Dear Parents, Snifim and Shnatties. Shalom Rav,
This was the second week on kibbutz Lotan for our shnatties and they are having a great time, next week I will be visiting them and will hear directly from them how they are doing.
Rosh Hashana is just around the corner and our shnaties will be able to experience the festivities in Israel and on the kibbutz, on this note I want to wish you all a Shana Tova.
On my latest weekly reports I have been doing a "Peny for Your Thoughts" segement and this report is no diferent. This week MDA (Maguen David Adom) was on news, an ambulance arrived to the home of an Israeli actor who was suffering from a stroke, the paramedics refused to take to the hospital because they interpreted that he was saying tht he did not wish to be taken to the emergency room. So in the end he was taken by his neighbor and we still dont know the extent of the damage for arriving late to the hospital.
There is a law in Israel, that no one can be forced to be taken against their will to the hospital. So here is the dilema, if someone is not capable of thinking straight should he be left alone in his home in stead of recieving the help he needs? should the MDA put themselves in a vulnurable place for trying to help people in needin be subject to lawsuits. a peny for your thoughts, well with todays inflation and economical crisis I am willing to go for a dime for your thoughts.
I want to wish you all a great weekend and Shabbat Shalom,
Michael
Weekly Report By: Kathryn H.
Time here on Kibbutz Lotan can be measured in a few different ways. Weeks are measured from one pub night to the next, days from the nap before work to the nap after wards, the hours in meal times, and months by the cycles of the moon that shines so brightly over the emptyness of the desert, that you can see your shaddow at midnight.
Its oficially our second week here on kibbutz and were all settling in quite nicely. We've started our jobs and are falling into the new regime of waking up at 5 am every morning.
We ended off our Orientation week with a lovely Shabbat Service last friday night. The whole kibbutz crowding into the dining room for a hearty meal. Earlier in the day we had teamed up with our trusty Shin Shinim (The kids on their gap year before the army) and had an interesting Israeli Dance Lesson. (Lily had the most fun out of all of us.) We discovered the creative talent of Netos, one of the quiet Shin Shinim, when he made a beautiful string of butterflies to hang up in the Chederochel.
On sunday we all got up bright and early for our first ofiicial day of work. It was hard to do and by two in the afternoon everyone had crashed. exhausted, into their beds.
Every Monday we all work together in one of the work branches on the kibbutz. This time it was back to the Date Plantation to pick some more of those delicious dates we all know and love, but more importantly sing as loudly and out of tune as humanly possible. The best thing about working in the dates, besided waking up in time to see the sun rising over the mountains, is the breakfast. All the cheese your heart could desire mixed with fresh bread; vegetables; boiled egss and a never ending jar of Cheerios.
Tuesdays are soon to become affectionatly known as Yom Chinuch-Our one day a week of full on education.
This week we found ourselves on a 5am Nature Hike with Michael Livni-The founder of Reform Zionism and one of Netzers Big Thinkers. He showed us all around the out side of the kibbutz pointing out interesting animal tracks and the different types of desert sand you can find just five minutes away from the gates. He gave us a low down on what Reform Zionism really is, after a well deserved breakfast.
Later, we had a discussion with Alex, who is head of the Ecology Department and a certified Ecological Architecht (Jade and My host Dad) all about what it means to live on a collective kibbutz and in an intentional community. We looked at why we are an intentional community; where else you caould find them; and how they differ in every place. All rather facinating one might say.
Unfortunatly, we missed Jade this week as she was seeing her mom in Tel Aviv but she's safe and sound back in her bed, catching up on some sleep after her rather adventurous bus ride home on Tuesday night. Were glad she's back and ready to get into the Kibbutz expirience. She had her first day of Date Picking today!
Shana and Jordy love the Dates and come home everyday with new and exciting stories to tell of the Cherry Picker and the comical moments that seen to haunt their lives.
Liz and Lily have both made a home for them selves in the recycling centre in the Eco Village. Today they both learnt how to make compost and made it. Then learnt how to build with mud and then built with it. They both came home rather sweaty and covered in mud and compost, smiles shining through the dirt on their noses.
Next week we'll hear all about the Goats!
Everyday I see Josh riding around on the back of the tractor doing Garden-y type things. Sometimes hes riding the tractor by the pool, other times its through the tourism section. Sometimes I wonder weather or not he does other things besides ride the tractor around the kibbutz...
As for me, I have the most top secret job of all. We only have one rule in tourism, and that is: What happens in tourism, stays in tourism. But what I can tell you is that I had a secret mission in the Tea House today- One of the best places on the kibbutz I might add- and I have access to a place that no normal kibbutznick does: The Other Laundry Room.
We're all safe and sound here in our little oasis in the middle of the Arava. Until next week! Adeu.
PS. Were probably all making Aliyah to Kibbutz Lotan.