Page 19 - C.A.L.L. #41 - Summer 2016

Breathing new life into the pioneering – many of whom are themselves olim from Russia
and Ethiopia – grow up out of touch with the rest
spirit
In the spirit of the old kibbutz, the adult of society. Many do not have access to the
movement Dror Israel, which I have been a part economic opportunities that privileged,
of since I settled in Israel in January of this year, is establishment Israel has to offer. They do not feel
attempting to affect and shape the character of connected to the people around them, as their
Israeli society. Inspired by the kibbutz enterprise world has taught them that making it,
th
of the 20 century, and dismayed by the retreat succeeding, means making enough money to
st
of its values from the forefront of 21 century leave their communities, leave the
Israel, the urban neighbourhood,
kibbutz revival is even leave the
working to shift the country.
direction of Israeli Though these
society away from children are left out
the dominant of its supposed
principles of greed, rewards, the
racism, inequality capitalist system’s
and competition, results are painfully
which as I see it, evident in their
haunt the horizon of lives. They are
the Jewish state of driven by
2016. competition.
Appearances are of
Our group is
striving to live paramount
according to the Tamir working with local youth in Kiryat Yam. importance. Who
values we hold so has the best
dear. We are working to develop a collective haircut? Who has the
economic framework that meets each and every newest bike? Who has the best shoes? Who lives
member’s needs irrespective of their financial in the nice part of town? These are the questions
past. We are reaching out to each other as life faced daily by the teenagers I work with. Sadly,
partners in a way that transcends the paradigm of the questions they face aged 15 do not
normative couplehood. We want to make shared drastically change as they grow older.
life choices that positively impact the society we Informal y educating the way
have joined, the wider Jewish people, and the
world. Like myself, the new group members joining us in
June will continue to work with young Israelis and
Lef behind by capitalism Jewish youth from around the world as informal
educators.
Since arriving in Israel, I have been working in a
branch of the youth movement HaNoar HaOved We have deliberately chosen to engage in youth
VeHaLomed (Working and Studying Youth) in movement education, as it is clear to us that the
Kiryat Yam, a few kilometres north of Haifa. needs of Israeli society will be best addressed by
Although my Hebrew is not perfect, and I was not values-based education. I want to show the
born here, I am coming to learn the lived teenagers I educate that there are more
experience of Israeli kids. important things in the world than appearances

and social status. I want them to feel connected
Working with 14 and 15 year olds from the
neighbourhood has taught me about the reality to the place they live in and feel responsibility for
of what it is like to grow up on the periphery of its future. I want them to see their friends not as
Israeli society. Economically marginalised families people to triumph over, but partners to work

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