Aviv Days 24 + 25

Shabbats on Aviv provide a chance for some much needed relaxation, facilitated by our amended wakeup time which was this week set at a mouth-watering 1PM. Not all took their opportunity for additional sleep, with most awake only slightly later than usual whilst Harry ‘could sleep on a bed of nails’ Rosen managed to grab more shut eye in one night than some have had cumulatively for the entire trip! All those who made the tiring 5 minute trek to the dining room discovered that breakfast was surprisingly nice, consisting of actual challah, shakshuka and cereal amongst other edible items. Following breakfast was lunch which was yet again comprised of chicken in various shapes, accompanied by sides, which on this occasion were corn and some less than scrumptious potatoes. Chill time followed as gradually people headed off to the Wi-Fi area near our rooms to Skype those who they miss most, close family and friends. Our next program of the day was a Judaic themed one, in which we were split into groups, handed a summarised torah portion, a genre and a sect of Judaism and assigned the task of acting out the portion, in a manner owing largely too our genre and sect. The portion shared by all was the story of Jacob’s marriages to Leia and Rachel, his years of work in the field followed by his dream and arrival in Canaan. Some genres included science fiction, rom-com and soap opera, whilst sects included modern orthodoxy, ultra orthodoxy and Reconstructionist to name but a few. Performances were… entertaining… to say the least.

Next up was havdallah, a short service was conducted by Oded and Jared Engelman, in which the traditional candle and odours made their appearances as we bid farewell to Shabbat for another week. Dinner was next and yet again indiscriminate slabs of meat and sides were served, with vegie patties provided for our vegetarians. Our after-dinner program was run by the Media Committee consisting of Millie, Sarah, Bec and myself. The program featured an ‘Aviv Quiz’ in which participants were split into pre-determined groups and asked to answer questions on the goings-on of our first three and a bit weeks of Aviv. Questions were humorous... if I do say so myself. Smiles dictated me to believe that the program was a success. Chill time and bed time soon ensued, with all aware of the impending birthday of one Grant Goldman which would fall on day 25.

As Grant awoke on Sunday morning he was greeted with ‘happy birthdays’ from all directions, mitigated only by the fact that he was forced to wake at the earlier than desired time of 8AM. We headed off to Nahariya, our nearest somewhat major city, looking for a spot of non-Kibbutz fun and to complete our necessary shopping and personal upkeep. We were rather disappointed… after some were ripped off by pushy Israeli cab drivers, the Nahariyan sign which read “a resort for fun-lovers” gravely misled us. Basically put, there was nothing to do in Nahariya bar sit in coffee shops, purchase products and fill our stomachs. However, some of the girls manage to occupy themselves as the beautician as after just three weeks they could not bear to go any longer without a wax. As most completed their shopping there was nothing to do other than take a seat at a coffee shop, eat as much as our budgets dictated we could and waste time until it was time to depart. We did so gradually, returning to the kibbutz just in time for lunch which was skipped by most owing to the large meals eaten in town largely thanks to the availability of food which was actual edible, which has been few and far between as of late.

Next on the agenda was Ulpan, we learned about times and the days of the week, in a rather conversational method. Following Ulpan was dinner: beef patties, bread, runny tomato sauce and salad were the best of a bad bunch. There was a buzz at our various tables as most discussed what they were to wear to Grant’s secret 18^th birthday party which was to be conducted that night, subtlety was encouraged. As the boys preoccupied Grant, the girls set up the party, complete with costumes and drinks. As Grant entered, his look of surprise brought happiness to all as we completed a short program including various discussions in ‘speed dating’ style before getting into the party or as the Israelis like to say ‘mesiba.’ Drinks flowed and games were played until the night came to an end, as all departed back to our rooms, ready for chilling followed by bed. Grant’s birthday was celebrated by all, and each and every one of us are grateful we got to spend his 18^th with him!

Another couple of awesome days down, 125 days to look forward to!

Jake

Aviv Days 22 + 23!

As Aviv group one awoke to kibbutz Yechiam on day 22 of their whirlwind adventure through Israel a feeling of togetherness, comfort and routine was evident. As we arose to yet another less than awe inspiring breakfast, we were all eager to complete our one or two lessons of Ulpan for the day in order to move onto more relaxing and social activities. The Hebrew lessons of the day included some rather useful vocabulary and questions for our time in Israel such as “where is the bathroom?” “How much for that?” and more popular among the girls, “do you have skim milk?” or in Emma’s case “do you have soy milk….” Following our lessons we were able to indulge in more relaxation time prior to lunch in which we were again faced with some shape of chicken alongside some less than appetising sides. However, it is looking up for the vegetarians of the group as vegetable patties are now being offered as a somewhat viable meal alternative, of course now that they have purchased their own food.

Post-meal we were privileged to participate in our first participant-led program of Aviv. Run by our very own fitness committee consisting of Jenna, Toby, Harry, Daena, Lucy and Robbie, who put everyone through their paces with a fitness circuit and a largely contested soccer match. Following the necessary refreshments such as showers dinner was next up on the agenda. After we refuelled following a gruelling workout we were treated to a ‘café dilemma’ of sorts by the Judaism Committee comprising of Zoe, Adi and Jared Engelman. We were split into groups and were challenged to debate scenarios in which moral and ethical decisions would force us to question our core values. It was a rather intriguing program, enjoyed by all owing largely to its questioning content as well as the supplied foodstuffs which we all have trouble turning down. As per usual, movie and chill time was next and finally followed by eventual bedtime for all.

The next morning we woke up less than energised, with the knowledge that a hike awaited us. However it wasn’t one of Oded’s usual ‘hikes’ which generally consist of a leisurely stroll but rather one which actually challenged us to scale rocks and confront what is actually widely define by many as a hike. Following our survival from this treacherous hike we returned to clean up our rooms for our impending inspection by one of Yechiam’s staff. Needless to say, we all passed with flying colours. Following this we were escorted to the kibbutz’s winery and brewery where we were able to purchase alcoholic beverages made on the kibbutz itself. Some drank more than others, however all were appeased when Tracy and Oded bot happily indulged in a drink with us. It was an unbelievably entertaining afternoon….

Next was free time which most used to prepare their clothes for Shabbat, as one girl changed out of gym clothes so did each and every other, each in a more disgruntled fashion than the last, until all were ready for a kabbalat Shabbat to begin. As Rabbi Engelman marshalled us up to a nice spot with a view of the sunset, he began a service which made all just a little home sick whilst reminding us of the unbelievable land which we were currently standing in.

Dinner followed, consisting of chicken drumsticks, potatoes and baby carrots, an all-round edible meal, ruined only by the lack of challah and a decent grape juice. Following this, all were gathered in the moadon and for our weekly Shabbat check in. We were split into two groups and asked to pick our highlights and lowlights from another hectic week, not an easy task, especially for a week in which we resided in no less than three cities of Israel. As we all headed back to our rooms some headed out for a little bit of fun whilst others settled for a night in with a good movie.

Another awesome couple of days down, 127 days to look forward to!

Jake

Aviv Days 20 + 21

Israel is a country known for its rich cultural diversity, and there is no more unique element of the Israeli social landscape then the kibbutz movement. What better way for 25 Avivians to experience the land which means so much to our religious heritage than to spend a month of our time immersed in kibbutz culture, working hard in our various jobs and seeing what it is like to be an active part of an Israeli community. We arrived on Kibbutz Yehiam after a roughly two and a half hour bus ride from Jerusalem, upon arrival we instantly observed the differences in atmosphere and culture; leaving behind the amazing architectural and spiritual centre that is Jerusalem for a much more relaxed family-orientated area on kibbutz. We were swiftly shown to our accommodation, doors swung open amidst shouts of “shotgun” as bottom bunks and single beds were reserved for the next three and a half weeks. Girls were allotted four to a room, whilst boys rooms accommodated three, meaning a substantial increase in cupboard and storage space much to the disdain of the females. As we all emerged from our lodgings for the month, we were escorted to the dining room, eager to see if the food on kibbutz would be up to the challenge of equalling previous delicacies consumed or if it would rather set a new benchmark for food which least resembled human cuisine. Unfortunately, it was the latter, as we resigned to consuming chicken balls, a vegetarian option was nowhere to be seen, much to the frustration of Lucy and Zoe, our local vegetarians. Following a less than fulfilling meal, we were shown around the grounds of the kibbutz, remarking at the outdoor gym, football and tennis facilities as well as the supermarket where many would watch the size of their wallet dwindle at an unmistakable speed.

Following the tour many took the chance to purchase foodstuffs, after noting the clearly unsatisfactory level of ‘food’ which we were to be subjected to for the next month. In addition to this, we also realised the absolute abundance of free time which we were to have on our hands and began to search for the best ways to fill this time. Quickly, shock and horror filled the air, as someone proclaimed “there’s no Wi-Fi?!?!” for some, the three worst words in the English dictionary. However, the mood lifted as we were informed by Oded that Wi-Fi would soon be provided, but not for a few painstaking days. Following another poor dinner of chicken, we were ushered to the ‘moadon’ or activity room, and undertook our first program of many on kibbutz. It was a program to test each and every member’s brain power, a MENSA test and a number of word games which were enjoyed more by some than others. As the heads of some began to ache we returned to our rooms and then bedtime quickly approached.

As we awoke early the next day, breakfast consisted of cereal, eggs and bread, a clear theme was developing as to the standard of food we were provided, and not one person was happy about it. However we do get early warning from our resident dining room staff, Grant and Emma as to the edibility or inedibility, as the case may be, of the food. Next we headed to our first Ulpan session of the trip. For those who are unaware, Ulpan is the word used to describe Hebrew lessons in Israel for those who come from overseas. Our teacher Morah Meital, split us into two classes based on our own thoughts on or Hebrew ability. Whilst we can’t all be Hebrew whizzes like Jared Engelmann, Alexa and Sarah, many had a respectable level of Hebrew, however other, such as myself, with the Hebrew knowledge of your household pet, were to begin basically at square one… many despite already completing up to 10 years of Hebrew classes at a Jewish day school. The two classes alternate study time, and each fulfilled two sessions on the opening day. Learning of verbs, nouns, connectors and vowels. Some are enjoying learning more than others, however the level to which our Hebrew progresses will be told only with time.

Following Ulpan we consumed lunch and most headed off for free time, some working out and others simply chilling out and watching film and television. The boys checked out the football pitch and a fun game of three a side was played. Programs were run either side of dinner, with learning about the kibbutz movement itself, founded in 1902, conducted as well as the conception of participant led programs which will be run in the coming weeks. Following this bedtimes occurred in waves and another day came to an end.

Another awesome couple of days down, 129 days to look forward to!

Jake

Aviv Days 18 + 19

Teenagers are a special breed; too much sleep and they crash, not enough sleep and they still crash, the right amount of sleep is paramount unless you wish to be dealing with a group of mindless drones who do nothing other than complain about the fact that they are doing something other than being nicely nestled in between a set of bed sheets. The madrichim of Aviv 1 learnt this the hard way on day 18, after some of the boys decided to have a late night in which they received a total of 45 minutes of shuteye despite the knowledge that they had to be in Jerusalem by the ludicrously early time of 9:30. They arrived on time yet in a robotic state of disengagement. The first program of the day was run by informal educator Mark Lazar, a man whose hippie-like appearance and large repertoire of sexual innuendos caught each and every group member off guard. Despite a sleepy start we were soon into discussions of societal importance in both Israel and Australia as well as games like that which have been played by many of us in various youth movements across our adolescence. After a couple of hours we departed for a nice hostel lunch, our new lodgings for the new day known as Agron Guest House, served up a delicious buffet.

Our next ‘program’ was scheduled for 5PM but it did not go ahead due to the suspicious disappearance of a number of tired participants, much to the dismay of Tracy and Oded. Next came dinner, which consisted of restaurant quality meatballs and schnitzel, needless to say they were quickly devoured. People quickly retired to their rooms in droves as tired teens’ heads hit the pillows in record pace. However not all had stupidly sleep deprived themselves, so many headed out to indulge their sweet tooths, consuming crepes and other not so Israeli delicacies. Eventually all hit the proverbial hay, not so eager to rise at 9AM the following morning however ready for whatever the new day would throw at us.

Monday brought pizza for breakfast followed by a brilliant speaker by the name of Yair Zivan who educated us about politics, Israel advocacy and its applications for each and every one of us during campus life at our various universities located all around Australia. However his lecture did not capture all as those uninterested in politics sat with dejection. For those who appreciated his speech it was ridiculously interesting, and a debate between Jared and Harry stemmed from it which has not been resolved to the minute of writing. Next we were handed 30 shekels and sent off into the big bad city of Jerusalem to purchase and consume lunch all on our own. Burgers Bar was the obvious option for most as prices of over 50 shekels were ignored due to the absurd deliciousness of the burgers on offer. Following lunch we headed back to Agron and chill time ensued.

Another awesome couple of days down, 131 days to look forward to!

Jake

Aviv Day 15 + First Free Weekend!

Freedom comes with its drawbacks, we soon felt this in our back pockets as our bank account balances dwindled swiftly. ‘Free’ weekends were certainly not free in the monetary sense of the word, with hostel accommodation and food as well as nights out costing us amounts of money which we would not dare inform our parents of for fear of disownment. However, before reaching a state of freedom we had one final half day which featured a visit to Rabin Square, the place where one of Israel’s most iconic leaders was gunned down in the year of many of our births. As we visited this place we were educated by our madrichim on the significance of the place and the man who was revered by so many. After a few quick discussions of politics and Judaism and the place of halachic law alongside state law in Israel as well as the notion of Din Rodef which Yigal Amir, the man who cruelly took the life of Yitzhak Rabin, used as his defence, we split into two groups, recounted our highlights and lowlights of an intense first week in Tel Aviv before departing for our free weekend.

We collected our baggage from Bnei Dan and headed off in our separate directions, however most stayed in large groups. A multitude of boys and girls were residing for the full three nights at a youth hostel uncreatively named Hayarkon 48 owing to its street name and number, whilst many of the boys were operating out of Toby’s apartment on Dizengoff St, how they managed to fit seven fully grown men into a one bedroom apartment is still beyond most. The weekend contained a number of fun nights out in Tel Aviv with many members of various Israel programs also spending time in Tel Aviv, needless to say there were reunions aplenty. As per usual, I shan’t discuss the tantalising details of who did things they shouldn’t have and such but all had a brilliantly refreshing weekend full of socialising as well as relaxation and we will all be nice and refreshed, raring to resume Aviv as we head to Jerusalem unbelievably early on Sunday morning.

Both groups will be staying together in Jerusalem for Sunday and Monday before we part ways and head to our separate kibbutzim for the next month. Group One’s kibbutz is known as Yehiam and is located in the North. I am unsure what sort of internet coverage will be available to me there but I will try and keep all those eager to know what we are up to informed via the wonderful medium known as my blog.

Another awesome few days down, 133 days to look forward to!

Jake

Aviv Days 13 + 14!

Day 13 kicked off slightly later than usual but contained a similarly intense set of activities. After consuming the now expectedly scrumptious breakfast prepared for us by the staff of Bnei Dan, we gathered in the lobby and the details of our day’s task was outlined. It was to be an ‘amazing race’ style day of adventuring in which each team of 5 had to visit and photograph themselves in numerous destinations before racing to a pre-determined finish line. The teams were devised by the madrichim and we were off, my team consisting of Jared Engelman, Lucy, Alexa, Claudia and myself, were touted as early favourites thank to our boasting of the brainpower of Engelman whose reputation as a future medical student facilitates a ludicrously high expectation. However a slow start saw us fall behind the pack as we proceeded to get close to our destination before venturing in the opposite direction only to realise where were headed all along. This occurred numerous times, needless to say the frustration was felt by all.

The race took us to many interesting destinations all over Tel Aviv, including but not limited to the Tel Aviv Museum of Fine Art, the Cameri Theatre and the Carmel Shuk. After most teams stopped for a lunch break in the heat of the race, it was an unexpected victory for the team consisting of Azi, Jared Ellison, Jason, Millie and Daena, a victory which self-proclaimed team leader Azi will surely never let us forget. Following the race we sat down for lunch with those who hadn’t already eaten attempting to eat a lunch consisting of two sandwiches, a muffin and an apple which proved a more difficult task then it should have been thanks to the less than appetising consistency of the meal. Next we headed to one of the most unbelievable exhibitions I have ever seen, a museum which put attendees in the position of a visually impaired person as we realised the difficulty of living without sight. Our guides, all without vision, were at home in the course and proved exactly how one can adapt to blindness if they must. It was an amazing experience for all and one which will surely not be forgotten any time soon.

Next we headed back to the hostel where we consumed a nice dinner and then put in our preferences for work on kibbutz as well as room preferences. Movie time ensued for the lucky few whilst others headed to bed early aware of the full day of volunteering we had ahead of us on day 14. Our volunteering was done in three places, first up was a factory for the deaf, blind and mute in which things were manufactured. Next was grapefruit picking, the fruits of our labour being contributed to those who cannot feed themselves around Israel. We heard that our fruits would feed 400 families in the next few days. Our final destination of the day was Save a Childs Heart, an organisation which flies in children from all over the world and pays for them to have lifesaving heart surgeries. After hearing what the organisation does we were able to spend some time with the children, who we immediately fell in love with. It was truly inspiring watching these upbeat children despite the difficulties they have gone through. Notably, Harry formed an unbreakable bond with one small girl who rested in his arms as he chatted to it in his unique banter for roughly an hour. It was adorable. Soon it came time to go and as the children were forcibly removed from our arms we boarded our bus and headed back to Bnei Dan, another day over.

A few more awesome days down, 136 days to look forward to!

Jake

Aviv Days 11 + 12

Day 11 brought a change of scenery as our bus delivered us safely to Tel Aviv from Jerusalem, albeit after an extended stay in Jaffa. The bus trip provided a much needed time for relaxation and sleep as well as forming our mode of transport for our journey. In Jaffa we were able to sample a much more relaxed vibe as we toured around an area which featured such sites as a mosque, theatre, port and beach until it was time to partake in a lunch, for which we ventured further on foot into the nearby shuk. People ate a variety of cuisines, largely felafel, salads and shwarma. Adi, Harry, Jason, Robbie and myself put in a bit extra effort and were rewarded accordingly as we stumbled upon an absolute gem of a shwarma joint.

Following lunch we continued on foot through Jaffa and stopped at a well renowned nearby ice creamery and sunk our sweet teeth into a large variety of flavours, chocolate wafer was the most popular choice. After all had completed their delicious treats we were retrieved by our trusty bus and made our way to our accommodation for the next 4 nights; Bnei Dan, a highly anticipated hostel nestled rather close to Tel Aviv Beach. Rooms were allotted and bags unpacked before showers were undertaken. Due to it being a free night, we dressed up nicely one and all and hit the town. Once again, drinks were flowing however I am not at liberty to discuss the specifics of our rather relaxed first night out in Israel’s party capital Tel Aviv. At the end of the night cabs delivered us home and as each and every head hit the pillow we happily discovered that sleep would be no issue upon mattresses which made those of Kiryat Moria feel as though they had just been retrieved from a junkyard.

Day 12 began bright and early as breakfast at Bnei Dan got the day off to a spectacular start, pancakes the featured element. However, it was all downhill from there as we headed off to independence hall, arriving half an hour early, facilitating time for the best hot chocolate of my life, before we entered the very space in which the state of Israel was signed into existence. After a less than riveting video and talk we exited and were given another half an hour free time to spend how we wished. Shwarma was delivered directly to us for lunch and its deliciousness was acknowledged by all.

Next stop was the Palmuch Museum, dedicated to the history of, obviously, the palmuch who were a fighting force in Israel in the 1940s and helped defend Israel during its struggle for independence. The museum was unique and used a video journey following a few of the group’s members throughout their 7 year involvement in the force, in order to document a history which is undeniably important to the establishment of the state of Israel. The bus was taken back to Bnei Dan by most aside from Lindi, Jason, Azi and Alexa who decided their immense tiredness was too much and hailed a cab in order to commute back to the hostel.

One more (slightly less) awesome day down, 138 days to look forward to!

Jake