A family group of high school grads from 8 different countries have just begun their journey of discovery, personal development, independence, and adventure in Israel!
Stay tuned to this blog as we follow them around Israel as they forge their paths with Kivun 5783!
Kivun is a Co-ed, experiential, 9-month Israel immersion program for the Northern Hemisphere, focusing on personal development, independent living and Jewish growth. Participants live in apartments in Jerusalem, where together with friends they learn about themselves, Judaism and Zionism through an incredible array of experiences such as Kibbutz, Volunteering, Seminars, Professional Internship, Magen David Adom, and IDF experience. For more information or to apply click here.
Erev Shabbat Shalom!
Parshat Ki Tetze.
Firstly we would like to express our condolences to the royal family and all the people from and in the United Kingdom over the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Our Parsha begins with the powerful words of Ki Tetze - “When you go out” I find these words very appropriate for Kivun this week.
We went out. We left the comforts of Jerusalem and arrived at Kibbutz Ein Hanatziv in the Valley of Springs. We left our comfort zone for the intensive labor on the land of Israel. We left our homes back in the UK, USA, Canada, Germany, and Sweden for an impactful year filled with meaningful experiences and thought-provoking conversations.
What a week!
As I look back at the pictures from this week on Kibbutz and see our participants’ smiles and great vibes, I am beyond proud and excited for the rest of this year.
Our participants stepped out of their comfort zone and showed great endurance. Pushing through laboring tasks and extreme heat at unfamiliar early morning hours.
We discussed how circumstances don’t always look or go as we would like them to; however, the only thing we can control is ourselves and our reactions. I must say that I am very impressed by the maturity and unity of our participants.
In our daily Bet Midrash, we discussed the month of Elul and the practical elements of Teshuva. We learned through the sources bchavruta and connected our learning with our experiences on Kibbutz.
This week our participants joined their chosen committees and discussed how to make the most of their year. We ended our week at a beautiful lookout outside Maale Gilboa in Memory of Eran and Dubi Shamir. Our madrichim Adam and Shira shared stories and songs about the father and son who sacrificed their lives for our people and our country. After singing Vehi Sheamda and Achienu, we prayed Mincha and headed back to Jerusalem for the well-deserved break.
Our tzevet have been doing a phenomenal job at caring and supporting the participants. Unfortunately, Eli Rubin had to leave the program for personal reasons. We wish her all the best, and we will surely miss her. Eli spoke to the group, and we are shifting responsibilities to ensure that the group is appropriately accommodated. Baruch Hashem, there have been so many unique and inspiring moments on Kivun. Please let me know if you would like to sponsor a Bet Midrash, event, trip or day on Kivun. Sponsorships can be made to honor a student or loved one, for recovery, or in memory of someone dear to you. Feel free to reach out.
Participants Corner, by Ella Levkowitz LA.
For our first full week on Kivun, the participants headed to Kibbutz Ein Hanatziv. After arriving on Sunday afternoon and getting a feel for the land, each participant set out hard at work early Monday morning. Throughout the week, each participant has been on a rotation of jobs that consist of fieldwork, gardening, gan care, maintaining the cows, and more! After spending long and hard mornings outside, we return to rest, eat lunch, participate in peulot, swim at a Maayan nearby, and learn Hebrew from the madrichim and madrichot. We will miss Kibbutz Ein Hanatziv for our first off weekend of the year, but we can’t wait to come back on Sunday!
