What a summer!

Well MBI has come to a close and almost all the MBIers are safe and sound at home with the exception of a few who stayed on in Israel after the program. Being in the airport on Monday was great to see the emotions of the MBIers. Many tears were shed, and I'm told the crying process began on Saturday for many MBIers including a number who actually cried for several hours! Having worked at machaneh(summer camp) and with MBI now for a couple summers, I've been told that the amount of crying on the last day can often be an indicator of the success of the summer. With that rubric it is clear that MBI Yud Zayin 2008 was truly great.

Thank you to all of the chaperones for all of our buses and flights which made the travel day a success. Of course the MBI tzevet(staff) led by Leon and Mauri(our technical director) were instrumental in making the experience a truly special one for the MBIers. Their guidance, knowledge and leadership paired with the experience and know how of our program providers the Israel Experience, made MBI Yud Zayin so special. And of course thank you to all you parents for your support throughout the program. I'm certain it is quite an experience to release your children to our care and to take part in the varying experiences that your MBIer underwent. Thank you also to the overwhelmingly positive response we have received for our request for additional funding.

As we our constantly in a process of evaluating our programs I would like to request that you all take a few moments to fill out an online evaluation of the program. I am curious to hear your feedback and input so we can improve next year's program. The link can be found by clicking here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=ysCltqKh4LQpC65rV8D92A_3d_3d

It's been a great experience interacting with many of you wonderful families and I hope to be in touch in the future. I will be moving on in September to start a new adventure in my life working in restaurants to work my way up to be a chef. I will continue to live in New York and to be an available resource and consultant for the office. The woman taking over for me is none other than Shani Bob, madricha(counselor) on MBI for the second time this summer, and from the Galil family. She will no doubt bring a lot of experience and know how to make the future MBI's great as well. Thank you all for your support and hopefully we will cross paths soon!

Signing off from this blog,
Michael Kanter

They have arrived in North America

Well all the flights landed on time with the exception of Newark which was a bit later then planned. All the connecting flights were slated to be on time and most people are already in the air. By and large today has gone incredibly smooth to cap off a great trip. Don't worry though there will be one more post tomorrow!

Last Shabbat and Day of MBI!

Later on the MBIers had Shabbat Chugim(special-interest groups) led by their madrichim in a number of topics, From more creative and relaxing groups there also was an Israel Update, and enjoying the outdoors and nature group. The MBIers also had some time to pack and had a enchanting musical with many participants putting out their favorite and best performances of the summer.

After dinner the MBIers took part a final, but very special havdallah out in the Israeli forest of Nes Harim, under the wondrous Israeli sky. It always is a great time to relax and quiet time to reflect on the incredible week and experience the MBIers have been having with all their new friends, sights, and smells they have been a part of on MBI. A final Medura was had that went quite late with singing and many comedic acts performed.

Finally the evening was capped off with Final Mesibah(party) to have a final celebration of glorious experience that was MBI. While there had been some tears at various parts of the day, Saturday was a great party with music, dancing, games and food. The party went into the wee hours of the night as the MBIers tried to soak up as much time as they could enjoying the company of their new and old friends.

Today the MBIers woke up and worked on the sad process of finishing packing up as the departure to the airport was to be later in the day. They had a final peula(activity) and then had some time with their various groups. They had final meetings with their smaller group and with their bus.

There was a final tekes(ceremony) to close out the wonderful experience of MBI that was a sad and joyous reminder of the where MBI had gone since the opening tekes five weeks ago. The MBIers also received their MBI sweatshirts and t-shirts that they had designed themselves as unifying reminder of the great summer experience they shared together.

They packed up the buses, headed to the aiport and checked in for their flights. The first set of goodbyes took place as the MBIers had to say goodbye both to their madrichim(counselors) in addition to the three flights separating the Canadians and then the Americans into their two flights. They made it through to their flights and took off with Newark delayed, JFK set to arrive 20 minutes late and the Canadian flight on time.

I will post again tomorrow once everyone has landed and we have sent everyone off to their connecting flights. It's almost over...and the MBIers are almost home!

Contact information for tomorrow

The MBIers are in the air! This post should provide you with all of the contact information you need in case you need to reach us for any reason tomorrow.

JFK:

Gil Browdy and myself will be at JFK for the entire day tomorrow along with a few other madrichim from the movement who have volunteered to help us out. If you need to reach us, you can call the HDNA cell phone at 917-822-2330. If for some reason you have trouble reaching that, you can also call Gil at 301-254-2955. We will be there all day until all of the kids have made it onto their connecting flights.

Newark:

Jamie Beran and Kenan Jaffe will be at Newark airport. Jamie's phone number is 856-287-0345 and Kenan's is 302-220-1762. They will be meeting the flight and getting everyone onto the buses. The bus chaperone for the DC/Baltimore bus is Peter Grey and his phone number is 301-279-7708. The bus chaperone for the Philadelphia bus is Dara Silbermann and her phone number is 610-945-7803. Kenan and Jamie will be at Newark until everyone is on their way and then will be joining the rest of the group at JFK.

Israel Flights

Alright well the MBIers are through security and customs and should be taking off shortly. The flight to Newark will be 45 minutes late so make note of that in terms of adjusting arrival times to Philadelphia and Baltimore/DC area. The other flights are scheduled to land on time. More of an update later.

Tikkun Olam and the Final Shabbat

Today the MBIers woke up acutely aware of the precious little time left on MBI, but also with a sense of purpose to give back to the country that has given them so much just in this short trip. As such the MBIers set off after breakfast to go the Northern part of Ashdod to take part in a tikkun olam project. They went specifically to the Chof HaDayagim(Fisherman's Beach) to take part in a clean up of the beach there.

When the arrived the MBIers found a beach that was quite neglected, filled with trash, and rather unpleasant to put it mildly. The MBIers recognizing the need, and the power in numbers they had, they set off to clean up the beach. After filling an enormous amount of garbage bags, the MBIers by the end could look back and see a beach that actually looked quite pretty, in stark contrast to the ugly site earlier. This project was coordinated with the Beach Department of the Environmental Ministry in Israel, who were quite thankful for the help and even gave the MBIers hats as a small token of their appreciation.

After resting and eating some lunch on the go, the MBIers set off to swim at a more traditional beach in Ashdod at the Chof Yud Alef. There got some final fun in the sun on the Mediterranean before heading back to Nes Harim for Shabbat. When the MBIers returned to Nes Harim they a peula(activity) that began the sikkum(wrapping up) process for the end of MBI. They also had time to rest, shower and clean up for the final Friday night in Israel on MBI.

They had Mishpachot(family time) where all the machanot(camps) got to reunite and share stories, laughs and catch up on the adventures they all had been having. This was followed by the Rosh's Story which gave Leon one last chance to tell an inspiring tale in his well loved Australian accent. This was followed by a beautiful Kabbalat Shabbat ceremony that truly captured the spirit of the moment of celebrating Shabbat in Israel.

After Dinner the final oneg(play) was performed by a group of the MBIers to many laughs and reminders of the end being near. The evening was capped off with Rikud(Israeli Dancing) again capturing the special spirit of Habonim and machaneh in the most special of places, Israel. It was a great Friday and a great start to the final weekend of activities.

Tomorrow the MBIers will have a sleep-in, followed by some more traditional Shabbat activities of chugim, Musicale, Havdallah and Medura. There will be more sikkum(wrapping up) activites as well as the final mesibah(party)! Sunday of course will be the end with packing up, having a final tekes(ceremony) and a tear-filled goodbye to Israel, their madrichim(counselors) and of course there many many new friends.

Sof Machatz and heading back to the some familiar places

This morning the MBIers group by group got picked up from their familiar buses as they were gradually reunited with their greater MBI bus and eventually group. Much of the morning was spent saying goodbye to Kibbutz and then traveling to Holon where the main event of the day was to take place. They arrived in Holon to have lunch out and then the buses one by one headed to the Holon Children Museum.

The Museum is a fantastic place that is known for having an incredible Blind Exhibit but the MBIers got a special treat to explore their newest exhibit. This exhibit is a Deaf Exhibit that is called "Invitation to Silence". It is enthralling glimpse into the world and challenges faced by those who are hearing impaired. Participants were given headphones that block out noise in order to become more fully immersed in the experience. One by one each of groups took their turns getting led through the exhibit. The reviews after said it was a fantastic and arguably enlightening experience.

After everyone had their turn the MBIers headed back to familiar place, the air-conditioned cabins of Nes Harim. The MBIers were relieved to be back at what has almost become a second home this summer and were even more excited to be reunited with the larger MBI group. The MBIers had dinner in the chadar ochel(dining hall) as they trickled in from the Museum.

There was a great energy at Nes Harim as friends reconnected and shared stories and compared experiences on their Kibbutzim. The evening activities was more relaxed to the MBIers a chance to catch up with their friends and reflect on their various Machatz experiences. It was a great way to end a week of Machatz and prepare for the final weekend of MBI!

Tomorrow the MBIers will be taking part in a tikkun olam project in morning. They be helping to clean an Ashdod beach near where the beach meets up with Lachish River. It is unfortunately a lovely beach that is on the watch list of many Israeli environmental groups for dumping and other mistreatment and is need of cleaning. Later they will head off to different beach to swimming as the temptation of being on the beach all morning and not swimming would be too great! Much of the rest of the day will be a more traditional Friday afternoon on Shabbat.

As a reminder all of you should already received the travel plan for Monday and you already should have your e-tickets. If you do not please let me know, though I will post all the information on the blog again. I will be out of the office tomorrow for a wedding this weekend so if you to reach me from then until the travel day please call the Habonim Dror cellphone at 917-822-2330. Please understand I will be checking my phone on Sunday to monitor the flight, but it is also the day of the Wedding I will be attending, so please be patient if I don't respond immediately. The final Shabbat of MBI is upon us....

Towards the end of Machatz

As some of you may or may not have heard, we unfortunately had to send home another three MBI participants. On one of the Kibbutzim there is an area where the 18 year old army aged Kibbutzniks live and the MBIers there were warned not to go spend time there. Unfortunately, despite no less than two separate warnings about spending time there, two nights ago several MBIers went there after they were supposed to be asleep and these 18 yr olds provided alcohol to these MBIers. The three MBIers were caught partaking in this alcohol and as had already been made clear, is against our rules and results in dismissal from the program.

It was sad and unfortunate to have this happen again despite having the MBIers witness the consequences of others who partake in similar actions. Despite providing a safe environment with overall consistent supervision(Approx 1:6 madrich/chanich ratio) and clear rules, we cannot always prevent the unfortunate breaking of our important rules. We have and will continue to enforce our policies and evaluate the circumstances of these instances to try figure out if there is anything we can do in the future to prevent this from happening. The fact remains that by and large our program participants follow our rules, as part of creating a positive social environment that is crucial to the spirit and success of MBI and Habonim Dror.

Today the MBIers had their final full day of Machatz with a variety of activites. Many of the Kibbutzim were wrapping up their respective tiyulim. Some participants had mornings by the Kinneret packing up, hiking and heading back to their Kibbutz. Others partook in more aspects of their tiyul, enjoying the beauty of the areas near the Kinneret and the Golan Heights.

Many of the MBIers also took part in work projects on the Kibbutz. Some of them had the opportunity to join different anafim(work groups) whether they were working in the fields, landscaping, working with kids, or others. Most of the MBIers got some time after avodah and coming back from tiyul to relax and have fun at the great Kibbutz pools. The pool on a most Kibbutzim is a social place and usually quite nice as swimming pools go.

In the evening most of the MBIers had dinner with their host family as a farewell but also to have delicious home cooked meal. It was a final chance to connect with their host family and a chance to have a more traditional Israeli meal. Many of the MBIers had the chance to watch the Olympics and cheer on Israel, the US and Canada. The evening was rounded out with a farewell mesibah(party) with their new Kibbutz friends as their special time on Kibbutz was coming to a close.

Tomorrow the MBIers will be picked up from their buses to head towards the center of the country. They will all head down to Holon where they will meet up for lunch and then have a fascinating afternoon at the Blind Museum which is unique is attempting to have museum-goers to experience what it's like to be blind. In the evening they will head to a familiar and welcome stomping ground of the air-conditioned cabins at Nes Harim. Just a few more days of MBI...

As a final note that I will post tomorrow. I will be out of town from Friday until Sunday night at a close friend's wedding. As always I can be reached on the Habonim Dror cellphone during that time should any issues arise.

Machatz Continues...

The MBIers were busy having fun experiences on their various Kibbutzim. Below I will list a glimpse into some of the activities that took place on each Kibbutz. Given that there are 8 Kibbutzim, they all are having varied, but similar experiences will slightly different schedules.

On Kibbutz Afikim the MBIers woke up early to some work doing some landscaping, cleaning up and pruning some trees on a nearby orchard on the Kibbutz. Later on they set off for a tiyul which included going Kayaking on the Jordan River. They also will be sleeping out under the stars with their new Kibbutz friends as part of the tiyul.

Today Bet Haemek set off for their tiyul which included going to the Achziv beach on the Kinneret to both relax and to take in some fun water activities. They also slept out on the banks of thr Kinneret where they a bonfire, sang songs and enjoyed the starry sky above.

On Maayan Baruch they actually headed into a nearby forest to take part in a day of "Survivor". Many different games and competitions took place in this day of outdoor fun and bonding.
Shaar Hagolan went on a Jeep tour of the Golan and later on went Banana Boating on the Kinneret.

Metzuba had a more relaxed enjoying the amenities of the Kibbutz and enjoying swimming in the Kibbutz pool among other activities. At Kibbutz Kinneret they too had a time to swim, play and enjoy the pool. Later on they had a learning tour about Naomi Shemer who is a famous Israeli singer and songwriter who is from the Kibbutz and passed away several years ago. Lastly Kibbutz Ammiad also had a tiyul where they went to the Chof Chalukim at the Kinneret and took part in various water activities. They too had the thrill to also sleep out on the banks of the Kinneret.

First Full Day of Machatz

With MBIers getting a taste of Kibbutz on their various Kibbutzim, varied but similar experiences are being had by all the MBIers. I am going to try to list some of the many different activities the MBIers are taking part in. Some of the activities done on one Kibbutz will be done later in the week or possibly not at all. Overall the Machatz(Kibbutz) has and will be a memorable one. Most of the MBIers have Kibbutz families who are again providing a new insight into Israeli life and culture on the most basic level.

Last night was a fun night to get to know the Kibbutz and the Israeli Kibbutzniks that are the same age as the MBIers. Today continued the cultural exchange through a variety of activites. On one Kibbutz the MBIers set off for a great hike along Nachal(River) Ziv and ended up sleeping out near the Jordan River and will do some more hiking tomorrow.

Other Kibbutzim had more relaxed days with hikes planned for tomorrow. One Kibbtuz had a dance party at the Kibbutz Disco tonight which was a fun look into Israeli music and the Israeli integration of Western culture and music. Another group took part in an Israeli culture night to learn more about what's new and cool in Israeli music as well as eating delicious humus among other Israeli foods.

Many of the Kibbutzim had time to go swimming today in the Kibbutz pools which often are quite lovely and fun to swim. Two of the Kibbutzim had fun night of "al haesh"(on the fire) or barbequing by the fool while meeting and spending time with the Israelis their age. Many of the Kibbutzim had activities led by their madrichim(counselors) and also gave the MBIers that chance to catch up on some sleep as they were aware of the busy schedules of MBI and the relaxed atmosphere often found on Kibbutz.

Tomorrow several groups are taking part in their avodah(work) projects, with waking up early and heading out to the banana and lychee orchards. One group is taking a jeep trip through the Golan. Many of the groups are going on tiyul tomorrow at the Kinneret where the MBIers will get more time to swim, sun and sleep out on the beautiful banks of the Kinneret. It is a great mix of fun, relaxing, and ultimately a slice of Kibbutz life in Israel today.

End of Machaneh and beginning of Machatz

Saturday morning the MBIers awoke to set off on a Shabbat Tiyul, a tradition shared by the Israelis and those from Machaneh(Camp) Miriam. They set off for a short hike which included many interactive parts to the morning besides hiking. First off they stopped not too long after setting off to have a delicious breakfast they would make themselves. As part of bringing Israeli and Hanoar Haoved culture, they made a fire and cooked on a taboun which is a sort of Middle Eastern grill that is a half-sphere of metal to place over the fire. On they cooked different pastries they made that were filled with delicious fillings of cheese and vegetables. They also made pita and had other spreads to go along with breakfast.

The hike continued to be an infusion of Israeli and NOAL culture as there were also a round-robin of stations during the hike led by the Israeli madrichim(counselors). At the the stations they learned different stories of Israeli folklore and culture. This was part of the continuing effort to shed light on the narrative and background of Israeli culture that their Israeli counterparts grew up with.

They returned to the Yaar Levi for lunch in the Chadar Ochel(Dining Hall) and proceeded to have a more traditional MBI shabbat afternoon. There were Chugim which included many different topics to learn and discuss with their madrichim(counselors) about contemporary issues in Israel, among others. Later they had a peula(activity) focused on Tikkun Olam(Social Justice/Fixing the World), as it is a fundamental part of Habonim Dror and Hanoar Haoved.

They also proceeded to have a special Musicale with their Israeli friends, had dinner and moved on to close out the week with Havdallah. It again was a special experience for the MBIers to share their North American tradition of Havdallah with the NOAL participants, many of whom were quite foreign to the weekly practice, especially the version that is enjoyed in Habonim. The evening was rounded out with Mishpachot(families) with all the machanot(camps) getting some time to sit down together and catch up on the week past and prepare for the excitement of the week ahead.

Today the MBIers awoke for their final morning of Machaneh Tnua Achot(Sister Summer Camp). They a peula(activity) after breakfast and participated in a sikkum(summary) of the few wonderful days they shared with their new Israeli friends. Many new connections and friendships were sprung from this time together, as well as a deeper grasp and understanding of what it means to be 16 and live in Israel.

They also got a special shirt to commemorate this special machaneh(camp) to add to the many great memories and things they will be taking away from MBI. After saying many goodbyes the MBIers loaded up on to the buses and headed off for a new meeting of Israeli cultures as the Machatz time period was set to commence.

The MBIers got dropped off at their Kibbutzim by the late afternoon where they were met by Kibbutniks their age. For the next several days the MBIers will be on their respective Kibbutzim, taking part in similar, but unique programs at each Kibbutz. The MBIers got to settle into the homes for the Machatz time period and meet their Israeli hosts. Many had a barbeque to meet the Israelis there age and eat some great food. It should be a great week filled with more exchanges of Israeli culture, an overnight, an avodah project and much more. More to come tomorrow!

Day 2 of Machaneh

This morning the MBIers awoke from their tents, washed up in the bath houses, and headed to breakfast in the chadar ochel(dining hall). They proceeded to have a busy morning having peulot(activities) with their new friends. A lot of the experience was continuing the exchange between the MBIers and the Israelis. While learning about the differences between North American and Israeli culture, one of the goals of MBI was being realized to have first-hand experiences with Israelis their age.

In the afternoon the MBIers took part in different Shabbat Chugim, where they got to pick from several different options. The activities included, Rikud(Israeli dance), Soccer, Sports, Cards, and "Crazy Fun Stuff" where they played different games and activities. Afterwards the MBIers had some to rest, clean up and get ready for their first joint Shabbat with Israelis their age!

The MBIers led Kabbalat Shabbat and sang many songs they are used to singing at machaneh(camp) and at home. For some of the Hanoar Haoved participants this was a new experience to both have a more culturally Jewish experience was incorporating the traditional elements of Friday night. Often these exchanges are quite meaningful as some Israelis are used to living more secular lives and are not exposed to the positive Jewish experience that Habonim Dror provides.

After a nice Shabbat dinner, the MBIers had a sort of Beit Cafe(Coffee House) where all the NOAL(Israelis) and MBIers got a chance to mingle, have hot drinks and cookies, while people were playing music, and eventually some people were playing sports. The evening was rounded out in no better way then doing Rikud(Israeli Dance) in Israel, with Israelis their age.

Tomorrow the MBIers will take part in short tiyul(hike) in the morning where they will get to cook their own breakfast! The rest of the day will be a more traditional shabbat on MBI. Sunday will being the Machatz(Kibbutz) part of the program. Shabbat Shalom!

Machaneh Tnua Achot

Today the MBIers said goodbye to Ohalo and the beautiful banks of the Kinneret(Sea of Galilee). They set off to Yaar Levi to the forest and campsite there where they will be staying for the duration of Machaneh Tnua Achot(Sister Movement Camp). The morning was more relaxed as the MBIers got a chance to settle in and get acquinted to their new home. The Israelis their age came a bit later then expected and joint activities only commenced after lunch.

The MBIers were split into their smaller bus groups and each group was joined a number of Israelis their age who are from our sister youth movement, Hanoar Haoved ve Halomed. Each group played different icebreakers and get to you know games to start getting the new people to know each other. It also was a chance to grapple with the language barrier with the MBIers trying to use the Hebrew they know and the NOAL(Hanoar Haoved ve Halomed) youth tested their english skills. Fun, practicing and learning another language was great part of the afternoon.

Afterwards they had a peula(activity) to start to have an exchange to learn about the differences between Habonim Dror and Hanoar Haoved. While Habonim Dror North America is largely structured around our machanot(summer camps) and kenim activities during the year, the Israeli structure is quite different. While they do have summer camps, they are often 5 days to a week long and the focus is much more on the activities in the ken. In most areas the ken meets 1-2 times a week and clearly plays a different role then in North America. It was a great exchange of ideas and sparked a great energy and connection between the MBIers and the NOAL Israeli participants.

After dinner in the chadar ochel(dining hall), the MBIers took part in some fun in an Israeli game called a Salatron. It was a sort of color war with lots of different games and competitions. The joint group had really fun evening and capped off a great day with a lot promise for the rest of Machaneh(camp).

Tomorrow the MBIers will take part in a couple peulot(activities), shabbat chugim, and get ready to take part in much of the usual shabbat activities. It should be a nice way to end the week. Tomorrow I will post more about the return information as incredibly MBI has just over a week to go.

Final day touring the North

Before I start the update of today's events I want to go over a minor incident that took place on Tuesday. As some of you may or may not have heard, three participants of MBI were caught drinking alcohol on Tuesday night and were sent home today. They were caught in the act and as being both against the law and our rules, they needed to leave the program. MBI is meant to be an amazing experience and a safe place for all participants. We take our policies on drugs and alcohol quite seriously and as such was our reaction to the situation. The MBIers were briefed on what happened and were advised to not repeat the previous mistake and to speak with their madrichim(counselors) if they had any concerns or issues with what happened. We certainly want to help any participants who might feel driven to this kind of action, but we cannot tolerate participants taking part in this type of action, and any further incidents will be subject to the same consequences.

Today the MBIers set off from the lovely lodgings of Ohalo to explore the Golan Heights. The buses stopped at a couple vantage points including the Mizpe Shalom observation point. From there they could see much of the Golan off in the distance and was a great place as such to discuss history and politics. There they discussed the controversial nature of the Golan Heights in regards to its annexation, Syria's claims on it, and as such its place in negotiations and the peace process.

Then the MBIers went hiking around Mt. Ben-Tal which gave the MBIers the chance to see Syria off the distance and really begin to grasp the proximity of Israel's neighbors. They learned about the nearby military base and '67 and '73 wars and their impact on Israel and its neighbors. Part of all these discussions were to consider the Golan Heights and its place in Israel and the complex history behind its annexation. They got to look and see the Valley of Tears where one of the bloodiest battles took place during the Yom Kippur War of 1973. Seeing all these places first hand really puts into perspective the wars they have heard about or studied but now the MBIers have seen first hand where things actually took place.

Having had their fill of history and hiking mountains, the MBIers set off to walk around Nachal Snir(Snir Stream). It is part of the Hatzbani river which comes from Mt Hermon and eventually is a feeder into the Jordan River. The MBiers had a lot of fun walking along the river as the hike includes a part where the water is more of a pond and they got swim and splash around a bit. Some of the MBIers even helped one of the madrichot(female counselor) catch a fish with her bare hands!

The MBIers continued on north where they went to Mizpe Bnaya which is a lookout near Lebanon. The lookout itself is named after a soldier who had fallen during the 2nd Lebanon war. It again was incredible to travel not very far and see these two important neighbors of Israel and grasp their impact on Israel. Being there also was a chance to take stock of where Israel has come and the challenges it has and continues to face for its own safety and security in the long run.

After a fun and educational day, the MBIers returned to Ohalo for a hearty meal in the chadar ochel(dining hall) and prepared for the evening fun. The MBIers took part in a night of "Air Band Shows". Many of the MBIers got together in groups and picked favorite songs and went on stage to perform the songs as if they themselves were the guitarists, drummers, and singers. It was a hilarious evening with some amazing performances by the MBIers.

Tomorrow the MBIers set off for Macheneh Tnua Achot(Sister Movement Camp) where they will get spend a few days with Israelis their age from Ha-noar Ha-oved. They are our sister youth movement and the Israelis will be from all over Israeli and provide a different first-hand account of life in Israel for people there age. There will be lots of bonding activities and learning about the two groups. The machaneh(camp) will take place at the Yaar Levi forest and campsite.

Continuing to explore the North

This morning the MBIers set off for a great hike this morning up Mt. Arbel. Mt. Arbel is located near the Kinneret(Sea of Galilee) in the lower Galil(Galilee) with terrific views of the surrounding areas. They hiked up the mountain and walked near some cliffs that had breathtaking views overlooking the Kinneret. They also took part in a great part of MBI which is the experiential learning environment to look off the Kinneret and consider the water issues facing Israel. They discussed the issues of sustainability as well as the rises and declines the Kinneret has seen over the last decade and what it means for Israel.

Later they went to the Chalutz(Pioneering) Settlement museum, located at Kibbutz Yifat which is near Migdal Haemek. There they got a hands on look at the early settlements and Kibbutzim in Israel. Many relics were present and a sort of round-robin presentation that included learning about the works on roads, living in tents and general living arrangements, doctors and more. One part even had someone playing old Israeli folk songs on an accordion and many of the MBIers were quite familiar and some impromptu Israeli dancing broke out. Clearly a lot of fun and learning about the sacrifices and hardship of the early building of the state took place.

They returned to Ohalo to enjoy being on the banks of the Kinneret and have a nice dinner there. They had a peula(activity) with their buses and prepared for a special guest speaker, Muki Tzur. Muki(Former Mazkir of the Kibbutz Movement) gave a great talk that captured the attention and enjoyment of most of the MBIers. Muki, not being a spring chicken, is an active older man who tell great stories and captivate an audience with his wit, charm, and immense knowledge. It was a privledge and great experience for the MBIers.

Tomorrow the MBIers will more of the Golan Heights and the North. They will get to take part in water hike, hike Mt. Ben Tal as well head to some vantage points where they will be able to Lebanon and Syria off in the distance. It will be a busy day and give the MBIers some perspective on the complexity and proximity of Israel's neighbor. Less than two weeks to go...time flies when your having fun I suppose!

Near the Kinneret

Today the MBIers set off not too far down the road from Ohalo to explore the Kinneret cemetery. The Kinneret cemetery is a fascinating and beautiful place situated on the banks of the Kinneret and is the final resting place of many famous Israelis and Zionist thinkers. There the MBIers got to enjoy a performance by the tour guides and the madrichim who acted out the stories of the many people there. From Rachel(Poet) to A.D. Gordon(Zionist thinker) to Naomi Shemer(Israeli singer) a historical interactive experience was had by all the MBIers.

Afterwards the MBIers headed to Hatzer Kinneret which is the location of where the first Kibbutz in Israel was founded. There they took part in a round robin to hear, see, and understand the story and foundation of the Kibbutz movement. They learned about Dgania, the First Kvutsa there, Gender Equality and the evolution of the groups there. It is a very fascinating and inspirational story to look back at youthful pioneers and their role in building the state of Israel.

Later the MBIers went to Tiberias where they got to have some fun and have dinner of their choosing. The MBIers were given some money and got to choose from some local stands including the Israeli favorites of Falafel and Shawarma but there was also things such as pizza. After dinner the MBIers got to put their dancing shoes and sail on the Kinneret on a Disco Boat! It was a fun night of music, dancing, and sailing around the Kinneret and seeing the sparkling lights of Tiberias and the Golan Heights in the distance.

Tomorrow the MBIers will be hiking up Mt Arbel, going to a Chalutz(Pioneer) Musuem, and have a special guest speaker of Muki Tzur!(Historian and Former Mazkir of the Kibbutz Movement) See you here tomorrow!

End of free weekend and Week 3 here we come!

The MBIers who stayed behind for free weekend found themselves enjoying a welcome sleep-in and some traditional shabbat activities. After having the option to sleep in until lunch, the MBIers had a lovely afternoon at Nes Harim. There Shabbat Chugim(Special-Interest activity) with a variety of topics led by the madrichim. An enjoyable musicale was had followed by dinner and capped off with the best parts of Saturday night. Having a special havdallah under the Israeli sky and then having a medura(campfire) with singing and laughs, was a great way to end the free weekend.

Today the MBIers set off from Nes Harim to go north and head to shores of the Kinneret, specifically at Chof(beach) Dugit. There the MBiers got a lot of time to swim in Israel's biggest freshwater sea(lake). It was a chance to relax, swim, have fun and reconnect with the MBIers they had been apart with for the free weekend. Lunch was a great meal from a nearby place where they munch on delicious plates of kebabs, humus, and other Israeli salads. It was a welcome and delicious meal after their time swimming and in the sun.

In the afternoon the MBIers took part in a fun water hike called the Majrase. The Majrase feeds into the Kinneret(Sea of Galilee) and great hike to do in the Israeli summer as the whole hike is in water. While never very deep, its fun to cool down and see a different eco-system on the water hike.

After the hike the MBIers headed to the place they will be staying for the next few days, Ohalo. Ohalo is a beautiful Kibbutz hotel situated right on the Kinneret(Sea of Galilee). The MBIers can walk out of their rooms and see the Kinneret as well as a stunning view of the Golan Heights. Once situated and having had dinner the MBIers had a peula(activity) to begin preparing for the upcoming Machaneh Tnua Achot(Sister Movement Camp). It capped off anothe great MBI day.

Tomorrow the MBIers will be spending more time in the Kinneret area going to Tiberias, Dgania and Hatzer Kinneret. I will also be out of the office on Monday and Tuesday. If you need to reach me call the Habonim Dror Cellphone.

Happy August and Free Weekend!

Today the MBIers woke up early and set off from Sde Boker for their free weekend. The buses set off and arrived successfully at Jerusalem, Tel-Aviv, Haifa and Nes Harim for those staying behind. While many of the MBIers were off with their family friends, a hearty group of MBIers stayed at Nes Harim where they had a fun and relaxing day.

To the excitement of the MBIers, they got most of the afternoon off to rest, sleep, and spend time with the group that stayed back. It was apparently a rejuvenating exprience as well as a chance for many of the MBIers to spend more time with participants they hadn't gotten more of a chance to bond with previously. Having had some relaxing time with some better known friends, the MBIers then commenced to take part in the familiar and appreciated Shabbat activities.

They had Mishpachot("family time") which was a nice chance to sit in smaller groups and reflect and sum up the wonderful and busy week they had. Afterwards Leon told an animated and enthralling "Rosh" story to a captive audience of MBIers. Kabbalat shabbat followed as well as a nice shabbat dinner in the Chadar Ochel(Dining Hall) in Nes Harim. After dinner the MBIers took part in some Rikud(Israeli Dancing) and or played soccer. To cap off the evening the MBIers had the option watch some movies as projector and screen was setup. Many of the MBIers brought sleeping bags and pillows and set up to take in any part of the movie lineup which included Evan Almighty, Dan in Real Life, and In the Valley of Elah.

The MBIers cheered to find out that they could actually sleep-in until lunch should they choose to tomorrow, and then take part in the rest of the planned Shabbat activities. So far free weekend seems to be a welcome break to rest, relax and re-energize to get set for the the great things the MBIers still have in store for them. See you all on Sunday! Shabbat Shalom!

Still Down South...

Today the MBIers woke up and headed off for some hiking through some beautiful and unique parts of the desert. They started off by hiking Mt Saharonim which is a great hike to see the desert and is located near Mitzpe Ramon. It is also near the next unique site of interest which was going to Makhtesh Ramon(Ramon Crater)

There are several amazing things about Makhtesh Ramon. First its incredible to travel in the desert and suddenly reach a ridge where you look out and there is a huge crater that extends very far off into the distance. Being one of and the biggest of Israel craters is another special thing. Arguably the most unique aspect is that is the world biggest naturally formed crater that isn't actually a crater. Makhtesh is a hebrew word translated closely, but not actually meaning, to be crater. The MBIers got spend a good time in area, learning about this fascinating geological site. The MBIers in just a short time have been to the lowest point on earth and to the largest crater, quite a few days!

They returned to Sde Boker to escape the sun and get a little rest from the busyness that occurs during MBI. After having a break the MBIers took part in a peula(activity) with their groups, led by their madrichim(counselors). Then they went to Ben-Gurion's grave where they learned about him and reflected on his great role in the creation of the modern state of Israel. Ben-Gurion had grand visions of the desert and learning about his legacy and reflecting on the places they had been and seen so far in the desert, helped give significance to a lot of what they had seen. After dinner they had a nice, relaxing activity with their smaller bus group. It was a nice chance to reflect and have some fun with their group.

Tomorrow of course begins the free weekend with many people setting off for their destinations. Those continuing to stay on the program will head to Nes Harim, where they will be located for the free weekend. The MBIers will have a chance to relax, get ready for shabbat, and enjoy the traditional and fun parts of Shabbat on MBI.

Wake up! Its time to hike!

At 3:15am this morning in Israel the MBIers awoke to set off on what promised to be a memorable and beautiful hike. Soon after they got up they set off from the Bedouin tents to hike up Masada and see the famous and glorious sunrise they will not soon forget. While some were not excited to be up so early, the cooler temperature and promise of hiking up to an important site and witness an event of great beauty, kept the MBIers going. Having reached the top of Masada the MBIers got to pause, take a rest, and take in the sunrise. They proceeded to walk around and have a guided tour of the ruins and learn more about the backstory of Masada and its role in the Israeli narrative.

Later they went to Ein Gedi and Nachal David to take advantage of some great hikes in the area. These two hikes are great as Ein Gedi is a famous source of water in the desert and both hikes eventually lead to water and some waterfalls. The hikes are not too long and there is a great reward at end to see water flowing in the desert. They are a large part of understanding the beauty and diversity of the desert environment.

Having been up Masada, and seen some important sources of fresh water in the desert, it was only fitting the MBIers another unique part of the Israeli desert. They headed off for the Dead Sea which meant the MBIers had now been to the lowest point of the earth on land. It is truly amazing the one of a kind places that Israel has to offer. For those who forgot about various cuts and scrapes they had gotten earlier in the week the Dead Sea kindly reminded them. Of course floating the highly concentrated water was enjoyed as was utilizing Dead Sea mud rich in minerals. A one of a kind, in many ways a once in a lifetime opportunity was had for all.

After the MBIers had accomplished so much and yet being very far in the day, they headed off for their place of rest, Kibbutz Sde Boker, where they would be staying for the evening. When they arrived they had a few hours to rest, take naps, and recuperate from their amazing and busy day. It was a well received break and did in fact rejuvenate the MBIers. They had a nice meal at Sde Boker and prepared for the evenings activities.

The bus groups took turns taking part in a Scorpion hunt as part of a night hike. The scorpion hunt involved walking through the desert near the Kibbutz with an ultraviolet light to try to find scorpions. The hike and hunt were thrilling explorations of some of the feared creatures of the desert and everyone finished the evening braver than before.

Tomorrow the MBIers will have some more hiking in the desert, including going to Makhtesh(Crater) Ramon among other activities. Can you believe we are almost half way through the program? Times flies....

Jerusalem and then down south

Today the MBIers set out from Ben Shemen to take part in two of Jerusalem's more somber and meaningful aspects. The MBIers headed to Har(Mount) Herzl to get a tour and learn more about many of Israel's great leaders and historical figures buried there. Both Golda Meir and Yitzhak Rabin are buried there and being Israel's military cemetery, soldiers who fall in combat are buried there as well. It is an important place to see and learn about Israel's past and reflect on the hardships Israel has endured to exist as it does today in 2008.

Then each bus went to Yad Vashem(Israel's Holocaust Museum) where they received a guided tour. The museum which was which was renovated 3 years ago has a unique design being a sort of long triangle that at the end there are windows piping light. In order to reach the light you have to criss-cross through each section of the museum, which spans from before the Holocaust looking at communities, through the end of the war exploring the many difficult topics and some of the more inspirational tales of righteous gentiles and the youth movements role in the war. The tour tries to focus on some of the aspects of the Holocaust without trying to overwhelm everyone too much by the enormity and difficulty inherent.

It was an emotional morning with many tears shed and a real connection was felt by the MBIers to their past and how it now relates to their and Israel's present reality. After being at both places the MBIers had time to sit with their madrichim(counselors) and process everything they had taken in at Yad Vashem and Har Herzl.

They then headed to their buses which took them south to an exciting destination of Mamshit, where they were going to be staying at Bedouin tents there. The first thing the MBIers got to do though was to take a camel ride through the desert. Having had a bumpy, at times smelly and yet overall fun ride, the MBIers headed over the tents were they would be staying. There got to relax and take in some Bedouin hospitality and learn more about Bedouin customs. At first they were served very sweet tea which is a Bedouin custom and eventually, while sitting on mats on the ground, were served the main event of a large meal. The groups got served huge platters of rice and meat(veggies and veggie kabobs for those choosing to not eat meat) as well as plates with humus and eggplant salad among others. It was quite a feast that was enjoyed thoroughly by all.

Having had more then there fill of food, the MBIers finished off their evening with a lovely Kumzitz, where they sangs songs by the fire. They all went to sleep under the large Bedouin tent they found themselves as they needed to get some rest before the events of tomorrow. As I write this(and perhaps as you read this), the MBIers will be waking up shortly as they are getting woken up at 3:15am in order to go hike up Masada to see the sunrise! While there will be grumbling as they are woken up, seeing the sunrise on Masada is a truly glorious thing to behold. Tomorrow they also will be going to Ein Gedi, Nachal David, and the Dead Sea. Their exploration and enjoyment of the desert has commenced!

Lastly, anyone who hasn't sent in the Free Weekend request is putting us in a difficult position since we need to confirm numbers staying behind and making sure there is sufficient space on the buses going to the drop-off points. We are doing our best to accomodate last minute requests, but we cannot guarantee anymore requests since it is so late.

Continuing to Explore Jerusalem

The MBIers set off today to continue their exploration of holy and magical city of Jerusalem. In the morning the MBIers spent their time at the City of David which is a sort of archaeological park to walk around and see the history of the city's creation. The MBIers got to walk around and see ruins from the first city of Jerusalem which is pretty incredible to take in the magnitude of that location. They also got to walk through a sort of aqueduct that is a long tunnel that still has water running through and the MBIers had to walk through the water to get out. It was definitely a refreshing walk through history that has existed for over a thousand years. These are just some the incredible and unique experiences through history that being in Israel allows the MBIers to experience.

For lunch the MBIers had what apparently was a treat of Bagel bites type pizzas and was a welcome lunch on the go in Jerusalem. After lunch the MBIers had another special treat which was to have a guided tour though the Kotel Tunnels. The Kotel Tunnels are truly amazing as while the Kotel itself is most famous, most of the wall exists below in the tunnels. During this guided time the MBIers learned more about its creation and the Temples creation and destruction. They also got to see one of the largest stones in the World that is part of the foundation of the Kotel. It is of great speculation how it got there given the technologies(or lack thereof) that existed at the time. Overall being in the tunnels is definitely an awe-inspiring experience.

Having been down in the Kotel Tunnels, it of course was fitting for the MBIers to proceed to have sometime above ground at the Kotel itself. There the MBIers had sometime to take in this special location and feel the special energy that surrounds the area. They all had an opportunity to write notes and place them in the wall as well as find their own ways to take in the meaning of the place. It was a special afternoon that will certainly leave a positive memory for the MBIers.

The MBIers also got to continue to spend sometime in Old City as they went to the Hurva Synagogue which is another historic place. The Synagogue had existed for several hundred years, prior to the Independence War when it was destroyed by the Jordanians. Currently it is being rebuilt, and is actually near completition so the MBIers got to take an early look at what it looks like now and what to expect upon its completion. They of course learned about its history as it relates to Jerusalem and continued their day of seeing and experiencing first-hand some incredible parts of Jewish and Israeli history.

After a busy day the MBIers returned to Ben Shemen for the evening to have an activity with their bus and catch up with their friends. Tomorrow will be a meaningful day that will conclude with some fun. In the morning they will visit Har Herzl and Yad Vashem to learn and be reminded about the pain of our past that has led to the place we are today. In evening they will head down to Mamshit in the desert to stay at a Bedouin tent and take in some Bedouin hospitality. Phew! I almost tired from writing all that!

Shabbat and then off to Jerusalem

Shabbat brought a welcome sleep-in and a day filled with the spirit of rest, relaxation, and reflection that is Shabbat. In the morning they had a joint peula(activity) that related to the idea of collective vision. It was a chance for the MBIers to reflect on the commonalities that they share with the other Habonim Dror countries as sixteen year old Jews and members of Habonim Dror. They had lunch in the chadar ochel(Dining Hall) and proceeded to have to country time and machaneh(camp) time.

Again the machanot split into their groups to have some bonding time and put together something they wanted to communicate with their home machaneh. Afterwards they had Shabbat Chugim(special interest activities) that included various arts and crafts, various learning groups, and tie dye, which many people used their new Machaneh Habonim shirts for this activity. Then the MBIers had Musicale that included many great performances, including some Brits who joined in on what is a North American tradition.

Following dinner they had peaceful end to their shabbat and week with a couple activities. First they of course took part in the beautiful tradition of Havdallah that Habonim Dror members love so dear. Then they had a Beit Cafe(Coffee Shop) where they sat together in a darkly lit with by candle-light and sat with small groups and were given lists of questions to answer to better get to each other. Its a very relaxed and peaceful way to connect and learn more about other participants of the program.

Come Sunday morning the MBIers woke up early and commenced cleaning and packing up their site and saying goodbye to their new friends from across the Atlantic. They set off from Nes Harim with a day in Jerusalem to explore the magical and special city that it is. They started of by heading to Mt. Scopus where they could see well around Jerusalem and learn about its history and place until the 1967 war. It is also famous for being the location of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and Hadassah Hospital.

Much of the day involved exploring Jerusalem's history and learning about the differences that existed before the '67 war. They walked near the points where Jerusalem used to border Jordan and saw different sites demarcating the separated city. The MBIers also got a little organized free time and were able to walk around Ben-Yehuda which is a street that is known to be a shopping district with many shops selling anything from Naot, Items of Judaica, to Israeli T-shirts. Some nice gifts and souvenirs were to be had there.

At night MBIers headed to their next stop which is at Ben Shemen that is located near Lod which is between Tel-Aviv and Jerusalem. More excitement and fun to come tomorrow as I sign off writing to you live from Three Rivers, MI at beautiful Camp Tavor! As a reminder I will be back in the office on Tuesday, but rest assured there will be a blog update tomorrow.

Shabbat here we come at Machaneh Habonim

Today the MBIers woke up from their night of sleeping outside to take part in another great outdoors at Nes Harim. After breakfast in the chadar ochel(dining room) they took part in peula(activity) that focused on team-building and outdoor activities with their new British and Hungarian friends. Through various trust games and challenges, a good time outdoors was while learning about the cultural differences and backgrounds they come from.

In the afternoon they had another peula(activity) with their smaller group and then took part in Shabbat Chugim(special-interest activities). The idea was to let the MBIers and friends choose an activity they could take part in to prepare for various parts of Shabbat. The activities they took part in and took responsibility for included: Decorating the Chadar(Dining Hall), Brachot(prayers before the candles etc.), Parashat Hashavuah(Torah Portion of the Week), Oneg(play), Meditation for Saturday morning, Chocolate Balls(because they are a delicious treat), and Havdallah among others.

Afterwards the MBIers had time to shower, rest, and prepare for Friday night and their second Shabbat in Israel. They had Mishpachot("family-time") where they got a chance to sit with just members of their home machaneh(camp) and joke around and talk about their week. They took part in Kabbalat Shabbat ceremony led by the MBIers as well as learning about the Parasha of the week. With a lovely dinner in their stomachs they watched a hilarious oneg performed by a joint group of Machaneh Habonim participants. Of course no Shabbat in Israel on MBI would be complete without an energetic night of Rikud(Israeli Dancing). It was a truly special Friday evening and day.

Tomorrow will bring a sleep-in, more relaxed activities and learning, as well as some usual suspects in Musicale, Havdallah, and Medura. It should all in all be a great Shabbat and continue to be a strong and meaningful experience on Machaneh Habonim.

One quick piece of information that I neglected to leave out of the last update. The return time for the free weekend on August 2nd is: 8:30pm. Please make note of that if you need to communicate that with your family or friends. We of course will remind the families of this when they pick up your MBIer.

Shabbat Shalom until Sunday!

Mega Event and Machaneh Habonim

The MBIers awoke today at Nes Harim with some exciting prospects ahead of them. Today would not only be the start of Machaneh Habonim but also the day they got to take part in the Israel Experience Mega Event in Jerusalem. In the morning they started off with a peula(activity) with their bus to start preparing them for Machaneh(camp) Habonim.

Afterwards they started to setup the campsite at Nes Harim where they will be staying for next couple nights. Part of this setup included demarcating the different spots for the groups as during Machaneh Habonim, the MBIers will be in 8 groups that will include members of the British and Hungarian Habonim. It should be a meaningful cultural exchange as they will have an extended time together, beyond Yom Habonim Dror which already took place. They also hopefully will some new friendships and perspectives on being 16 in other countries and what are the unique parts of the lifestyles they all come from.

In the afternoon the Brits started to arrive and they began getting to know their groups for the next few days and play games and icebreakers to start bonding the group. After some fun and laughs the groups headed to the buses to go the evening's activity of the Israel Experience Mega event. The idea of the event is to bring all the program participants of Israel summer programs affiliated with the Israel Experience, which includes us, Young Judea, Ramah, and other Jewish groups.

The event itself took place in the Sultan's Pool in Jerusalem which is a famous location for concerts and there is an annual Israeli Film Festival held there among other events. It was a lot of fun with dancing, singing, fireworks and a special performance by the Israeli group Gaia. They are famous for song Yachad which is sung at many machanot(camps) among other places. It was a rocking good time that was a high energy and a great gathering of Jewish youth. Afterwards they headed back to Nes Harim where they got to sleep under the Israeli stars with their new British and Hungarian friends.

Tomorrow will be a more relaxed day of learning about each other's countries and preparation for Shabbat. They will have activites together and some chugim(special-interest activities) as well as the usual Friday night traditions. A much desired rest is upon the MBIers with Shabbat so near!

Lastly for the free weekend of August 1st and 2nd. The dropoff points and approximate times for August 1st are as follows.
Jerusalem Drop-off point: The Soldiers House/Yad Lebanim which is on Rehov Ben Tzvi(St) and is between Gan Sacher and Binyanei Haomah. 11:00am
Tel-Aviv: Redding Terminal which is by Park Hayarkon on Rokach Rd. 10:30am
Haifa: Lev Hamifratz parking lot. 12:00pm

Heading towards the center

This morning the MBIers packed up and headed to the buses to leave lovely Nachsholim to head south for the next part of the trip. In the morning they headed to Machon Ayalon(located outside of Tel-Aviv) which is a museum for an underground bullet factory there. At the site the MBIers got a guided tour which included a nice video presentation as well as actually going underground and seeing the factory and the conditions under which the bullets were made. Its an incredible story of a garin(group) who wanted to build a kibbutz and were approached by the army before the independence war and were asked if they want to take part in an important mission for the state.

Without knowing what they were going to do, they decided it was their duty to do whatever they could to help build the state of Israel. Ultimately they took part in helping run an underground bullet factory with a kibbutz on top as the cover for their activity. It is an incredible story of committment and secrecy with worker's spouses often not finding out what they were doing until years and years after they had left the factory. After the war began there was no need to keep it underground and eventually they shifted the factory above ground. The workers got their overall wish as they got to start a Kibbutz which is now Kibbutz Maagan Michael on Mediterranean. It's an incredible story of the the committment, dedication, and conviction of the early builders of the state of Israel.

After an inspiring morning, the MBIers had lunch and headed off for an afternoon of fun and relaxation in the sun. They traveled to the Palmachim beach which is south of Tel-Aviv and got to enjoy some time in the Mediterranean. Having swam, played, and rested on the beach, the MBIers headed to the bus where they headed back to familiar place of Nes Harim(located near Bet Shemesh, which is near Jerusalem) where they will be sleeping for the next several days. They also got a welcome call to get their laundry together to be sent out for 1st laundry day of MBI. They also had some fun activities after dinner with their bus.

Tomorrow the MBIers will be having some peulot(activities), tzofiut(scouting skills), and as it stands heading to the Israel Experience Mega Event that brings all the programs they have in Israel together for a special event. Last year there was a live Israeli band in addition to other fun activities. The event is scheduled to take place in Jerusalem and so far has gotten the go ahead from both them and the Chedar Matzav(Situation/Security room). We wil continue to check in with them throughout the day to ensure that we still have the go ahead to travel to and take part in the event.

Additionally as previously mentioned, I will be out of the office until Tuesday, though I can be reached on the Habonim Dror cellphone at 917-822-2330. I would ask you all to be understanding that I may be quite delayed responding to calls tomorrow as I will unfortunately be attending the funeral of my step-grandmother. I thank you in advance for your patience and understanding. I will of course still be available for any emergency and I will still be speaking with Leon and updating the blog as usual. I will also be posting the times for the free weekend shortly. Until next time....

Still in the North

Despite the unfortunate event that took place in Jerusalem today, MBI continued as planned with a day packed with activity. In the morning they headed off to hike the Etzba cave which is on the southern part of the Carmel Mountains. It's a nice hike that was a mere two hours of hiking and included viewing the aforementioned cave. After stretching their legs in the morning, the MBIers headed to their buses and headed a little farther North to Akko, where they were to spend most of the rest of the day.

They started out by walking around the old city of Akko, which parts of the city date back to the Crusaders and Napoleon. They first went to an Old British prison where many Jewish political prisoners were held during the British mandate. There ultimately was a famous jailbreak there that was caused by a well organized attack by the Jewish underground in Israel. They continued to walk around Akko and next went to the Templer's Tunnel, which was only found in the '90s, yet dates back to the 12th century.

The Templer's Tunnel was part of a fortress that included underground tunnels. Walking around parts of Akko that date back to the Crusaders is truly amazing to think about the history the MBIers were able to see. Later they spent more time walking around the old city and got to have some arab sweets such as baklava and knafe. Then the MBIers went to another beautiful site which is the Tunisian synagogue in Akko. This incredible synagogue is known for having gorgeous mosaics all around the synagogue. It is certainly different from most of the synagogues the MBIers are used to from their homes. In the evening they had a peula(activity) with their bus.

Tomorrow they will be leaving Nachsholim and going to Machon Ayalon(an underground bullet factory from the Independence War) and in the afternoon getting to go to the beach and enjoy the Mediterranean. At night they will end up at Nes Harim and will be excited to find tomorrow to be the first laundry day of MBI!

Tomorrow I should be posting the updated times for the free weekend for your reference and to pass along to your family and friends. As such if you have not sent in your form please do so ASAP or contact me to let me know what the delay is.

Tomorrow afternoon I will be heading to Chicago where I will be Thursday and Friday and I also will be visiting Machaneh(Camp) Tavor on the weekend. I will be back in the office on Tuesday. I will continue to be checking my email and updating the blog during this time. Also if you need to reach me during the day on Thurday or Friday, please call the Habonim Dror Cellphone at 917-822-2330.

A Busy Monday

The MBIers started their day today by hiking Nachal Yagur. It is a beautiful hike that is located in the southern part of the Carmel Mountains, located between Haifa and Yokneam. There are great views of the North during the hike and the hike itself was one of the most challenging thus far on MBI. There will definitely be some good memories and perhaps some sore muscles from the hike.

Having had a rest and eaten a packed lunch, the MBIers headed to the next stop of the day. After spending most of the morning exercising their bodies they got a bit of a rest and activated their minds as the MBIers headed to the Illegal Immigration museum. The museum itself is located in Atlit which is south of Haifa. There they learned about the complex history and relationship between Jews and the British before the creation of the state. Learning about the challenges that people underwent to immigrate to Israel tells an important part of Israeli history and the creation of the Jewish state.

Then the MBIers headed to the Druze village of Isfiya which is located on the Carmel mountains just south of Haifa. There they had a little free-time to walk around in groups and see the shops and the crafts people were selling. Some of the buses got to have some knafe which is an arab pastry sold in bakeries that sell baklava. It is a one of kind dessert that is essentially made up of a crunchy noodle-like outside with a sweet goat-cheese filled that is covered with a sweet syrup. With their unusal bright orange color, one might hesitate to try it, but eating fresh, warm knafe is truly divine. Words can hardly do justice to this great delicacy.

After seeing some of the village they got to sit down and take part in a traditional Druze meal. There they learned more about Druze customs and a bit about the Druze religion. The Druze religion is unique and mysterious as it is not Islam, but only those who in the religion truly know about its laws, rules, and practices. The meal they ate included many local specialities like labneh(a thick goat sour cream) which is delicious wrapped in druze pita with olive oil and zaatar(a Middle Eastern spice) as well as Majdara(Rice, Lentils, and Carmelized onions), humus, tabouli and more. It was a ripe feast that certainly has me jealous of the great meal they had. When everyone had had their fill, the MBIers headed back to Nachsholim for the evening.

Tomorrow will be a contiuation of visiting the North with hiking and visiting Akko. More news to come!

Shabbat and Sunday

Saturday morning the MBIers got a highly desired sleep-in which helped the MBIers recharge and embrace the busy but relaxed atmosphere on Shabbat on MBI. After breakfast they took part in the Mosh tradition of Rejuvenation which involves collectively stretching to relax body and mind but also prepare the participants for the mood of the day.

After Rejuvenation they took part in leaving about Parshat Hashavuah(Weekly Torah Portion) which was a partial performance that included Leon taking on the role of Moses. This was followed by Shabbat Chugim(Special-interest group activity) lead by the madrichim(counselors) of MBI. Some of the groups were, Israel Update, The Academic School system, Mayan Prophesies, AIDS, and the History of Hip Hop and Social Change. The range of topics meant many interesting discussions were had and that there was something for everybody.

Chugim was then followed by Machaneh(Camp) time which gave them a half hour to again spend some time together, but to direct their energies to writing a letter back to their home machaneh(camp) to talk about their experiences thus far. Hopefully this should spark up a sort of penpal type of communication which while undoubtably exciting for both sides to here the news from each other.

In the afternoon they also had a peula to continue the spirit of shabbat learning. This was followed by optional Chug Kef(fun) which gave a chance for the MBIers to take part in some optional organized fun. The groups included Finger-painting, Creative writing, and Learn Australian slang. No shabbat would be complete with rousing Musicale with various musical performances, Havdallah under the stars of the Israeli sky and the comedic performances that took place in Medura. In Leon's humble opinion the spirit of the day really felt like Shabbat at machaneh and that it was one of the best Shabbat's of all his MBI's!

Today was a truly exciting day as it was Yom(Day) Habonim Dror! They got to meet up with the leaders of Habonim Dror in Israel as well as several hundred Habonim Dror members on various summer trips or year-programs from places as far and wide as Brazil, South Africa, England, Germany, Argentina, Australia, Hungary and more! After hearing some introductory remarks they had some activities together meeting the other 16 yr olds as well as bartering for any number of unique t-shirts and other goods from the other countries. It was definitely an inspiring day filled with excitement, many languages, and new friends from across the globe.

Afterwards the MBIers headed to the next place they will be staying which is called Nachsholim. It is a lovely Kibbutz hotel located just south of Haifa, right near the Mediterranean. There they had a delicious dinner and after dinner took part in a special tekes(ceremony). During the ceremony they finally got their movement chultzot(blue shirts with red string) and got their special gifts from Yom Habonim Dror. They got t-shirts commemorating the day as well fancy waterbottles that even have a compass on them. Later on they had peula(activity) with their bus to wrap up the day.

With the week off to a great start, MBI will continue along with great things in store. Tomorrow will include a special evening that will include going to Isfiya which is a Druze village and having a delicious Druze meal. It will definitely be a night and meal to remember!

Lastly as some of you might have noticed, the automatic email system did not on Friday for some reason, but should work in the future. I will keep you posted if this is not the case.

The First Shabbat

The MBIers started off their day by heading off to the beautiful city of Zichron Yaakov. It is one of Israel's older cities, founded originally in 1882Th. While there they went to the First Aliyah Museum where they received a guided tour. Learning about the challenges the first aliyah members contended with as much of Israel was in need of development to sustain their and future generations lives. Learning about their history is integral to understanding the evolution that eventually took place in the phases of the growing, building and establishing the state of Israel.

After the museum they had chance to walk around the city and see the beautiful views from the city and its short but rich history. They also had the opportunity to get a taste of local food as they were given a small budget to eat lunch. They walked around and had options such shawarma and falafel as well as having delicious Israel ice cream for dessert. There is truly nothing like going up to falafel or schwarma stand and getting it fresh. The smell and tastes are one of a kind.

Afterwards they went to Ramat Hanadiv, also located in Zichron, which is a lovely botanical garden. There they got to walk around and also visit the grave of Baron Rothschild and learn about his role in Israel's history. He played a significant role in the creation of Zichron Yaakov, as well as financially backing many other developments in Israel. It was a peaceful and informative afternoon as such.

In the late afternoon they headed back to Nordiya to prepare for the Shabbat. After getting a chance to rest, shower, and change into some Shabbat clothes, the MBIers took part in their first Friday night in Israel. In bringing the Habonim Dror spirit of Shabbat, the evening began with mishpachot(families) which is a tradition at many camps, and on MBI it meant a time for the Machanot(camps) to have a chance to all sit together and catch up about their week and have familiar faces to sit with. Afterwards Leon told a rousing Rosh's Story which enthralled the MBIers with his Australian accent and witty delivery.

Having taken part in Kabbalat Shabbat and eating a delicious shabbat dinner the next part of the evening's activities took place. Bus 3 entertained the MBIers with humorous oneg(play/skit) that they wrote, directed, and starred. Every week a different bus will get its turn, and Bus 3 tried to set a high bar of comedy for the other bus's to strive for. Lastly, what could be better then being under the stars in Israel and getting to take part in Israeli dancing! A spirited evening of dance took place and was a great way to end Friday night.

Tomorrow they will take part in a relaxed Shabbat day that will include a desired sleep-in. Chugim(special-interest activities) will be lead by the madrichim(counselors) as well as processing of the week. Of course no Habonim Dror shabbat would be complete with musicale, havdallah, and medura.

On Shabbat(tomorrow) I will not be posting an update as I prefer to observe the spirit of Shabbat. I will be back on Sunday with a big update about Saturday and Sunday.

Lastly if you have not already sent in your Visitor's Permission form it has to be in by this coming Wednesday the 23rd of July. To access it I have created a link here: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dhpg3npt_14gskr98j6. I will be sending out a list on Monday with everyone who's I have forms from, but if you know you haven't sent it in please send it in ASAP.

Shabbat Shalom to you all!

Next Stop Tel-Aviv

Having had a lovely time getting adjusted to Israel and the program at Nes Harim, the MBIers departed early this morning for a new adventure and a day in Tel-Aviv. All the buses took part in various aspects of the day I will describe below, though they did it in their own order.

First the MBIers headed to Old Yafo(Jaffa) and Neve Tzedek to see the early foundations of Jaffa and Tel-Aviv. Jaffa is an ancient port city that has had historically a large Arab population and is just south of Tel-Aviv. Walking around the old city there, the MBIers learned about the history of the city and Tel-Aviv as they headed over to Neve Tzedek. Neve Tzedek was the first Jewish neighborhood built outside Jaffa, over twenty years before Tel-Aviv was founded. Learning the history of Israel's modern and biggest city helps put perspective on the growth of Israel into the state it is today.

While in Yafo(Jaffa) the MBIers had a chance to stop at the Shuk HaPishpishim(Flea market) to try to find some deals and souveneirs to take back home. They soon learned that to get a good deal in the shuk(market) you have to haggle and negotiate. Hopefully by the end of the trip they will be pros at shopping at the shuk(market).

After walking and seeing some Tel-Aviv/Jaffa's history, the MBIers headed to Kikar Rabin(Rabin Square) where they found themselves more in the heart of the city and in another place of great importance of recent history. There they had a tekes(ceremony) to learn about and commemorate the memory of Rabin and his importance to Israel and the peace process. It was a moving ceremony that concluded with singing Shir La Shalom(The Song for Peace, which was the song folded up in his pocket at his last speech at this square now in his name.) and Hatikvah.

Later the group went to Independence Hall where they got to see and learn first-hand about the creation of Israel. It was in this hall that David Ben-Gurion presented the Declaration of Independence of the state of Israel 60 years ago and marked the official beginning of the modern state of Israel. It was another part of an incredible day where significant aspects of Israel's history was explored and seen first-hand. Part of seeing the hall is to actually go in the room where the Declaration was signed and to attempt to take in the incredible moment that it must have been over 60 years ago.

They headed to the next place the MBIers will rest their heads at night, Nordiya, which is between Tel-Aviv and Netanya. There they had dinner and a more relaxed evening involving group processing of the day as well as check-ins to see how the MBIers were doing. With so much to take in on one day, the MBIers were glad to have some time to slow down and talk more about their experiences.

Tomorrow will be another busy day with the MBIers headed to Zichron Yaakov and preparing for their first Shabbat in Israel. Part of their time in the next couple days will also be time to update them about the Prisoner Exchange with Lebanon that took place and what it means for Israel in addition to their regular updates about the news in Israel. What a day!

The adventure continues

With the second full day of MBI underway, the MBIers took part in a diverse day of activities lead with the help of the JNF/KKL. As part of a rotation of activities the MBIers took turns in their groups taking part in the following activities. One of the stops was to take part in an archaelogical dig. Israel, being full of rich history and artificats, got to see first-hand how archaelogical digs work and even got a chance to be involved hands on with the search. No major discoveries were made but time will only tell how they helped.

While one group was taking part in the dig, another group was on a hike that involved going through ruins that date back to the Bar Kokhba rebellion. The ruins date back to around 135 CE and as such hiking through them is amazing not only to see ruins that old, but also to hear about the revolt and what it meant in Jewish history. The hike also involved going through some caves that also were used during the rebellion.

Lastly the groups also went to Tel Azaka. This is the famous place that is said to be where the battle took place between David and Goliath. The MBIers got hike around the area and were entertained by skits that the tour guides and madrichim(counselors) put on for them.

These activities took up the greater part of the day and they finally returned to Nes Harim in the late afternoon. After eating dinner they had a peula(activity) ran by their madrichim, enjoyed some time to catch up with their new and old friends and were off to bed to prepare for another great day ahead.

Tomorrow the group will be leaving the familiar surroundings of Nes Harim, but will be glad to know they will return their a few more times during the trip. The programming tomorrow is a day filled with exploring Tel-Aviv and Yafo(Jaffa). From going to the shuk, Kikar Rabin(Rabin Square), and Independence Hall, it will be a full glimpse into Israel's biggest city by looking at the old and the new. At night they will be staying at Nordiya, which is a nice hostel near Netanya which will welcome the MBIers to a pleasant new part of Israel.

A quick reminder. If you have not sent in your Visitor's Request form please do so as soon as possible.

First Full Day of MBI!

The MBIers awoke today to face their first full day of MBI. They set off in the morning for the Sataf hike which is in the same region of Israel that they staying, which is outside of Jerusalem. The hike itself goes through an old Arab Village that was evacuated during the Independence war. As such it is both an beautiful place to hike through but has a clear historical relevance to the creation of the state. The hike also includes reaching a small spring which of course adds to the hike's beauty. The hike itself was not too strenuous and was a fun and informative hike for the MBIers lead, as usual, with the guidance of our very knowledgable Israeli tour guides.

In the afternoon the MBIers returned to Nes Harim where the day continued with peulot(activities) divided up by bus group. While the group was split into their 4 buses last night, they also have smaller bus groups that they were split into. Each bus has two groups and two madrichim(counselors) for their group. In doing so, it enables the MBIers to have activities in smaller groups as well as have madrichim(counselors) that they will get to know better and have someone they feel more comfortable to ask questions or talk to about anything.

In these smaller groups they had an educational activity starting to look more at the meaning of being on MBI both in the context of MBI being our 8th machaneh(summer camp) and being in Israel. A lot of good discussions and information was shared and the bonding of the smaller groups seems to be off to a good start. The madrichim also performed a Hatzagah(skit) before dinner that combined comedy and education and will be a recurring and hopefully appealing part of the day for the MBIers. A few good laughs were definitely had with more to come.

After dinner at Nes Harim, a great big fun Welcome to Israel activity took place. All the MBIers took part in the various aspects of the evening that was geared towards getting them to know some of the important cultural references they will come to learn as well as just plain fun. Activities included competitions such as making Israel out of various food items, a hebrew word relay-race and a "shoko b sakeet" drinking contest. Shoko is Israeli chocolate milk and sakeet(bag) is the how it comes for purchase. Many past participants clamor for the delicious chocolate milk so undoubtably the MBIers will be on the lookout for it as the summer continues.

Overall a fun mix of activities and then off to bed for the MBIers to prepare for day 2 of MBI. Tomorrow will see them taking part in a JNF day that has many components including an archaelogical dig and hiking through a cave. The excitement, fun, and learning will continue tomorrow!

MBI has arrived!

As some of you have already heard from you MBIer, the MBIers arrived safely to Israel to start the magical summer ahead of them. After a travel day that amazingly almost went off without a hitch, the Americans landed first in the mid-afternoon where they were greeted by the excited tzevet(staff). They took luggage their luggage to the buses awaiting them to take them to their first stop, the campsite of Nes Harim, which is located outside Jerusalem, near Bet Shemesh. The site is a lovely JNF/KKL campsite that has nice, air-conditioned cabins for the MBIers to stay in. Being in a beautiful forest, which includes the Habonim forest, it is a perfect setting to start off the summer in the camp setting they are used to being.

After having a chance to put their stuff down, they headed to the dining hall to have dinner while in the meantime the Canadians were landing in Tel-Aviv at Ben-Gurion airport. When the MBIers finished eating they headed to the to the Haas Promenade where they proceeded to meet the Canadian flight who had also arrived safely and boarded a bus with all their stuff and headed straight for the Promenade. The promenade is both a picturesque spot to view Jerusalem lit up at night and a site filled with history and meaning for Israel. Hidden under the Prominade is an aqueduct built by Herod the Great. It was also no-man's land between the creation of the State of Israel and the reunification of Jerusalem among the other interesting parts of its character.(For more information click here)

At the Promenade, with the united group of 136 MBIers and over 20 tzevet members, they proceeded to look out at the beauty of Jerusalem and the Old City. They also had and opening tekes(ceremony) to welcome them to Israel and MBI Yud Zayin. The tzevet sang the song Ein Li Eretz Acheret(There is no other land for me), heard some selected readings, and Leon gave a rousing speech to welcome them and to start putting the magnitude of the trip and their location in perspective.

The view from the Promenade.

Afterwards they came back to Nes Harim where they got to settle into their rooms where they will be for the next few days. The MBIers were split into their buses to start getting to know their smaller group and the madrichim(counselors) leading them. As I write they are all in bed, hopefully get some well deserved sleep.

Tomorrow should be a busy day with a hike in the morning, peulot(fun/educational activities) in the afternoon, and a night of fun together.

At the side of blog in the links you will notice I have added another link. It is a map website that allows you to search for any place in Israel so you can see better where the MBIers are at any point of the trip. Also unfortunately our website is down for maintenance. Once it is back up and running I will let you know.

More exciting news tomorrow!

Toronto Flight

The Toronto flight is on its way! So far so good for the start of MBI Yud Zayin 2008!

1 Flight in the air one to go

Today so far has gone exceptionally smooth. Almost all the flights were on time or early and only one lost bag that hopefully is on its way to Israel. The ELAL flight from New York did for some reason sit on the tarmac for 2 and a half hours but they are on their way. All signs are that the Toronto flight is on track. I will post again once that is confirmed.
Michael

Almost Flight day!

Dear MBI Families,

As many of you are putting together the final preparations for MBI a few last things of note. First off a couple of you many have noticed that our acceptance site is down. Our web guy is working on it but it may take a couple days to get the site back up. In the meantime if you wanted to access either the packing list or the expanded itinerary I have posted them here.

For the Expanded Itinerary click on the link or copy and paste the address: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dhpg3npt_12c5t2dsgs.

For the Packing List click on the link or copy and paste the address: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dhpg3npt_13g23r2qdx

Additionally for those curious about a mailing address during MBI please send any mail or packages to the below address.

Participant Name MBI
c/o Shira Moshkovitz
The Israel Experience
North American Division
Kiryat Moriah
3 Ha'askan St.
P.O.B 92
Jerusalem 91000

We are set on our side on for what we will hope will be a smooth travel day. The weather in New York is supposed to be mostly Sunny and the forecast in Toronto is supposed to be clear by evening. I of course will be reachable all day at 917-822-2330 should any issues arise in your MBIers flight day. I also will post updates to the blog once the Israel flights have successfully take off.

I look forward to seeing many of you tomorrow and I wish everyone a safe journey as you will be greeted in Israel by our wonderful and capable tzevet(staff). Here's to the start of a great trip!

Michael

Some relevant information

As the countdown to MBI Yud Zayin continues, things in the office are looking well in hand and energy will start to build more as we get closer to Sunday. I wanted to give some important information in the meantime.

First of all I want to make sure you all are aware of the possible issues with your domestic baggage. For those of you flying a domestic flight in the US,(Canadians flying to Toronto should be counted as an International flight and don't need to worry) there may be an added fee for your checked baggage. The only way to know for sure is to check what carrier your MBIer is flying with and what their policy is. I found a good reference sheet to clarify which can be found here: http://www.kayak.com/airline-fees. It still may be the best idea to contact your airline or read their website to make sure to avoid any suprises at the airport.

Many of you have been curious to see the list of Kibbutzim and they are as follows:
Ammiad
Alumot
Kinneret
Sha'ar Hagolan
Afikim
Bet Haemek
Kfar Blum/Amir
The MBIers will be split up between these Kibbutzim for the Machatz time period towards the end of the program.

Lastly for the free weekend of August 1st and 2nd. Times have not been finalized but the pick up and dropoff points are as follows.
Jerusalem Drop-off point: The Soldiers House/Yad Lebanim which is on Rehov Ben Tzvi(St) and is between Gan Sacher and Binyanei Haomah.
Tel-Aviv: Redding Terminal which is by Park Hayarkon on Rokach Rd.
Haifa: Lev Hamifratz parking lot
Again we will notify you soon of the times for the pick up and drop off. And if it was unclear, for those of you who will not be taking part in the free weekend, regular MBI programming will continue.

Thats all for now!

Short Reminder

By now just about all of you should receive your domestic flight itineraries. If not please let me know. The International flight information is listed for both the Americans and the Canadians on the Departure day sheet available on the MBI acceptance page which is linked to the right of this post. I will also be sending out on Monday a participant contact list for all of your records. As it is the July 4th Independence Day in the US, I will be out of the office until Monday. For those of you celebrating I hope you have a great holiday.
Michael

Phone Issue

For some reason our main line is being answered by another company. As such please call 212-255-1797 in order to ensure you reach our office. We hope to have this resolved as soon as possible and I will let you know when this is the case.

Keep updated on the blog

Dear MBI Families,

In an effort to increase communication and efficiency I am trying to employ the wonders of technology to help this process. On the right side of the blog you will notice a box that is titled "Email Updates of the Blog" and a space to input your email address and then click subscribe. In doing so you will be able to receive email notifications when their are blog updates rather then needing to check the blog daily. This of course is optional and if you don't want more email in your inbox feel free to read the blog at your leisure. This is brand new to me and the blog will continue to be updated as normal but hopefully this will help he over all spread of information. If you have any issues please let me know.

Michael

P.S. A couple of Mac users have notified me of issues opening the expanded itinerary. We are looking into this issue but if you have access to a PC, you should be able to open it.

Expanded Itinerary and MBI Departure Day Information

Dear MBI Families,

It was great having all the conference calls this week with many of you. I certainly heard a lot of good questions and feel an excitement as we have a few short weeks until the program starts. We have updated the MBI acceptance page to the right of this post to include the Expanded Itinerary and the MBI Departure day information page. As a reminder at the beginning of next week we will be sending out all the domestic e-tickets for everyone flying to New York or Toronto. The international flight is an e-ticket which we will have all the flight information so you won't need to worry about keeping track of those numbers. Soon we will be sending out contact lists for every machaneh(camp) so you all can see who is going and perhaps start a local communication chain whether by phone or email.

Shabbat Shalom,
Michael

MBI Conference Calls!

In the run up to MBI I would like to invite you all to take part in conference calls that myself and Leon(Rosh MBI) will be taking part. It will be a chance for you all to ask any and all questions you might have about the program and hear other concerns other parents may have. Every machaneh(camp) has a designated time slot. However, if you cannot call in to your camp's time slot, feel free to call in to any other conference call. The assigned times are as follows:

Monday June 23rd at 1pm ET Gesher
Tuesday June 24th at 1pm ET/12 CT Tavor
Thursday June 26th at 1pm ET Moshava and Na'aleh
Thursday June 26th at 3pm ET/12 PT Gilboa and Miriam
Friday June 27th at 1pm ET Galil

To call in to the conference calls dial 605-475-6100 and the code is 194815. While the conference call is free, you may be billed for the minutes since it is a long-distance call.

I look forward to speaking with you all as we have less than a month to go!

Michael

MBI Itinerary

At long last the MBI Itinerary is available. This is the basic itinerary. We will be sending out a more detailed itinerary that explains more about the specifics of everything listed. To follow this document you will note that the days are split into mornings, afternoons, and evenings and below that is the name of the place they will be staying. The name may be that of a campsite, hostel, or Kibbutz they will be staying.

Click here or copy and paste the below link.
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dhpg3npt_11fqr3p2dg

Lastly many people still need to sign up for a cellphone. All participants must have a cellphone for the duration of the program and we recommend signing up with Israelphones at: www.israelphones.com/mbi.htm or for more information go the MBI Acceptance page at the link at right.

Hope you all had a great Chag and you'll be hearing more from me soon...

Renting a Cellphone

As hopefully you all know, all MBI participants will need to rent a cellphone for the duration of the program. I recommend using Israelphones as we have a longstanding relationship with them, and they are both affordable and reliable. The rates and application forms are now available on the MBI acceptance website to the right of this post. They have an early-bird discount if you apply by June 1st. But I'm going to see if they can push that back a week or so to give you all a little more time. Regardless I would move quickly in the event I can't get them to change the date. I also will be out of the office at a seminar from Friday the 24th until Wednesday the 28th.

Back from Israel

Well visiting Israel during its 60th Birthday was a special experience and it will be special for the MBIers to be in Israel during the summer of its Birthday. The itinerary for this summer is just about finalized and there are some exciting things in store. Much of the itinerary's content is similar to last year with a few additions. One exciting thing is for the first time there will be a joint World Habonim summer camp. For several days MBI will join up with the summer programs from Great Britain, Holland, France, Hungary, and possibly a couple other countries. It will be a fun and meaningful experience to meet Habonim Dror members their age from across the globe for an extended time period. Additionally we seem to have settled on our tikkun olam project which likely will be working with Table to Table/Shulchan el Shulchan whose projects involved going to orchards and fields to pick fruits and vegetables that would not be picked, and donate them to food banks and homeless shelters. I will be posting the full itinerary soon, but these are just a couple of things to look forward.

The free weekend which I'm sure most of you have been wondering about will take place the first weekend of August on August 1-2, from Friday morning until Saturday night after Shabbat. Please don't forget to send your visitor request and bus request as soon as possible.

Also if you have not contacted me about changing your dates to/from Israel please do that ASAP. There will be a nominal fee of $50 charged by our travel to adjust the flights to an earlier or later date.

I will post again to let you know that we have put the cell phone forms up on the acceptance page, as well as to let you know when the itinerary is up there.

That's all for now.
Michael