A BUSY DECEMBER-JANUARY IN KIRYAT GAT-LACHISH-SHAFIR

Transcription

1 A BUSY DECEMBER-JANUARY IN KIRYAT GAT-LACHISH-SHAFIR The months of December and January were filled with welcoming our partners our friends from Chicago to the Kiryat Gat-Lachish- Shafir Region. Eleven Birthright groups made significant visits to the region. These visits not only had an impact on the visitors but they also impacted the many children and adults that enjoyed the opportunity to meet young Jewish Chicagoans. In addition, the region hosted two groups of high school age students from the Kolot program and the Chicagoland Jewish High School, as well as the P2K steering committee meetings and site visits. The Sigale and the Lavin Family also visited the region and participated in activities. And the Chicago Winter Mission also enjoyed time in the region. Additionally we welcomed four Otzma volunteers in early January for a three month stint. Highlights from the visits: Almost all of the programs that all eleven birthright groups visited are recipients of either JUF or P2K support. Nine visits are highlighted below, two reports were sent out previously.

2 Russian Speaking Birthright group visit to Kohav David_Satellite Community Center in Kiryat Gat When the full bus load of Russian speaking Birthright participants all from the Chicago area walked off their bus and were told that they were going to spend the morning at a community center with the elderly they didn t really know what to expect. What did await them was a full morning of activities that were hard to keep up with. This group of seniors planned a full program for their visitors by creating stations of activities and rotating the group to each station all morning. The groups made kreplach and bilinis with the seniors, danced line dances, salsa and Israeli among other dances, engaged in deep discussions about their Russian/Jewish/Israeli/American identities, and learned and sang songs together. It was truly an excitement filled morning for all.

3 Birthright Group visits the Hafouch drop in center for teens at risk As the birthright participants crammed into the brightly decorated drop- in center, the teens began to filter in and meet their guests. After an intro, they were divided into 4 mixed groups where they were given assignments of questions and a project relating to friendship. The interactions were stupendous and the time together ended on a high Birthright visits Kohav David after school sports activities programs (David Brinns group)-this group of enthusiastic birthrighters participated in observing after school activities at the Kohav David satellite community center in Kiryat Gat and engaging the children in conversation. They then boarded the bus to another satellite Kohav David center that houses karate and boxing classes as well as ballet and jazz. The instructors put everyone through the paces and many put on the gloves and sparred! A few Chicagoans even joined the dance class.

4 One Group in December and one group in January visited the Ivtsan after school center Two separate birthright groups made visits to the Ivtsan. Ivtsan, located in a depressed neighborhood of Kiryat Gat, is a second home for youth from ages 3 to post army in the neighborhood. During both visits, the weather was great and the groups were able to interact with the youth doing activities outside as well as working on computers, jewelry making, break dancing and drumming inside. In just a short time, a strong attachment was made on both sides by both groups!! Birthright visits Moshav Massuot Yitzhak-pre-military program for young women- Tzahali An amazing encounter was experienced by the birthright participants and the participants of the year long pre-military program housed at Massuot Yitchak in our region. Young women who come from orthodox backgrounds and have chosen to go into a mostly secular army have chosen to take part in a premilitary preparatory program for a year. Both groups divided up into small groups and spread out around the grounds of the Moshav on the sunny winter day. The outcome of the exchanges of ideas philosophy of religion, differences in their respective lives was electric, and many addresses were exchanged before the birthrighters boarded their bus to continue on their journey.

5 Birthright spends an afternoon at the Shoshana Absorption Center in Kiryat Gat A large group of newly immigrated youngsters awaited the arrival of the birthright bus. They were not disappointed. The group, after learning about the unique partnership between Chicago and the region and the about the most recent immigration from Ethiopia, gave the youngsters their undivided attention by engaging them in games and sports activities. A fun time was had by both groups! The last birthright group for the winter participated in Intramural Soccer in the Region with the amutat Tvee youth sport club. Amutat Tzvi comprises a group of Ethiopian athletes who believe that providing athletic activities for Ethiopian youngsters by Ethiopian athletes offers the youth good role modeling as well as developing self esteem. Among the sports programs offered to the youngsters is participation in team leagues in the Kiryat Gat-Lachish-Shafir region. This group has already amassed several trophies. The children were divided into 5 teams and the birthright participants also joined one of the 5 groups. Each team played for 5 minute intervals with the winner playing the next team. We are sure that these little guys gave the birthright group a real workout!

6 Photos of visits by Chicago Families Sigale Family and friends-spent a fully afternoon learning the ins and outs of vineyard farming on Moshav Shekef in our region. They then stomped grapes and prepared and baked pita bread The Lavin family spent a morning touring the sports facilities and satellite community center of Kohav David. It was a first visit to the region for several members of the Lavin family and a return visit for others!

7 Kolot This unique program which runs a parallel curriculum on Jewish philanthropy and needs assessment, in Chicago and the Kiryat Gat-Shafir-Lachish region, joined forces in December traveling around Israel making site visits to a wide variety of worthy programs. This terrific group of teens will raise funds together ask for proposals and collectively decide where to allocate funds and then follow up after distribution. Photos are from an evening spent with teens from Sderot invited to dinner with the group in Kiryat Gat to share their experiences of life under fire Chicagoland Jewish High School visit to the region Twelfth grade students from CJHS and the Somach High School spent three intensely packed days together in the region, learning about each other and their perspectives on their Jewish identity. The CJHS students are now preparing for a visit by the Somach students in the spring.

8 Chicago Family Winter Mission On the first day of the new year, two busloads of Chicagoans disembarked at Moshav Shekef located in eastern Lachish in our region. After learning about crucial security issues facing our region, both buses learned about the art of mosaics followed by their making beautiful mosaic urns, pots and planters that were presented to Moshav Shekef to be displayed throughout the Moshav Steering Committee visit to the region The joint Steering committee of Chicago, Kiryat Gat-Lachish Shafir take their responsibilities seriously. The committee spent their time together developing new policies for the region as well as visiting sites. Visitors and hosts alike, all enjoyed the encounters and appreciated the warmth that was extended by both groups one to the other. These short visits truly exemplify that the relationship between Chicago and Kiryat Gat-Lachish-Shafir is beyond a partnership it is family!