Thursday 5 July 2012

The Weekly Report: 12/04/2012

Dear Parents, Sniffim and Shantties. Shalom Rav,

"Simcha raba, Simcha raba aviv igia Pessach ba.."

We could not have asked for a better way to finish off last week and be sent off into a small vacation than with the celebration of Jake's Bar Mitzva.
We all gathered together last Thursday to join Jake and his family at the Southern Wall and celebrate his Bar Mitzva, our Etgar Shnatties helped prepare the mincha services, they prepared a fabulous sidur for the occasion, Jeff Josh and Jemma helped Rabbi Rich officiate and the texts were divided among the rest of the shnatties that took and active roll in the Bar Mitzva. Jake debuted reading the Torah and we heard very beutifull words from Jake and his parents and some words of wisdom from all the shnatties to Jake. After ceremony we were invited to a late lunch early diner hosted by Jake's family at the Begin Center where once again we were moved with emotions ( I even saw some tears) when the shnatties showed an amazing presentation in Jake's honor. We were thrilled to take part in this meaningful event.

With the culmination of the Bar Mitzva our shnatties and staff as well went out in a well deserved vacation, that started last Friday with the Pessach seder, our shnatties celebrated with family and some were invited to host families to celebrate and have been exploring during the last week the marvelous things that this small country has to offer during Pessach, this time is a week of festivals, shows, and much much heat.

We know some of you are here visiting our shnatties and we welcome you to come by the office and say hello.

There is an activity I used to do with my chanichim back in Venezuela, where I would I ask them to write (creatively) 10 new modern plagues, and I invite you if you wish to share with us your version of 10 modern plagues.

I wish you all a great weekend, Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach,

Michael

Weekly report by Tara D. (Machon)

Hello all. Its pesach chofesh and I text this to you from a place called 'shittim' where I am mid the buddha festival, ' zorba'. highlights so far include ' the red tent' session where I discovered the meaning of femininity, ' trance dance' ( could't exactly work out what was required of me here) and gypsy yoga indian dance, where I was taught to feel the ground through my hips. We all retired to bed at 10 pm last night, the excitement of it all proving too much, so we are all fresh and ready to learn, pray and party today. I have no idea where in israel anyone else is, but if anyone from shnat netzer is reading this I hope everything is going nicely for you. Emily kay has summed up chofesh so far as ' inspiring' which I consider to be an accurate description so thankyou emily. Wish I could tell you all more but its time for my afternoon nap before I discover the meaning of truth. Chag sameach.
Weekly report by Jeff S (Etgar)

Well it would seem that it’s that day again: Wednesday, or as we on Shnat Netzer like to call it, the day that somebody must write the weekly report. It certainly has been an eventful week since the last time you heard from us as a collective, so I’ll just get started.

Thursday was arguably the proudest day of our year so far as Jake Borsuk became a Bar Mitzvah at the Western Wall. He did an amazing job and was joined by all of our group and his family, along with many of ours. I had the honor of reading from the Torah during his service, as did Josh Lazarus. It was truly a simcha and Jake is now truly “the man.”

On Friday, our chofesh (break) began and we immediately dispersed into different parts of the land, and in some cases the Middle East. I went to Kibbutz Gezer with my sister where we had a beautiful and very interesting Seder. Daron (Dan Aron) and Jemma went to Kibbutz Lotan. Jake went all the way to Jordan for Pesach, and a sizeable crew of Etgarnikim stayed in Jerusalem and had Seder with random families. From what I hear, a great time was had by all. I think, although I’m not 100% sure, that Rebekkah went to the north for her Seder. Dan Rattan was in Tel Aviv with his father, brother, friend from Germany, and a whole host of other people having what must have been a very cool Seder.

The rest of Chag and Shabbat was spent in general relaxation (I think) by everybody. I returned to Jerusalem on Sunday to find the flat running amok with Emily, Kitty, Naomi, Liz, and eventually Rebekkah all frantically scrambling to get ready for Zorba, a festival in the dessert that I cannot even begin to describe, because to be honest, I don’t really know what it is. They were excited about it, and I’m sure they’re having a great time. Alyson was also around getting ready to travel to the North with a mixed group of Etgarnikim and Machonikim.

On Sprite Day I woke up to an almost empty flat, as everybody was gone except for Rebekkah and Kitty. They left the next day. Monday was a great day for me. I read the hunger games and saw the movie with my sister. I recommend it to all of you and “may the odds be ever in your favor.”

On Tuesday everybody was gone traveling already, so I hopped on a sheirut monit (taxi van thing) to Tel Aviv with my sister. We went to the beach and met up with some of our Israeli friends from Goldman Union Camp Institue. Can you believe I’ve gone this long before giving G.U.C.I. a shout out in my weekly reports? Anyway, It was a very nice and relaxing day that was topped off by having two very interesting kosher for Passover meals. I’ll briefly mention lunch at a Tel Aviv restaurant called Fresh. Essentially it’s just super healthy food, but it was actually quite delicious. I recommend it to anybody who wants to know exactly what they are eating, but still wants a good meal.

Well, that brings us to today, Wednesday, day of days. I know that Jake and Alyson and Jemma are in Nazareth and are headed to Rosh HaNikra soon. I am still in Jerusalem, relaxing it up, spending time with my sister, and working on Project6Million, which has actually been the bulk of my chofesh. I suppose this would be a great time for me to briefly introduce you to that, since it is noon and barely anything else has happened today.

Project6Million is a Holocaust remembrance movement that I am involved in launching. It is unlike any other movement in that we seek to not only remember and honor, but also to act. Our goal is to activate 6 million people to stand up and fight hatred and intolerance in today’s world. I would like to encourage you all to check out our new website: www.project6million.org and be sure to like us on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/project6million. Also, if you want any more information or want to discuss anything else related to the project you are all welcome to e-mail me at jeff.silverstein@project6million.org . I am the Outreach Coordinator and Content editor for Project6Million, and my goal is to spread this to as many people as possible, so that the dream of “never again” can be a promise.

Anyway, that about wraps up our weekly report, although with this one you get a call to action for social justice!

I hope that all of you are having a wonderful Pesach, and that your next year may truly be in Jerusalem. I can tell you from my own experience that there is just no place like it.

Chag Sameach!