, Sari Rosenbaum. Before beginning to work with Hallel’s dance troop, Sari had worked with NCSY GIVE as a tour guide during the summer of 2014. After losing Hallel a”h, Sari knew that her dance troop needed something to help them process and get their mind off of the atrocity that had hit them. She reached out to GIVE and the planning began. Though having just arrived in Israel 4 days earlier, our NCSY GIVErs were overcome with emotion at the opportunity to do something – anything – to help comfort the friends of Hallel. We arranged to meet at an indoor bounce house in Petach Tikva, where the dance troop had been hoping to visit prior to the tragedy, and where we would offer NCSY GIVE a glimpse into Hallel’s world.

From the moment we arrived, there was an instant chemistry between our groups. Despite the language barrier and age gap, the girls engaged in conversations, laughter and many, many selfies. We jumped together on the trampolines, with the dance troop showing us their flips and acrobatics, and then returned to our meeting point to create a powerful piece of artwork together: a banner in memory of Hallel that read, “Dance for Life”. We posed for a group photo, proudly displaying our collaborative artwork and sang “Am Yisrael Chai!”, for there were no words more appropriate than a declaration that the Jewish people are here to stay. (See video here.) There were hugs and exchanges of numbers as we left that night, and the banner was rolled up and taken to Hallel’s parents as a sign of how, even in her absence, she is still bringing Jews together.

Our GIVErs could not get over how strong these girls were, and the Kiryat Arba dance troop were just so appreciative for an opportunity to celebrate their friend’s life, rather than just mourn her loss.

The following morning we woke up at 5 am and boarded our busses to Ben Gurion airport. Dressed in blue & white, carrying hand-made posters that read “V’shavu vanim l’gvulam”, we prepared to join with hundreds of Jews in welcoming the newest arrival of Olim to Israel on their Nefesh B’nefesh flight. The dancing and singing was all-encompassing, the sense of belonging was palpable, and in that moment, everyone in the terminal felt like an anxious family awaiting the arrival of a loved one, eager to embrace their relative and shout out “welcome home!”. What a tremendous experience to be a part of, especially on the heels of our program the night before. Despite the terror, the hardships and the uncertainties, these olim knew that there was no place in the world they would rather be than in our homeland, Israel. Their choice to make aliyah speaks loudly and clearly: we are not afraid and will never stop fighting for our land and people to be one.

To drive the message home, we ended our day of volunteering with our first visit to the Kotel. Prior to entering the Kotel, we stopped to reflect as a group on the gravity of this Holy site. How many of our great grandparents yearned to be able to walk where we are walking? How many millions of people lost their lives defending their right to be a Jew? How many pure souls have been taken from us so that we can stand here today?

We live in scary times. The world is a complicated place and is only getting worse. The pain, the hate, the disregard for human life is unbearable. And yet, despite it all, we stand at the Kotel and pray. We pray for peace. We pray for the young Ethiopian soldier
to our left and the older chassidic woman on our right. We pray for a time when thirteen year old children do not need to attend their friends’ funerals. We pray for a time when all of the Jewish people have the confidence to uproot their comfortable lives and return home. We pray for the safety of Israel so that with all of the anti-semitism in the world, the Jewish people always have a place to come home to. We pray for our past. We pray for our future.

It is 3 am.

I cannot sleep because my mind is still racing from the high we have been on for the last 24 hours. From destruction to rebuilding, we have started on an incredibly emotional journey for which there is no turning back. We are the next link in the chain and have
a tremendous responsibility to pass the torch.

Our charge now is clear: we must not only make sure we dance, we must make sure we dance for life.

Day 8: YOM NCSY, Har Hertzl, & One Family

Today we had such an incredible day on GIVE! We started off the day with a meaningful visit to Har Hertzl and a beautiful activity at One Family Fund. We got to bake make the bracha of Challah with a woman whose son was killed in an act of terror. It was incredible to hear her strength and positivity despite her pain. After that we got ready for an incredible night of YOM NCSY!!!!!!!!! SO MUCH happened tonight that it’s hard to list it all but the activities included a delicious BBQ, amazing concert by Benny Friedman and Shlomo Katz, motivational speeches by Naftali Bennett and Miriam Peretz (among others), and our very own Hachnasat Sefer Torah!!!!!! The night was filled with a lot of screaming, hugging, and sweating. We had the BEST.TIME.EVER!!!!!