Well the last week on Workshop 60 was the huge ride of challenge, questioning, and inspiration that has come to be known as 'The history of Habonim Dror Hagshama seminar.' This seminar is generally regarded as one of the most intensive and invigorating weeks on the workshop calendar, and this year was no exception.
The week started on Sunday with a visit to the Kinneret courtyard, where the beginnings of the modern kibbutz movement found its' roots. It was here that, starting over a century ago, young and ideological zionists found their way to Palestine to start a life of agriculture and 'kvutza.' The workshoppers heard stories of the hardships and successes of these young chalutzim (pioneers) as they struggled to come to terms with their new ways of life in the future Eretz Israel, as well as some of the stories of the great leaders of the Socialist Zionist movement who were there for periods, such as A.D. Gordon and Berl Katznelson.
The workshoppers were also guided through the kinneret cemetary - one of the most picturesque sites around the kinneret. There, they heard the stories of more of the early chalutzim of the zionist movement - such as Rachel the poet, Moses Hess, and the great Israeli songwriter - Naomi Shemer.
The morning was rounded out with a trip to one of the newest museums in the area - The 'Bet Telem Ha'aroch' (The house of the Long Furrow). This museum, on kibbutz Degania Bet, tells the story of the change in ways of life for a young person from Eastern Europe in coming to Palestine, where every room is full of actors who play the role of these young chalutzim.
Kinneret Courtyard - the founding centres of the kibbutz movement
After the morning, the workshoppers headed out to visit the first Habonim kibbutz in the country - Kibbuta Kfar Blum. Kfar Blum had the first ever 'Garin' (group of members of the movement who made aliya together to kibbutz) of Habonim Dror, in 1939. At Kfar Blum, they spoke to Dooby Ben-Ari, who is from the first generation of young people on Kfar Blum. He spoke to the workshoppers about the decline of the kibbutz movement, and his belief that Socialism can no longer work. Needless to say - it was a lot to take in for the workshoppers!
The evening peula for the workshoppers gave them a chance to put their acting abilities to the test - a rendition of the famous Yehoshua Sobol play - 'The night of the twentieth.' The play deals with similar themes of the day - it's a group dialogue of young chalutzim based on one of the earliest kvutzot in the country. It also gave the workshoppers to examine how their kvutza and experiences relate to those of young people 100 years ago, what things they wanted to take from them, and what things they felt were best left in history.
On the second morning, the workshoppers headed out to kibbutz Kfar Hanassi, to speak with Alec - an oleh and vatik (veteran) of British Habonim Dror. Alec has been living on Kfar Hanassi for over 40 years, and spoke to the group about his own movement experiences, and his attitude to the changes and privatisation measures that the kibbutz has undergone.
The workshoppers then headed out to kibbutz Mevo Chama to speak with Joe, an oleh who is originally from Habonim Dror in Perth, West Australia. Mevo Chama is the only habo kibbutz situated in the Golan Heights - to the southern end. Joe welcomed the group warmly, and spoke about his sadness at seeing the privatisation of the kibbutz, and the gradual irrelevance of the youth movement on the kibbutz.
The picturesque Mevo Chama
The final stop of the day was at Kibbutz Yizre'el. Situated in the Jezre'el valley, the kibbutz is home to Habonim olim from all over the world, specifically Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Here, the workshoppers spoke with Paul from New Zealand and Eddie from South Africa, about how they had dealt with the changes in kibbutz during their lives there.
The evening peula examined the privatisation process on kibbutzim as a whole, the different methods of responding, and what it means for the traditional kibbutz movement today.
Day three, and the workshoppers were off to Gesher Haziv. The kibbutz at Gesher Haziv has seen many olim from HDNA over the years, and the visit for the workshoppers gave them the chance to speak with original members of workshops 2, 11, 21, and 27. It was a real eye-opening experience!
The group then set off to visit kibbutz Eshbal. Once a military base, the kibbutz was given to our sister movement, Hanoar Haoved, who now have a thriving kibbutz of smaller kvutzot who live there. The kibbutz also has a boarding school for 11th and 12th graders, a horse ranch, and a seminar centre. It gave the workshoppers a chance to examine what a newer kibbutz looks like today, with a younger community with closer day to day ties to a youth movement.
That night, the workshoppers discussed the situation in Israeli society today, and whose role it was to take responsibility where once the kibbutz movement took responsibility for. They talked about what role Habonim members played historically, and what our role is today in Israeli society, in dealing with the socio-economic reality of what is around them.
The next day the workshoppers headed out to see their first 'contemporary' Urban commune setting - Kvutzat Ogen (Anchor). Ogen is made up of 6 members of habo from around the world (of which i am one!), including three from HDNA, and two who served on the national mazkirut from 2002-04. Here they learnt about the state of the movement in Israel today, and what it was like in the years in Habonim where there was no active 'Hagshama' (actualisation) of the movement goals, in terms of aliya to Israel and taking responsibility over Israeli society and the Jewish world.
In the afternoon they headed out to Kvutsat Yovel (Jubilee), the first of the modern urban kvutzot of Habonim. There they spoke with James, where the workshoppers debated the 'swinging pendulum' of what a youth movement is, and the range between a general club, and a cult, as the two extremes of possibility. Needless to say, it was a rivetting discussion!
The final day of the seminar saw the workshoppers visit the two newest communes of Habonim in Israel - Aseef and Mishmar Ha'am. There, they saw and heard what the lives of new olim and members of the movement in Israel were like, including the chance to meet three of the four previous members of the national mazkirut, who are now living and working in Israel, in a kvutza.
The seminar ended with a final peula, which had a lengthy discussion about what the members of a socialist zionist youth movement actually do, and whether we, as members of Habonim Dror, achieve those things. It gave the workshoppers a chance to put everything they had seen and heard throughout the week into perspective, and really examine what the role of Habonim Dror is today, both in North American society, and specifically in Israeli society.
As you can see, it was a really big week for workshop! Definitely full of challenging and inspirational stories, and definitely a chance for them to understand all of the history that has come before them, and a glimpse into what may lie ahead for the movement.
This week, the workshoppers will be wrapping things up on Boneh, and will be leaving kibbutz Ein Dor next Sunday to head to their next destination - Karmiel! Either myself or Ari will let you know about their new postal address, and i'll update you again before they head off for chofesh.
Until next time,
Leon.
