The latest installation of Workshop news!

Hello Workshop followers!
The last month of Workshop has been very exciting. The last weekend of January, we had our first Poland preparation seminar. During the seminar, we talked about different ways in which the Holocaust is often mystified, collective memory, and the difference between going on a trip and on a journey. Also, each person shared what their expectations for the Poland journey are and what roles they want to take on during this kvutzah process. I think it was a very meaningful starting point for embarking on the important, but challenging Poland process.

Also, now that the Workshoppers are a month and a half into Kaveret, many aspects of their daily lives are more settled. Everyone is doing Messima (educational work) 3 times a week and having weekly Yomei Tzevet (meetings together with their Messima coordinators) once a week. The Workshoppers are starting to build relationships with the chanichim (kids) they are working with in their schools and kenim and although at times they have difficult days, I think they feel the importance of the work they are doing. We have continued having Yom kvutzah every Monday. Some of the topics we have talked about this month are: the importance of each individual in the group and the space created for each person, art and love in our society, the Labor party and the Israeli left today, and the meaning of names as a means to thinking about a kvutzah name. Every Thursday the Workshoppers have had programming run by the Kaveret rekazim (organizers and educators). On these days they have learned a lot about Karmiel and the issues affecting it. These include the Russian Aliyah in the 1990s and Arab-Jewish relations in the area. They have also talked about Tu’bshvat and last week they visited a beautiful synagogue in Israel and talked about Jewish identity.

The Workshoppers have also been implementing structures and planning things for themselves. Each week they run an asepha (meeting) for themselves where they talk about any issues they are having and find collective ways to deal with them. They also had a party to watch the Superbowl. They cooked an enormous amount of food, set up the projector, invited the British kvutzah over, dressed in the colors of the team they were rooting for and watched the big game. They also spend a lot of time cooking and I am not sure where they learned how to cook so well, but they always make delicious meals!

Most recently (this past Sunday and Monday), we had Chava Achot seminar (the seminar with their sister Chava from Hanoar Haoved). For this seminar they were mixed with Israelis their own age from Hanoar Haoved (Habonim Dror’s sister movement) who live together as 28 people in Haifa, and do the same educational work as the Workshoppers. The seminar dealt with different questions around Judiasm, Zionism, the relationship between Israel and the Diaspora, and the relationship between our 2 movements. They also had a musical (hosted by Ezra and Adina) which was a space for the Workshoppers to share a part of HDNA culture. There were many talented acts performed by all including a great rendition of “Home” by the Workshoppers. Then they did Rikud where each kvutzah taught the other new dances. I think it was a really meaningful experience for both groups and some even said “this is the best seminar we have ever had.”

This upcoming Monday and then Thursday- Saturday are more Poland Preparation peulot where the chanichim will meet their day madrichim for Poland and really jump start the content of the journey. Then there is only week left until we leave for Poland, which is crazy to believe! Ok that is all for now!

Yelena