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EVENING EMAIL
Shalom,
Hope you are all doing well. Once again – careful of the order of the groups!
I am pleased to let you know that there are now a few more photos on the website. Please visit; http://www.habodror.org.uk/gallery/2006/toura/index_0000.html
HD2
Last night I left you off when they were in the middle of their ‘family sessions’. The general outcome was that a lot has changed in the past few days and they really feel like they are becoming one big family as you should do on tour. Before heading to bed they had a huge ruach session to prepare for tonight’s event.
This morning they headed to Tel Aviv and had a walking tour around Neve Tsedek, followed by a Bagel Lunch outside. They then headed off to see Independence Hall in Tel Aviv which was quite meaningful to the majority.
They were supposed to then head for a session at the beach, but the group decided themselves that they would rather have some chilled time at the hotel where they could also get ready for the mega event.
HD1
Last night they had a relaxed session around the beach where they all chilled out and had a chance to share with everyone how they were all doing.
This morning they went to see Independence Hall in Tel Aviv which was quite meaningful to the majority. They then headed to Tel Aviv and had a walking tour around Neve Tsedek, followed by a lunch on the beach where they also had a chance to pop in for a quick swim in the sea as well as ice cream etc.
All
They are now in Jerusalem at the big Israel Experience Mega Event. This is where all the movements from around the UK come together at one big location to see each other, and off the record have huge ruach (song) sessions where each movement try and out-sing the other groups. I got told that the leaders of the event had to ask Habonim Dror to quiet down to give the other movements a chance – yes, rumour has it that yet again Habonim Dror’s two tours were louder than FZY’s twelve tours!!!! They have just had a big dinner and are now enjoying a show of Israeli Music for all involved whilst socializing with all their friends from other movements.
Weather; it is currently 31 degrees c
Security Update
The Security Department of the Jewish Agency in conjunction with the Cheder Matzav are continuously monitoring the situation in all parts of Israel. Programmes have been modified. At present, group's itineraries and programmes in or around the north of Israel (Galil) will not be taking place. Activities and accommodation have been changed to the centre and south of the country.
For more information please visit; www.summertour.org.uk
Next 48 Hours;
information correct at this present time, subject to change
HD1
Friday; Yitzchak Rabin Square in Tel Aviv, Jaffo and Market, then Shabbat preparation. Sleeping in Hayarkon, Tel Aviv Suburb.
Saturday; Relaxing Shabbat day, few peulot by the madrichim, and a chance for families to come and visit (substitution for family weekend). Sleeping in Hayarkon, Tel Aviv Suburb.
HD2
Friday; Jaffo and Market, Yitzchak Rabin Square in Tel Aviv, then Shabbat preparation. Sleeping in Tzipori, Jeruslaem.
Saturday; Relaxing Shabbat day, few peulot by the madrichim, and a chance for families to come and visit (substitution for family weekend). Sleeping in Tzipori, Jeruslaem.
Article for Manchester Jewish Telegraph
This year the Manchester Jewish Telegraph are (hopefully) publishing a ‘diary’ of the HD1 tour. Here is the article that they wrote for it;
The first thing you notice about Israel when you arrive for the month of your life is the intense heat and sweat patches under your armpits which get bigger by the second. As soon as we arrived our activities began, and the eighty of us, although shattered, were excited for the month ahead that we would share together. Now, on our sixth day, we are well and truly settled in, and enjoying the beauty and wonder of Israel, with our new found family that we grow closer to by the day. The action has been non-stop, from hanging off the cliff edges on Mount Arbel overlooking the kinneret to meeting hundreds of Habonim youth from all over the world, including Brazlians and South Africans at the world Habonim Dror day. In the words of Josh Senior; “today’s events have been saaaaaaafe”. A funny from the day was when asked where the drinking water was, one of our leaders, Steeno, pointed to the general direction of the sea – thanks! Not only have the activities been fun, but meeting friends from London, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool and the USA have been great, and we have found it easy to bond and we are growing closer by the day. “I am really enjoying bonding with the group and the leaders” said Lily Edlin. Some of the beauties of Habonim Dror is that there is a fantastic group atmosphere. The fact that we are treated like adults by our leaders has been great. Added to the activities, kupah has brought us closer together. Since we arrived the situation in the North has been bad, but although we know the parents are worrying, in Israel we feel safe and comforted by our leaders who are looking out for our safety. What is on the news is not what we feel it is like in Israel, and we really don’t want to come home. We are all having an amazing time, and never want it to end. Love you all lots, Lissy (Alicia Fagelman) and Jamie (Cooper) – both from the Habonim Dror 1 group, xxx
Chinuch
1. The independence hall:
Here in this hall, the members of the National Council, representatives of the Jewish settlements and the Zionist movement, gathered on Friday, 5th of Iyar 5708, 14th of May 1948 in the afternoon, to sign the Scroll of Independence.
Behind the table, David Ben Gurion, the Chairman of the Zionist Movement, proclaimed the establishment of the Jewish State, Israel.
Independence Hall is located in the Rothschild Blvd. 16 in Tel Aviv, formerly the house of Zinna and Meir Dizengoff, Tel Aviv's founding father and first mayor, who bequeathed his home to the city as an Art Exhibition.
With the declaration of the Jewish State, 52 years after Herzl's publication of "Der Judenstat" (The Jewish State), the Jewish dream of about two thousand years became a reality. However, the people in Israel still had to fight for their independence, defending their selves against Arab irregulars and the regular armies of the Arab league that attacked the young state from all sides in the next few days.
More info: http://www.israel-mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/1990_1999/1999/4/Shelley%20Kleiman%20-%20The%20State%20of%20Israel%20Declares%20Ind
Neve tzedek:
Neve tzedek (Oasis of Justice) is actually the first neighborhood of Tel Aviv. Aharon Shlush founded this neighborhood in 1887, 22 years before Tel Aviv was founded. Shlush was a successful businessman who wanted to escape the crowded living quarters of Jaffa, and founded this neighborhood. Later, Neve tzedek was connected to Achuzat Bayit to form baby Tel Aviv. Many of the neighborhoods turn of the century houses can still be seen, and while the neighborhood has gone yuppie in the past years, it has retained much of its old charm. The Nobel prize winning author and poet Shemuel Agnon, lived and wrote here, encouraged by his fellow writer and neighbor Haim Brener.
You can still visit Shlush house, which now houses art exhibits, and see the small synagogue that Shlush built to encourage Jews to leave Jaffa. Nearby is Shlush bridge that was built for Mr. Shlush after the old Jaffa-Jerusalem railway was constructed. This used to run in the canal under the bridge. |
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On Rochach st. (a 2 minute walk) you can see ‘Beit Hasofrim’ (house of writers) which housed many famous writers and is now the Nachum Gutman Museum. Nearby is the Rokach house, built for the Rokach family in 1887 by an Austrian architect, in a special European style including copper plated domes. The Rokach family has been prominent figures in Tel Aviv political life for over a century. Close by on Pines st. (pronounced penis) you can see the twin buildings built by Aharon Shlush for his two grandsons. |
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Just across the street you can see Tel Aviv’s first movie theatre the ‘Eden’. Tel Aviv first mayor, Meir Dizengoff, opened this theatre in 1913. It held up to 1100 people in an open-air theatre.
Nore info: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3272946,00.html
LUNCHTIME EMAIL
Shalom,
Update
Hope you are all well. The groups are having a great time in Tel Aviv / Jaffo at the moment and they are all extremely excited and getting prepared for the Israel Experience Mega Event. Here all the movements from the UK get together, and they usually have fun singing battles against each other (who can sing the loudest / who has the most ruach, etc). David Goldberg (Director of Israel Experience) is currently in Israel for the mega-event, so when he returns in the next day or so we will hopefully be able to have a full update from him.
I will have more information on todays events tonight.
Security Update
The Security Department of the Jewish Agency in conjunction with the Cheder Matzav are continuously monitoring the situation in all parts of Israel. Programmes have been modified. At present, group's itineraries and programmes in or around the north of Israel (Galil) will not be taking place. Activities and accommodation have been changed to the centre and south of the country.
Please remember to check; www.summertour.org.uk for more information.
Next 48 Hours;
information correct at this present time, subject to change
HD1
Thursday; Independence Hall in Tel Aviv, visiting Neve Tsedek in Jaffo, then beach time, then Israel Experience Mega Event in Jerusalem – all around the North Tel Aviv / Herzliya area. Sleeping in Hayarkon, Tel Aviv Suburb.
Friday; Yitzchak Rabin Square in Tel Aviv, Jaffo and Market, then Shabbat preparation. Sleeping in Hayarkon, Tel Aviv Suburb.
HD2
Thursday; visiting Neve Tsedek, then Independence Hall in Tel Aviv, then beach time, then Israel Experience Event in Jerusalem – all around the North Tel Aviv / Herzliya area. Sleeping in Tzipori, Jeruslaem.
Friday; Jaffo and Market, Yitzchak Rabin Square in Tel Aviv, then Shabbat preparation. Sleeping in Tzipori, Jeruslaem.
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