Hugim at the Seattle Stroum JCC

To continue writing about the 5 Israelis adding Israeli content to the JCC summer camp.

The 5 counselors this year for the first time were in charge of an interest group or (hoog) Monday through Thursday at 1 p.m. for an hour. They had a different group each day and taught each group the same topic for a week, adjusting the program somewhat for the age of the group. They id at least 5 topics, starting the second of the 6 weeks including: Jewish and Israeli Holidays, Symbols, Famous Israelis and famous places in Israel, Foods, and Israeli Children's Songs and Games. I as present the Monday of the last week to see them introducing Israeli foods to a group entering first through third grades.

First, the counselors divided the approximately 30 campers into three groups, by having them "count" off by naming 3 Israeli foods, Falafel, humus, and pizza.

"Your're falafel!"

They lined up in rows by their food names. Then each row was given a description of a food and they had to guess it. Below one boy who knows the answer enthusiastically raises his hand and shouts out the answer.

Next still in rows, each group had one person go to the white board. The person had to draw a picture of a food, and his group had to guess the food.

After one round of drawing, they gathered in a circle. A person in the middle was "it" and shouted one of the 3 foods mentioned, such as "falafel." Then all those labeled "falafel" had to stand up and change places while the person who was it had to scramble to a place to. The person left standing was "it" next. The girl below had just become "it."

The next activity was playing food bingo. There were several different cards including the one below.

Mor and Or traded off reading descriptions of words; the campers guessed the answer and put paper markers on the space of words described.
Tal and friend
Livnat helping a camper

Tal helping campers with food bingo

Mor and Or having trouble reading clues--who had the messy handwriting??

Yuval helping campers with bingo

After bingo, they taught a Hebrew kids' song about food that also had a lot of physical movement, and the children loved it!

With just a few minutes left, not enough to do another "food" activity, the 4 led songs they had taught previous, and all joined in. Mor played the drum to add rhythm.


Two campers looking at a map of Israel.

On Wednesday of that week, the Israelis were given an extra hour and made falafel with all the Camp Kef kids!

The counselors also told me a bit about the other topics for the hugim. Here are some of the materials that they used for the hugim:

For the topic of Jewish/Israeli symbols:

The menorah and olive branch were introduced as was the Magen David and a dove.

Some food is so symbolic that it was first introduced under the topic of symbols and then reinforced later!

After Israeli geography and famous Israeli people and places were introduced, the youth played a rather complex game when they had to do a task and then "earn" a piece of the puzzle. The symbols mounted on green paper below were some of the ones used in the game.

Another Israeli, Shelly, was in town for part of the summer, visiting family, so she often assisted at camp.
The JCC campers really loved the counselors. For some, camp will be the only time that they ever meet Israelis, and the interaction was sure to leave a big impact on them. Some campers were Israelis who had recently moved to Seattle, so they appreciated being able to talk to someone in Hebrew. See below a love note that several wrote spontaneously.

Israeli Teens Volunteering in Seattle, Summer 2008

Although this blog is about my traveling in Israel, I'm going to write about five Israelis who traveled from Kiryat Malachi and Hof Ashkelon this summer to volunteer at Jewish day camps in the Seattle area for 6 weeks, through the TIPS partnership, a program that the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle participates in. This is at least the fifth consecutive year that teens from there have come to Seattle to add a bit of Israel to local camps. Usually youth ages 17 and 18 come, but because of the teachers' strike in Israel this year, matriculation exams were pushed back to mid July and the older youth could not come, so four 16-year-olds came. They were young but extremely enthusiastic, and with advance planning in Seattle and Israel, they have been able to add a lot more about Israel than in the past, and the camp directors have been thrilled.

Mor, Or, Livnat, Yuval, and Tal

Mor and Livnat are from Kiryat Malachi. Yuval, Or, and Tal live in Hof Ashkelon. Yuval lives on Kibbutz Zikim. I've already written about our visit to his kibbutz. Or lives on Moshav Kohav Michael, a flourishing community about 5 miles north of Sderot, with many members who immigrated from Argentina in the 1960s. Tal is the chaperone, a university graduate from Moshav Gea. The four sixteen-year-olds were picked from about three-dozen that applied, and we have been delighted to have them in town.

The five have been housed in the area with a total of eleven host families during their six weeks here. Two spent three days at the new camp run by the Jewish Day School of Metropolitan Seattle and Temple B'nai Torah. The last day, they ran a three-hour pre-army "Gadna" session, which was the highlight of the campers' week. They five have mainly been at the Strom JCC, with youth from ages 6 to 12, Monday through Friday from 9 to 4. In addition to helping a counselor with a group of campers, for the first time, they led "hugim" Monday through Thursday on Israeli and Jewish topics from 1 to 2 p.m. Each day for a week, they present the same topic to a different group of youth. Topics they have covered include holidays, Jewish and Israeli symbols, food, and Israeli children songs and games. (See a separate entry about the hugim.)

At the end of the first three-week session, they created and directed IsraeLand at the JCC on Friday afternoon from 1 to 3:15 pm. It was a huge success. 250 youth at the JCC day camp from ages 6 to 13 learned about Israel in a very festive atmosphere as they rotated through eleven stations depicting different geographic parts of Israel and different activities. To begin with, they all saw a short multi-media presentation on Israel. Then they all went outside on the lawn to start their Israel experience.

In Jerusalem, they learned about the importance of the kotel, wrote their own notes and put them in the "wall." All the notes will be taken to Jerusalem when the Israeli counselors return to Israel the end of August.

At the kibbutz, the campers learned how to milk cows by hand. That booth was run by Yuval who lives on Kibbutz Zikim, which has a successful dairy herd. He told the youth that he has milked cows, but only using machines.

At Geva, the kids learned Israeli dancing and improv in the middle of the dance circle.


Gadna (Pre-army training) was rigorous and a favorite of many of the campers.

Campers answered trivia questions at the Haifa booth and were rewarded with candy for correct answers.


In Teveria, youth learned the importance of saving water. Then they ran with wet sponges from one bucket to another, trying not to drop any water on the way.

In the Negev, they stopped at the Dead Sea and heard the Biblical story of Sodom and Gemorrah, where Lot's wife turned into salt. Then they made salt pictures to take home.

In Eilat, they went fishing for prizes (stars of David) in the Red Sea (actually the pool). This station turned out to be trickier than the planners had thought.

In Netanya, youth took park in Maccabi Games. Quick reflexes and quick thinking were the keep to this station.


Under a Beduin tent, campers listened to stories that Beduin children also hear.

Finally, in Tel Aviv, they went to a typical Israeli restaurant, where they ate pita with hummus and Israeli salad.


When one 4th grader was asked what his favorite part of the day was, he said that it was a tie between the Gadna training and the Beduin stories.

Although there was competition from the Blue Angels as they flew overhead, the campers stayed focused.



As the day wound down, all 250 campers went back to the auditorium to hear a story about Shabbat by Rabbi James Mirel of Temple B'nai Torah.

A brief staff meeting following the clean up. Zach Duitch, the camp director told all how great the afternoon had been and appreciated the participation of all, especially the 5 planners.

In addition to all their hard work, they have had fun and seen a bit of the area. Four Jewish teens from Hungary are also at the JCC this summer, and the 8 youths have become friends. Places they have visited include Mt Rainier, Snoqualmie Falls, and the historic Pike Place Market. They four also went on a personal tour of Microsoft, visited the Museum of Flight, and two went on a tour of the Boeing Airplane plant in Everett. They rode on a ferry in Puget Sound, attended an annual Japanese festival, swam in pools and Lake Washington, and, of course, shopped! And best of all, they have shared a lot of themselves and made friends that will last a lifetime.

Balaynesh Moll Ayeh

Beth Mitchel, from the Seattle area, was one of the four counselors who came to Kiryat Malachi this summer to work at an English-focused camp. The counseling program was a People-to-People project of the TIPS Partnership. The Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle helps support this program as well as a TIPS program that brings Israeli teens to Seattle to work as counselors at local camps.

As part of the program, all four counselors stayed with families in Kiryat Malachi. Beth was hosted by Balaynesh Moll Ayeh and her youngest daughter, 19-year-old Einav, Beth’s roommate.

I had met Balaynesh previously, so she was happy to have me visit her home and talk with her about the hosting experience. After talking a bit, I asked if she wouldn’t mind telling me how she came to be in Kiryat Malachi, and she readily agreed.

Balaynesh was raised in Addis Ababa. She married after high school, and her husband thought it was very important for her to get her driver’s license and a university decree, so she got a BA in Business. After graduation, she worked in a bank in Addis, and used English a lot.

Balaynesh and her husband have 5 children, 2 sons and 3 daughters, from the ages of 19 to 31. In 1986, they sent their two oldest children, ages 7 and 8, to Israel, where they lived in a boarding school, in Kiryat Gat. Three years later her parents made aliyah and eventually moved to Kiryat Gat. In 1991, after not having seen her son and daughter for five years, she took her youngest child Einav (age 2) to Israel to visit them.

The children had missed the family terribly. They said that if their mother didn’t stay with them in Israel, they would insist on going back to Ethiopia with her. So Balaynesh called her husband and told him she had no choice. She went back to Ethiopia to get the other two children.

For the time being, her husband stayed in Addis to continue working there. They were giving up a lot of creature comforts to move to Israel, for they lived in a large 13-room home with large garden, but it was very important for them to live in Israel.

The family of 6 moved into an absorption center in Kiryat Gat. They had a very tiny apartment, but the children were all together again. Children #3 and #4 had trouble adjusting to school, so Balaynesh cleaned a woman’s huge 3-story home, and in exchange that woman tutored the two children. After a few months the two were so much better that they began to help others in their class.


Many Ethiopians have had to stay in absorption centers for more than 3 years before they move to their own apartment, but Balaynesh knew it was critical to move her children into a place they could call home. Balaynesh approached a wonderful man named Elias from the Jewish Agency. He understood her need, and took her on a tour of the surrounding areas. When they approached Kiryat Malachi, she felt like this was the place they should live. After a few weeks, Elias called and told her he had found the perfect apartment for her, and if she didn’t grab it, she would never find one so good. The apartment was great—with 3 big bedrooms, a huge kitchen, 2 bathrooms, and a living room. When she discussed details, her oldest son took notes. The apartment also had almost new furniture throughout. She was delighted with the find, and the family still lives there. It is about a block north of Bar Yehuda, with a nice grassy strip with benches dividing the lanes in the street in front of her building. Balaynesh says that their home has been open like “Avraham Avinu’s” with people always welcome. (As a result, Beth was able to meet a lot of local people.)


Four years later, her husband came to Israel. He also speaks English well. He started an import business but it was not really profitable. Currently he is working in a hotel in Eliot for 6 months.

Baylaynesh held a number of jobs and is proud that her family was never dependent on the social welfare office. In 1994, she worked in Ashdod, and in 1998, she began to work at Kupat Holim, helping new immigrants adjust to the medical system in Israel. Her job is in Kiryat Malachi, so it is closer to home, but there is a lot more pressure. She works in 3 clinics and sees up to 50 clients a day.

Five years ago, she was encouraged to run for the 13-member city council. She agreed to run because she felt that if she worked inside the system, she would help immigrants more. She was elected to the council with the second highest number of votes, even without campaigning. 2003 was the first year that Ethiopian Israelis won seats on city councils throughout the country. Currently there are six or seven such members throughout the country including two in Kiryat Malachi, one in Yavneh, Kvar Saba and Rehovot. She is the only woman in such a position. She is on the city tax committee and has helped to amend mortgage rules there. The other member in Kiryat Malachi is Solomon Yihi. Baylaynesh plans to run again in the city elections this November as she feels she can accomplish more now that she has adapted to the system.

Balaynesh’s five children have done very well. The oldest is a CPA with an MBA and a degree in computers. Another is a photographer; another has a degree in Logistics, and the 4th is studying to be a teacher.


Einav is the youngest. She is doing her national service in town and has worked in Etzion School. Next year she will be in Even Shmuel in Binyamina, helping new immigrants. She is also in charge of the B’nai Akiva groups in town. Three years ago, she started to work with 17 youth at risk through B’nai Akiva, and now eight are either studying or in the army. Three of the children are married, and two are quite religious. Balaynesh is delighted to be a grandmother. . Whenever possible, the family gathers at her home for Shabbat dinner. They continue a family tradition, to discuss what happened during the week and help solve each other’s problems.

Balaynesh invited me to come back whenever I am in town, and I hope to take advantage of her kind invitation.

Yizkor (Memorial) Room in Kiryat Malachi, 2008

A special new room has been created in the library building of Kiryat Malachi, a very moving “Yizkor Room. It is dedicated to the memoryt of Israelis from the town who have died before their time, mostly during military service or during a terrorist attack. (For those of you who know the town, it is in the area that formerly was an exercise club. The club has been moved elsewhere.)

Varda, the head of the library, took me on a tour, a few days after we arrived.




After entering on the right one sees awards given to soldiers from town.



The floor has a beautiful map of Israel under glass. The beauty is not diminished even though the map marks where military and terrorist attacks have taken place during the existence of the State of Israel. Unfortunately, I was not able to take a picture of it.

The rest of the walls, have two-deep photos of the local citizens who have died, from right to left in chronological order. You can also see flags of Israel and the military.
As you can see, the lighting is subdued.


The first two men fell during the War of Independence, before Kiryat Malachi (first as Castina) came into existence.
Itamar, above, died in 1948, and Yehezkiel fell in 1950.


1967 awakened me to Israel, so I've included pictures of those who fell in the 6-day war.



I was a member of a kibbutz on the Golan Heights in 1973. Along with the other women and children, my 4-month-old daughter Timna and I were evacuated under fire after dark the first day of the Yom Kippur War, so that war had a huge significance in my life. Here are photos of men who fell in that war from Kiryat Malachi.

Armon S. and Yehezkiel Nissim


Ofir M. and David A. both fell in 2001. Ofir died in a terrorist attack (a pigua). He had graduated from AMIT high school in Kiryat Malachi. His English vocabulary level was so great that his teacher said that he was like an English dictionary. In his memory, donations from the Seattle and Portland Federations 3 years ago helped purchase special, expensive English dictionaries for top students taking the 5 - point English Bagrut exam. (More dictionaries are now needed, BTW.)




Gad Rachamim feel in 2002. He was the brother of Nir Rachamim, the former president of the Kiryat Malachi Youth Council, and a counselor to Palm Springs and Seattle the summer of 2007.

I found the room quite moving. If you get to Kiryat Malachi, this room is a "must" to visit.

Visit to Acco and Haifa, 2008

Akko is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, dating back to the time of the Pharaoh Thutmose III (1504-1450 BCE ). (It is mentioned once in the Bible.) Currently, over 46,000 people live in the city, with a mix of Jews, Muslims, Christians, and Bahais. It was once a major port but now is mainly home to small fishing boats.
We saw the fishermen repairing their nets toward the end of the day.

harbor

After stopping in Zichron, we all drove to Acco. Unfortunately, the two cars did not follow each other, so we spent an hour, wandering around the walls of the old city of Acco until we finally met up with Ira and his passengers! It was Friday afternoon, already a bit late, so we didn't see much except for parts of the old city and a lot of the walls. The walls were built in the mid-18th century and then fortified by the Turks later.
Entrance to old city from southern parking lot

Map of Old Acco
Howard and Beth climbing to top of ramparts

Cannon on ramparts (earth-filled wall)

Dried moat around wall

When Napoleon tried to go north (after coming up the coast from Egypt after the British had destroyed his fleet in the battle of the Nile), he was stopped at Acco.

Park built in memory of the defeat of Napoleon


Old and new

We passed a spice store where I bought several types of zatar.

We eventually caught up with the rest, walked along the northern wall,

And Beth and Chelsey had their picture taken by the stone whale sculpture

We went through the Shuk as it was closing,

chicken necks, etc. in garbage from restaurant in market waiting to be picked up

Hookas Hooka in use

and spent ten shekels each ($3) to go out in a covered motorboat to see Acco from the Sea.

Howard, Beth & Ira in boat Boat "driver", Hila and Ariel

Edge of old pier in bay Acco beach from water
Boys jumping into bay

Walls viewed from water

As we walked back to our cars, we passed the entrance to the biggest prison that the British had. Unfortunately, it was already closed for the day. We also passed the entrance to the El Jazzar Mosque. The others waited while Howard and I paid a few shekels and went to the mosque's courtyard.

Courtyard

Mosque

We did not go inside because people were praying

After leaving Acco, we traveled to Haifa where we wound around the curvy streets on one of the high hills there until we found our hotel, the Dan Gardens, which is about a quarter of a mile down the road from the top of the Bahai Temple Gardens. The night view was amazing.

And the next morning we were treated to a stunning view of Haifa bay and the Bahai Temple and Gardens.

We walked up to the Carmel shopping center to see it in daylight before heading down to the National Maritime Museum, near the southern end of Haifa, close to the Mediterranean. We found the museum fascinating, depicting maritime history from 4000 years ago to the present in the regon. It was started in the mid-1950s from the private collection of the first director, Aryeh Ben-Eli. The following are a few pictures that show a smattering of what we saw.

Entrance to Maritime Museum

model of papyrus boat AnchorsDrawing of early wooden anchor


King Sahure ancient Egyptian ship held together

by rope

drawing on tomb wall of how Sahure's ship worked

Clay pot recovered from sunken ship


Map of ancient Israel

Fish show seas ships traveled in

Ancient helmet

Tin from sunken ships



Metal ram on front of Greek "battle" ship



Zim Lines passenger ship

See http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/438445/the_national_maritime_museum_in_haifa.html?cat=8 for more details on the museum.

From the museum, we drove south, passing high tech offices such as Microsoft and Google. We decided to drive close to the water, and eventually got off the main road, looking for a less foreign touristy restaurant near the beach. We went through some smaller communities, driving in and out of townlets. We were finally reached a dead-end and had to turn around. But I quickly turned my dismay into excitement. We had ended up at Hadassah-Neurim, a boarding school for troubled Israeli teens, the same place that Nadav had volunteered for 6 weeks in 1998 as part of his Young Judaea Year Course. So I jumped out of the car, took the picture, and later sent it to my son!

We ended up eating on the beach at Acco, sitting outside and watching the beach and the people walking by.

We had some rather unusual appetizers, including fresh almonds. What we normally know as the outside shell had not hardened yet, so we were able to eat it. After the long drive, Howard really enjoyed his beer.

The meal was delicious...the day and the two-day trip ended on a lovely note.

Visit to Zichron Yaakov, July, 2008

After Howard read the book A Strange Death by Hillel Halkin last summer, he mentioned an interest in visiting Zichron Yaakov. The book, written in 2005, tells the story of the Nili spy ring, and especially of the Aaronsohn siblings. So on July 18th, together with Ira Kerem and 4 young adults (2 American volunteers and 2 Israelis (Hila and Ariel) all working at the Kefiada in Kiryat Malachi), we visited the town, which lies about 20 miles south of Haifa. It is now a lovely town for Israeli tourists though not on the main track for most foreign visitors. There is both a newer section where many of the 16,000+ inhabitants live and the reconstructed older part of town, with some streets closed to most traffic.

An original house turned into shops

Below is the promenade and also Ariel and Hila at a seating area (closed street)

realistic artwork on a bench Part of a set of local signs: Magen David Adom, Jeep Tours, Buffalo Hamburger (name of the restaurant and probably not the food) and the Cake House

A small section of the historical area that has not been redeveloped

pretty side street, which has been redeveloped

Ironically, the day after we visited, on July 20, the Jerusalem Post had a large article on Zichron in the weekend magazine.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1215330990525

The First Aliya Museum pays tribute to the town's early pioneers. It is housed in an impressive building that was originally Baron Edmund de Rothschild's administrative headquarters. In December of 1882 ba group of 100 Romanian pioneers, religious Jewish members of the Hovevei Zion movement, purchased a tract of land in the Carmel hills in a place called Zammarin . Many signs like the one on the left give the historical background before visitors watch the films.

The museum consists mainly of a series of video films that tell the story of an imaginary young family who came to the Zammarin from Romania. in 1882. They came to live in the Holy Land as to escape pogroms and rampant anti-Semitism. The films hold nothing back about their living conditions, as the immigrants had no agricultural experience, insufficient water and worked the rocky soil day after day with little to show for it. Adults and children died of malaria and suffered terrible eye diseases.

Signs like the one on the left that visitors read to learn the historical background before seeing films.

Models/pictures in the museum of what the land looked like when the Biluim arrived

Truly desperate, they applied to the well-known philanthropist Baron de Rothschild for help. The group was not able to make a living, so Baron Edmond Rothchild took over Zichron and 4 other settlements, with the members signing over the property to the baron and agreeing to work under his overseers .Not surprisingly, this condition met with great opposition and resulted in much bad feeling and demonstrations against de Rothschild's agents. Some "troublemakers" were expelled from Zichron, and others who refused to sign over their property were left to fend for themselves.

In 1891, the water tower below was built.

Rothchild renamed the town Zichron Yaakov in memory of his father. BARON EDMUND. Next to the museum is the synagogue he built, Ohel Ya'acov, named (as was the town) for his father, Jacob Rothschild. He intended it to be the most beautiful shul in the country, and even now, refurbished and repainted, with its attractive stained glass windows and blue ceiling with golden stars representing the sky, it is a very impressive monument.

Many claim that de Rothschild was unaware of the bad feelings his policies caused, and there is no doubt that his generosity made a tremendous impact on the life of the early Yishuv.

Following a number of economic failures, in 1885 Rothschild helped to establish the first winery in Israel, Carmel-Mizrachi Winery, together with a bottling factory. Today, the winery remains in action, and Ira went with the other 4 on a tour there. The huge wine cellars that were carved into the mountain over a century ago are still in use too.

While Zichron was one of the first communities settled in the 1880s, the museum also has maps telling of other areas settled in what now is Israel.

We were surprised to see Menahemia, where are friends Dalia and Pinchas live, listed as one of the first settlements.

Further along HaMeyasdim Street is Beit Aaronsohn, the site of another historic drama. The Aaronsohns were one of Zichron's founding families and central players in the Nili spy ring that aided the British in their fight against the Turks in WWI. When the ring was smashed, the Turks descended on the Aaronsohn home. Sara Aaronsohn was held captive and tortured, but she managed to get hold of a gun that was hidden in the bathroom and shot herself rather than give up any other Nili members. The Aaronsohn home, still very much as it was then, displays many photos, documents and memorabilia of the family and their espionage activities, and an audiovisual presentation narrates their story. Since the book that Howard read was about the Aaronsohns and Nili, Howard very much wanted to see this museum. We went there a bit after noon to be sure to have time to see the museum, but the guard refused to let us in, saying that we could only go on a scheduled tour and the last one had already entered. No begging on my part could get him to change his mind.

In 2005, the population of Zikhron Ya'akov was 16,100. Many residents continue to engage in agriculture, although upscale private homes have been built by families attracted to the scenic landscape.

While waiting for the other four to finish the winery tour, Howard got a snack at the local (kosher food) McDonalds....which is housed in one of the original houses in town.

It was unusual to see historical town pictures (of the Rothchilds and earlier settlers) on the walls of McDonalds.

Originally a Turkish jail from the early time of Zichron until 1918, the basement area pictured above is now a wine celler where wine is stored. It was closed when we were there, but you can see the narrow steps leading up to it.

We will go back to see the Ahronson house and museum. The town is definitely a worthwhile stop.

Festival B'Shekel in Kiryat Malachi, July 16, 2008

It's rare for a festival offering major musical acts to take place in an out-of-the-way town. It's even more rare for admission to such festivals to cost just one shekel. But as its name and venue imply, Festival B'Shekel (Festival for a Shekel) does just that.

The festival was founded in 2001 by a group of young community activists in the Jerusalem music scene. Shanan Street, lead vocalist of hip hop group Hadag Nahash, says he's pleased the festival has become a tradition. "I am very proud and excited that the festival has reached the age of five," he says.

Wife of Hadag Nachash leader, together with Itai Z., the regional JAFI coordinator
Festival Coordinator (from the national non-profit)

To provide what it does at such a price, Festival B'Shekel is registered as a non-profit organization. In addition to private donations, its funding comes from various sources, including the Jerusalem Foundation, Pratt Foundation Israel, the Israeli Lottery Council for the Arts, businesses including SanDisk, Omanut Laam, author David Grossman and musician Kobi Oz.

An event organizer heard one local Ethiopian-Israeli girl excited on entrace saying, "I have 11 shekels to spend here today." Usually 11 shekels does not go far, but it got her and a sister, brother or friend into the event and several fruit bars. At the Festival held the day before in the North of Israel, a coordinator was told by a mother of seven that if the event were more than a shekel, she could not afford to come.

Festival B'Shekel's mission goes beyond providing a major, high-quality production for such a minuscule fee. Besides bringing music and culture to places and people that might not otherwise have access to such events, the festival hopes to encourage social and cultural growth across all of Israeli society. To help bring this about, activists head into communities on the periphery months prior to the festival to work with local youth, offering workshops on the array of skills necessary to produce such a huge event.

As in previous years, Festival B'Shekel took place this year in towns on the "periphery" rather than the Tel Aviv and Jerusalem venues where most similar events happen. This year Kiryat Malachi was one of the two towns where it was held. One main reason that the Festival non-profit chose to come to Kiryat Malachi last fall was because of a generous donation by the TIPS Partnership of Partnership 2000 of the Jewish Agency. When the joint American-Israeli steering committee of TIPS decided to focus its core funding on youth and young adults, it turned to the youth in Kiryat Malachi to see what they felt was most needed. There are a lot of talented youth in the arts, especially in dance, singing and bands, and theater. The youth asked for funds to put all of the arts programs for teens under one main program and for funds to help them become more professional.

Art City was organized in Kiryat Malachi as of July 1, 2007, as an umbrella organization to tie together teens in the arts in town, to develop a coordinated and professional group. In its first year it was wildly successful. The $60,000 donation from TIPS helped to bring in professionals to help teach teens to direct and coordinate the music, dance, and theater programs in town. Festival B'shekel also brought in professionals to help in this area with the intent that after this year, the expertise of these people would help Kiryat Malachi youth to continue to develop the arts. Dvora Attal was the city staff member who worked with the TIPS and Festival coordinators.

Dvora and Guy

The youth in Kiryat Malachi are extremely talented. They have just needed the tools to help them succeed, according to Guy and the festival directors.

Members of the TIPS steering committee attended an Art City show on January 31, 2008, and were very impressed by the quality of the acting, singing, and dancing.


We were told that another performance in May was a bit hit in town. An all youth steering committee worked with the town arts director and the Festival to plan the event. Before this year, the 30 members of the steering committee representing music, dance, theater, and stage design had never really gotten to know each other and each other's crafts. One main goal of the Art City project was to bring them together, to get to know each other and each other's talents, something that had not been done before. Guy, the city music coordinator, was also very much involved. Many others were involved including the town youth director and the assistant, Hila.

Park site before the event.

The day before the event, teens were busy making Festival signs. That evening, the city brought in Kobi Peretz for a concert in the part at 7:30. Over 2000 were in attendance. Unfortunately we were visiting a friend an watching the sunset at Ashkelon Beach and did not attend. Peretz is a Mizrachi singer, whose broke into the Israeli music scene in 2003 with his album "Confuse Him."

By 5 p.m., the event was set up in the big park. The entrance gate was behind the matnas, and one shekel (30 cents US) per person was collected for multi-entrance admission.
entrance is to the right of the sign

Tree decoration made from plastic drinking cups!

Early-comers. The park at 5

The other side of the park was also closed off. At that end, there were a number of tables--a few venders and local service representatives.


Sign for girls: "You are not alone"

I bought a very nice wall hanging from a member of a Beduin women's cooperative called "The Center for Bedouin Embroidery, Tatreez Al-Badiah." "The Association for the Improvement of the Status of Women: Laqiya," not too far from Beersheva. For more information, check out the website: www.desert-embroidery.org.


Having fun with Festival adult clowns

Soon, the theater group members were entertaining. Four of five were walking in clown-like costumes on stilts. One, Matan, was a member of Dor Sheni who had visited the US last fall. (BTW, his broken foot had entirely mended.).



One girl was particularly talented and could juggle. The crowd enjoyed her "talking-arguing" with her mom on a juggling pin "phone."

"Musicians" from the acting troup led the stilt walkers around in a parade. A famous comedian entertained a group on a small stage,


and a triple-thick circle of people were entertained by an improv-athletic team.

Youth were selling fruit bars for 2 shekels each, cheap and a delight in the heat!

As you can see, organizers got Festival B'Shekel shirts (in black, blue or red) as did the TIPS visitors including Tucson, and others paid 25 shekels (almost $8) to buy one. (My husband Howard looks great in his!)

Some of the performers were walking around in advance, taking in the scene too:

There were also games for youth to play. Here is Beth, a kefiada counselor from Seattle, trying one.


Shir, Hadar, and Bat-El


The stage beforehand--I was amazed with the amount and quality of the equipment brought in by Festival B'Shekel

Sign in front of stage, close up

One of the famous national singers: Aya Koren:

There was a balance of local performers and nationally famous ones, with the national ones performing a bit more. The local performers held their own and too were wildly applauded. I was so proud of the very professional level of the local artists! This has been a tremendous project for the youth of Kiryat Malachi. (I'm sorry the pictures are so dark, but with thousands of people in the audience and those by the stage dancing in crowded quarters, it was hard to get close to get good shots.


Local singing talent:

Local dancers:







Dance with theme of the 1973 Yom Kippur War

The choreographer is 19, from Kiryat Malachi, and intends to stay here. Because of his unusual talent, the army has stationed him at the local base so that he has time to serve the army and Kiryat Malachi.


After the event, one performer said that to be on the same stage with such nationally known groups was thrilling, a lifelong dream accomplished before he even turned 19! I know that the others must have felt the same!

A very sad day for Israel, July 16, 2008

Hello,
Today was the exchange between Israel and Hizbollah in Lebanon of prisoners, bodies, etc.

Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev were captured just over 2 years ago when members of Hizbollah attached a group of Israeli soldiers on patrol, precipitating the 2nd Lebanon war. In all that time, Hizbollah never told any international representative the condition of the soldiers, but it was assumed, at least lately, that at least one if not both were dead. Until the last moment, Hizbollah reacted without concern to human feelings, sending out rumors as late as this morning that one of the two soldiers were alive.

Like many others here, we were glued to the TV or radio this morning. Only when 2 plain black caskets were delivered to the Israelis around ten a.m. today, was it very clear that both had died. The parents of one said they had rationalized that their son was dead, but in their hearts they still had hope. Goldwasser's wife, , who had talked throughout Israel, on the net, and the US, and was extremely strong, collapsed today with the news.

Israelis continue to listen to the radio and TV to find out if the bodies were indeed the two soldiers, to hear from the families, the army, the President, and to feel the pain and sadness of the day. The Israelis verified around 2 p.m. that the bodies were indeed that of Regev and Goldvasser. Now at 5 p.m., the Israelis are getting body parts of other dead soldiers and the 5 Lebanese prisoners will soon cross the border north, including Samir Kuntar, who killed 4 Israelis in 1979 and has been in prison in Israel since then. President Peres said that Israel paid a painful price for the return of the two bodies, but that it was important to do so that they may rest in piece in our land.

Israelis will pay their respects to the two families who will bury their sons tomorrow. The country is in morning, while Hizbollah and others in Lebanon including the President are rejoicing, calling the child murderer Samir Kantar a national hero We too feel the pain. BTW, several US teen groups traveling in Israel changed their plans to go to the Kineret and other fun places and instead stopped by the homes of the dead reservists to light candles and express their grief too.

Regional Gifted Program in Kiryat Malachi: Larom

Like many other countries, Israel realizes the importance of identifying gifted youth and helping to develop their creativity and interest in science.

Israel has a total of 51 gifted centers throughout the country. This past year, Kiryat Malachi became the center for part of the northern Negev, including Sederot, Kiryat Gat, Kiryat Malachi, and the Regional councils (county areas) of Yoav, Lachish, Shafir, Beer Tuvia, and Shaar Hanegev. (Hof Ashkelon used to be part of this group but now goes to the Ashkelon center. Maybe they will join LaRom in the future.) The previous regional center had been disbanded a few years before, and Kiryat Malachi was delighted to house the new program.

The Kiryat Malachi regional program called LaRom (to the top) is housed in the town science center.


Since the program had not existed in the area for a while, the decision was made to start just with 4th graders and to add a grade each year. Each Tuesday, youth in the top 1% come for a full school day. In the afternoon, from 4 to 6:45, children who tested in the top 5% go to this program program. Last year, approximately 40 attended the afternoon program, and already 60 entering 4th and 5th grades have signed up for the coming year. The groups meet once a week for thirty sessions.

Last year, this region was allowed to have students from the top 1.5% attend the morning program. Of the 31 who tested that high, 28 attended. They all will continue next year and two new 5th graders will be added. This year, 22 have tested into the morning program (of the approximately 2200 entering 4th graders in the cities and regions covered by LaRom), and all have already signed up. In a country where people often sign up for programs for children at the last moment, this, to me, is an astounding and very significant event.

Ariella Duvduvan, an experienced English teacher at AMAL high school, is the part-time director of this program.

She spends a bit more than 1/4 of her time on this program and the rest at a teacher at the high school. She is energetic, creative, enthusiastic, and has been able to bring together an amazing team of teachers who understand gifted and who have helped give this program a great reputation, after just one year.

Since science is not a focal point in most elementary schools in Israel, this program focuses on science and creative thinking. The students in the morning program choose three classes in different areas including buta not limited to pure science and ecology. The teachers for these hands-on courses are fantastic, and most are gifted themselves, many working on their Ph.D.s in their fields. Course include:
Marine Biology, Chemistry, Artificial Intelligence (Robots and Ethics), Robotics, Heroes in Films through History (and learn to critique films). The older group can take any of the already mentioned courses or the following also: Microbiology, How Things Work, Time Perception, Drawing, and Robotics. Ariella hopes that by the time the youth enter 7th grade, they can participate in a robotics contest sponsored by the Technion University. The youth in the afternoon choose two classes, which may include Astronomy, Biochemistry, Game Theory, Breaking the Code, and Drawing.

The youth have done some of the following:
experimenting with balloons filled with hot air
creating missiles from empty soda bottles
In their study of words, created word games



experimenting with toys with air and liquids inside
learned about sea life in ocean study

made robots from Lego kits and done a variety of things with them
Did different activities around the holidays including making creative objects out of fruit (without ruining the fruit for Tu B'Shvat

(Fruit aliens from space)

making very creative costumes for their Purim Party such as this dolphin costume made by one girl and her grandmother


Early in their program, their had an activity similar to musical chairs, in order to get to trust each other better. There was a slight variation: namely, no one could have his/her feet on the floor. But instead of having the extra child drop out, a chair was removed. At first, there was one more child than chairs. The next time there were 2 more children than chairs in each group, etc. By the time each group was down to two chairs, they had to be very creative, standing on chairs and hugging each other so as not to fall. In the end, the judge (Ariella) decided that the boys' group had one.

After this activity, two girls who had not gotten along seemed to have overcome their animosity through the activity.

The girls' group, however, appealed the decision in a formally written note to the judge. A fifteen-minute activity turned into three distinct lessons. The judge decided to review the events at a trial, and the two groups learned how to present their case in objective ways to the judge. (Israel does not have a jury system. Cases are tried by a single judge or a group of 3.) It was an amazing learning experience for all!


They had a variety of field trips including two to the Ilan Ramon Astronomy center in Beer Sheva. They went on a two-day trip to Eilat at the end of the year.


They studied ocean life and used the special microscopes at a college in Eilat.

They were the first students under college age to use this complicated, expensive microscopes. While they were there, they also dissected fish to see their insides, identified them, and then put them back together. Only one child was squeemish and let others do the dissecting!


At this time, very few children from Kiryat Malachi have qualified for this program. However, Ariella hopes that in the next few years she can add an after-school program for the top 20% of youth in Kiryat Malachi, so more children from this town can benefit from this amazing program and get turned on to science and the fun of learning.

Science Center in Kiryat Malachi

The science center in Kiryat Malachi was created about 12 years ago and has gone through ups and downs. Moshe Tenne took over as director about 6 years ago and helped develop it as a place for locals to learn about science. After his untimely death, Talia Bernard was named the new director. At various times, the Jewish Federations of Tucson, Phoenix, and Seattle, through the TIPS partnership have donated to help improve the center and programs in it.

This year, in Talia's capable hands, with funds from a variety of places including the Federations of Portland and Tucson, the center has been renovated physically, and is full of activity throughout the school year. The center was renamed in Tenne's honor this spring.
Moshe Tenne and grandchildren

All middle school students from the adjacent secondary school AMAL study general science at the center. Science is not required in 10th--12th grades nationally. About 30% of the students at this school take Biology, and now students are signing up for Physics, a relatively new course at the school. The physics teacher is extremely good and has increased the number of students in the five point program from 3 in 2006-7 to 8 last year, and all passed the test. Next year more have registered for this class.

With the help of the donors, the student tables and teacher desks have been replaced.

New student tables and chairs. New sound and light-blocking curtains



New student table and chairs (close-up) and new computers



Several new digital projectors were purchased


Esti, the center's administrative assistant, standing next to a teacher's computer and a teacher's table. The teacher's table is acid-protected as that is where many experiments in class take place.

New computers have been added to some of the labs, including a new technology lab.

New cabinets for storage were bought.


The office has a new floor, new cabinets, and was being painted when we were there.



This past year, the wall near the water fountain was remodeled and the water fountain can be put in a cabinet when not in use, keeping it from breakage.



An astronomy lab has been built with a small planetarium adjacent.


Display cases have been created with scientific models inside which can be used for instruction.

Biology models:




The center director, Talia Bernard, next to a model of blood flow.


Physics & Technology:







On the right, a case filled with past "innovative technology" from Moshe Tenne's collection

Convex/concave mirrors for the hallways for creative thinking:



Other programs also use the center including:
After school enrichment programs for elementary school students.

An all-day new regional gifted program for children in the top one percent and an after school program for youth in the top 5 %, which began last fall for 4th graders and which will add 5th graders this year. Talia has generously allowed them the use of the full center for all day Tuesday and the use of one wall per classroom to display the children's projects.

NET@, a program for selected high school youth which combines training in computers and communications, tto enable them to gain experience in leading hi-tech companies, together with the gaining of social values such as excellence, individual and group responsibility, leadership, pluralism, multiculturalism, democracy, and contribution and commitment to the community. It was was established in 2003 by the Tapuah Non-Profit Organization, the Jewish Agency, Keren Hayesod and Cisco Systems to reach out to youth outside the main urban areas of Israel.

The center has teachers in Astronomy and physics from Ben Gurion University, with which the center has a strong relationship. The university has lent the center a sun telescope. Four times a year about 200 youth from the school to the the university for programs. The 7th--9th graders go for Astronomy and the 10th--12th graders attend Physics programs.

Talia wishes to find funds to install an elevator. One student at AMAL1 High School is handicapped and cannot make it up the stairs on her own, so there is a strong need for an elevator. Talia is not sure if other high school students have chosen not to take science because of physical disabilities.

Talia also hopes for funding for a chemistry lab. Many high schools in Israel do not teach Chemistry. She hopes in the future the center can offer chemistry to the AMAL1 students. One big wish is to build a third floor to house more labs and a lecture room in order to accomadate the growing number of students in town who now want to study science.

Talia was especially proud that a group of 9th graders from AMAL taking science at the center won a national technological competition sponsored by the Technion. They created a program to aid the physically handicapped.

We also loved to see a Hoopoe, the national bird of Israel, and her baby in the area outside the center.

"Beautifying" Kiryat Malachi

In the past year Kiryat Malachi streets have become more attractive. At the center of the kikarim (roundabouts), plants, trees and pottery have been installed.

The kikar near the center of town will look fantastic when it is finished. An olive tree has been transplanted to the center of the raised kikar. Workers are still putting bricks and planting around the tree, but it should look lovely when finished.
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Two murals are on adjacent walls near that roundabout.
This one was finished last year




Some of the narrow road dividers are now planted too. The newest "paintings" in town are those on the meter+ tall electric boxes. I enjoy discovering new ones when I walk to different neighborhoods.

Before they were painted, many were covered with graffiti, but I have yet to see a painting one scarred in such a way.

Some, like the elephant, windmill and cat at night, have the name of advertisers on them, which helps cover the costs, a smart planning idea.

Next to the library, a memorial room has been created. This is the electric box outside of it.


Last year through donations from Keren Yedidut, a park was renovated with grass, benches, etc.

Families enjoy sitting there on Shabbat and watch their children play. And on July 16, Festival B'Shekel will be on two stages in this park, entertaining thousands from the area.
I think the youth in town too take pride in this beautification.