ANZAC Day 2014

ANZAC day is not just a commemoration and celebration of Australia’s past and present servicemen and women but rather a symbolic occasion on which each and every Australian acknowledges the forging of our national identity, personified largely by the feats of the ANZACs during the First World War. On Australian shores, the ANZAC spirit radiates a societal value of mateship, a willingness to help out our fellow man and come together to celebrate things important to us. In line with these values, there was no better way for participants of Australian gap year programs in Israel to celebrate ANZAC day than to come together for a day of teambuilding and bonding.

Thursday morning began in educational fashion as individual movements and programs visited different sites relating to the ANZACs which are present around Israel; Aviv began with a trip to the edge of the Hayarkon River which featured a statue dedicated to the battles of World War One’s eastern front on which the ANZACs were pivotal. Our JNF guide did an admirable job of explaining the intricacies of the role of Australian soldiers in the claiming of Israel by the allies from the Ottoman Empire, then named Palestine, it was captured through successful battles at Beer Sheva and then Jerusalem. Our next stop was the hub of Israel’s water recycling program in Kfar Saba, a program which contributes 80% of Israel’s overall drinking water, a stat which leads the world by a huge margin to its nearest competitor. This stop further solidified our knowledge of Israel’s role as a leading force in world technology. Our final stop before consolidating with the rest of Australia’s gap year program was to the JNF’s tree planting centre in Nachshon Forest, at which we were afforded the opportunity to perform the mitzvah of planting a tree in Israel, the only country in the world with more trees now than when it was founded.

We finally arrived at Nes Harim, our accommodation for the night, at around lunch time, greeted by the smiling faces of friends who take up residence on one of the many other Israel programs offered to Australians at the completion of their high school educations. As old friends reunited in all new surroundings the day got off to a flying start, soon after a delicious and plentiful lunch we were divided into program-mixed groups in which we were to participate in a variety of teambuilding exercises which saw friendships, both new and old, blossom. It was a marvel to watch over 250 young Jewish Australians interact with their counterparts in a beautiful natural setting. We were also treated to a demonstrations in Japanese martial art as well as Krav Maga, the deadly martial art of Israelis. We watched in awe as the instructors belted one another, until one humorously drew blood from the nose of the other prompting multiple jocular comments. Free time followed prior to dinner as a ‘forced march’ was offered by our instructors, an invitation taken up by the majority who undertook the 4 kilometre walk with gumption. A barbecued dinner soon put smiles on the faces of most before the day was rounded out by chill time in which most took the opportunity to make new friends, meet new people, wash themselves and finally get some shut eye.

Friday was ANZAC day itself, and it was a pleasure to see bus after bus of young Australians arrive at Mount Scopus for the official Jerusalem commemoration, each dressed in their respective uniforms or official garments. The Australian ambassador to Israel as well as multiple other dignitaries were in attendance as we witnessed a traditional ceremony which saw the usual staples of the last post, the ode and the laying of wreaths performed with utmost respect to the heroes of a nation situated on the other side of the world to where we stood, however to us it wasn’t just any nation, it was our nation. A huge amount of organisations were represented included almost all of the belligerents of the First World War as well as the United Nations and others, with all paying their respects through the laying of a wreath, including Australia’s many gap year programs, represented by carefully chosen participants of each program. Overall, the ceremony was unbelievably respectful and it made each and every one of us, miss home in some way, shape or form. The service was fittingly concluded by a mass recital of the mourners Kaddish in the Jewish section of the Mount Scopus cemetery.

I am personally exceedingly grateful that we were given the opportunity to celebrate ANZAC Day in fitting fashion on Israeli soil, after all, we are first and foremost Australian representatives in the holy land and what better way to represent our country than to be ambassadors on one of our country’s most important days. I hope that this wonderful initiative by the ZFA is continued well into the future.

By Jake Rosengarten

Aviv Community Program: Ra'anana Week 2

This year, Aviv has co-ordinated with Maccabi, and initiated a shot-term option to participants in which they can attend Wingate Institute and advance their sporting and fitness knowledge through a series of theory and practical lessons. Myself and 9 other Avivians had the pleasure of partaking in this option and I can confirm with a degree of sureness that each and every one of us enjoyed it thoroughly. Sunday was the third day which we attended the institute, in which we were privileged to a lesson on the basics of sport psychology and its applications for improving the performance of athletes and the solving of problems therein. Our afternoon session then featured a session with a ridiculously muscle individual by the name of Ilya who showed us around the many machines and weights present in the Wingate gym.

Monday through Wednesday days proceeded in a similar model, generally featuring a morning session, 10:30 – 12 in which we were seated in a classroom setting and learning from a lecturer who imparted knowledge upon us about some sort of sporting topic. Following this, a break from 12 – 12:30 which was used to purchase lunch from the nearby cafeteria. Finally, the afternoon session which usually involved a degree of physical activity, leaving us all exhausted for our bus ride home to Ra’anana. Monday was physiology, a lecture which was too science-y for some to follow, proceeded by a session in the physiology lab in which I partook in the VO2 Max test which tested my aerobic ability, see pictures for how ridiculous I looked.

Tuesday featured a lesson on pedagogy, or methods of teaching, which was enthralling and taught in an extremely interesting way. In the afternoon we reunited with Ilya in the gym and worked hard during another long workout after which our muscles ached. That night we engaged in a talk with Amir who came to inform us of important guidelines for chofesh, and following this a peula run by Tracey and Daniella in which we were asked a series of questions relating to before, during and after Aviv which alluded to the fact that we have reached the halfway point of the program, a frightening thought for most.

Wednesday at Wingate involved a lesson about doping in sport, including an in-depth look at the doping program of East Germany throughout the 1970s and 1980s which saw them dominate a few editions of the Olympic Games. We learnt of the process athletes go through when tested and how one breaches the rules as well as the consequences. The afternoon featured a session with a trainer who took us through a simple workout which included the use of various balls and fitness implements.

Thursday was a special day, nerves were rife as we took the much anticipated ‘final exam,’ the stomachs of some harked back to their usual grumblings of Year 12 exam periods, as we were handed the 20 question multiple choice exam. The pass mark 12/20, was reached successfully by all, some by the skin of their teeth. The afternoon featured a surprisingly fun and intense session of ‘air boxing’ in which we learnt a routine which more than put us through our paces. Finally, that afternoon in a modest ceremony, including a delegate from Maccabi World Union, we were presented with our completion certificates as well as bags and shirts to signify our official qualification as a ‘community sport instructor.’ That night we had a chat with the Shlicha of AUJS, Leora, who informed us of the opportunities available to all of us in AUJS when we make our way to University, or continue it, in the coming months and years.

Wingate was a great experience, something that I can really recommend to future attendees of the Aviv and Maccabi programs as something really worthwhile which certainly should not be passed up.

With the completion of this week comes the beginning of our approximately two week long chofesh. I shan’t be blogging during this period, but would like to wish all of my readers a lovely Pesach and holiday period! Chag Sameach!

Another awesome week down, 79 days to look forward to!

Jake

Aviv Community Program - Week 1 Ra'anana

Independent living is something which most 18 year olds dream of but when thrust directly into this situation some thrive whilst others struggle. Aviv’s community program attempts to teach our mixed group of 20 participants (some from group one and some from group two) how to live without the aid of madrichim or parents in an apartment setting with our peers in which we cook, eat, sleep and live independently. Our group, based in Ra’anana, consists of 15 girls and 5 boys, whilst two other groups reside in Kiryat Yam and Tiberius respectively.

As our free weekend concluded, most were appalled as they were informed that we were expected to board a public bus to Ra’anana along with their baggage. The bus ride which ensued is considered as one of the least pleasurable ever taken, by both ourselves and the members of the public who were bombarded and blocked by our suitcases at every opportunity. We eventually survived and arrived in Ra’anana and were soon shown to our apartments, and again some were distinctly unhappy, this time with the prospect of sharing a room with strangers for the next month. Lunch was soon enjoyed together by all in a nice grassy space just outside our apartments, sandwiches were on the menu and soon after completing them, designated members of each apartment headed out to the supermarket to do a plus-sized shop for the next week. All returned gradually after roughly three hours some happier than others and eager to see if they had made decisions which would see them and their roommates well-nourished for the next week. The madrichim who are accompanying us in Ra’anana, Daniella and Tracey have decided to split their budget amongst each apartment and have been rostered to eat with various groups for every meal of every day, other than breakfast. Dinner was had in our various apartment groups, with the two boys apartments combining into a group of 5 for all meals, some meals were better than others as most set the standard for their meals for the next month, the delicious-looking shakshuka made by Bec, Daena, Erin and Prielle definitely took the cake (mind the pun) as the best meal of the day. The day was rounded out by a quick chat about volunteering and the receiving of information regarding our volunteering schedule for the coming week.

Monday saw an early wakeup and individual breakfast followed by a bus ride to the offices of Leket, an organisation which facilitates the growing, picking and distribution of fruit to/for Israel’s less fortunate. Our services were engaged to help put together mail-outs to Leket’s donors which included a letter, newsletter and return envelope. It was a largely menial task, however someone had to do it and we went about doing so with aplomb. Come 1PM we were released and handed an exorbitant amount of free time which most used to chill out and relax. Bed time was quickly upon us and heads hit pillows exhausted. The next day featured more volunteering for Leket, this time at their factory hand sorting fruits into their various places and packing orders which were to be sent out to various soup kitchens and the like. Chill time followed and I split off from the group to meet up with some friends who had recently arrived in Israel, who coincidentally have a blog of their own, follow them at http://wrublewskisam.wix.com/thethreeamigos (yes, a shameless plug, I’m sorry…), it was great to see some of my old mates again after a two month absence! Any who, I soon re-joined the group midway through a peula about volunteering and the psychological connotations which accompany it.

Wednesday saw the beginning of 9 of our 20 person group’s just over a week at Natanya’s Wingate Institute, for those who don’t know, Wingate is the Israeli equivalent of the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra (AIS). Wednesday featured an anatomy class, an hour of TRX (suspension training which stretches muscles) in the gym as well as a cut-short session about nutrition. Whilst Thursday included a hands-on orienteering lesson from Israel’s third best orienteer which was not as highly participated in as could have been due to soreness from the previous day’s intensive TRX session. Wingate has been highly enjoyable and educatory and only comes with one negative, the double bus ride which must be taken in order to arrive at the campus. Whilst we are at Wingate, the rest of the group have been volunteering at Leket in the mornings and riding bikes with disabled people in the afternoon.

Friday was a suitably relaxed Shabbat. The morning included a chat about the army from Daniella’s cousin and some of her brother’s friends who informed us of their individual functions in the IDF as well as other surrounding issues in general to do with the Israeli army. Following lunch we headed off to a nearby park where scout meetings were taking place and were invited to take place in their misdar ceremony in which they dance and sing. In Israel scouts is a youth movement very similar to Habonim Dror in Australia however on a much larger scale, with over 60,000 chanichim (kids) nationwide. Madricha Daniella felt right at home as a former chanich and mardicha of the movement, whilst some Avivians got into it more than others. Our final outing of the day was to Daniella’s house where her parents cooked us up a delightful BBQ, the best meal we had consumed for a while as we all briefly remembered the taste of home-cooked food. It was a very nice evening and the hospitality we received was unbelievably overwhelming.

Saturday featured a much-needed late wakeup, the day began with a group lunch outside on the grassy patch as each individual brought their own meal with them. Following lunch we headed out to a nearby park and engaged in a peula which raised issues of assimilation and Judaism, and the topic of inter-marriage and Jewish continuity as everyone was encouraged to question their own beliefs and future actions.

It was a great first week in Ra’anana as we grapple with the expectations of individual living, especially in the kitchen, as the stereotype that girls cook better than boys is proven correct time and time again. But mark my words, at some point the boys will get it right!

Another awesome week down, 86 days to look forward to!

Jake