Page 20 - C.A.L.L. #41 - Summer 2016

with. I want them to feel like their society values For each of us, moving to Israel to build our lives
them. I want them to be able to believe in a has been a complex and difficult decision to
future that is greater than the reality they were make. It has been a choice to live in a new
born into. society, one that we were not born into, away
from our parents, families, friends and familiar
Through values-based educational activities and communities. The difficulties are not only
group building experiences, the branch of geographical but social – we are choosing to live
HaNoar HaOved VeHalomed has a profound in a way that is different from that chosen by our
impact on the lives of these young people. We families and friends. Many of the people we love
place before them a different vision of Israeli in our lives do not understand the choices we are
society, one that is based on equality, peace and making or why we are making them. It is,
social solidarity. We who work at the branch however, exciting and immensely supportive to
spend our days encouraging the youth who be welcomed into a vibrant community of young
come there to be our partners in helping to build people making similar life choices, who are
it. placing the same values at the centre of their
lives. We are motivated to work together with our
partners here in Israel to build a country that is
Pioneering is stil alive just, peaceful and a shining light of morality.

We have a long road ahead of us.
Speaking to the Jewish community back in
Australia, Ellie Bouhadana and Adiel
Coheny reminded their friends and
community-members not to forget
that pioneering exists “not only in the
orchards of the Galilee, but in the
schools of Haifa. Don’t forget that it
exists not only in 1926, but also in
2016.”

We do not want to be a blip, or a
random spike, in the numbers of
Habonim Dror members or Australian
Jews choosing to live this intentional
shared way of life in Israel. Some
Habonim Dror olim came to Israel in
the years preceding us. They paved
the way for this collective way of life
to be a realistic choice. We want
there to be many more who follow Tamir (second from left), with group mates at May Day rally, Tel Aviv.
us.

! 19