Wow.
What a summer. Today is the first day that the new team, Bethany, Tom and Graham are back in the office after nearly a month away on Machneh Kadimah, and then a week in Israel on the annual visioning seminar ‘Chazon’ run by the UJIA for all incoming movement workers of youth movements in the UK who are members of the Zionist Youth Council.
However, before we talk about Chazon, we would like to congratulate everyone involved with summer activities with LJY-Netzer this year. Bog Tour, Israel Tour, Kayitz Netzer and Machaneh Kadimah have all been roaring successes with over 250.5 people getting involved. Thank you so much, and we look forward to engaging with all of you over the next year.
Chazon translates to mean vision. The seminar aims to inspire movement workers in developing their movements vision & strategy, enhance partnership relations with the UJIA and the other movements, and facilitate the development of communication & effective tezevt dynamics whilst throwing in a bit of Israel & Jewish education at the same time.
The Zionist Youth Council is made up of one representative from each of the zionist movements in the UK. These are:
LJY-Netzer
RSY-Netzer
NOAM (The Mazorti Youth Movement)
BBYO (B’nai B’rith Youth Organisation)
Habonim-Dror
Hanoar Hatzioni
Bnei Akiva
FZY (Federation of Zionist Youth)
(if you want any more information on them, check out their websites)
There was also a new movement present at the seminar this year – the Zofim. The Zofim are an Israeli Scout group, who were the first Zionist youth movement in Israel, and are the only national youth movement in the country. This year, 5 movement workers are moving to London to run weekly activities in the UK. Head to this page to find out more: http://www.zofim.org.il/about_tnua_english.asp.
As part of UJIA’s involvement in the Galil, the movement workers were allowed to visit some of the UJIA’s projects in the north. This included Kibbutz Eshbal, Ayalim, Kishorit, The Tsfat Medical Centre, Tel Hai University Campus and the Jordan River Village. These amazing projects are of a benefit to not just the local community but also the region in general, and were a real inspiration for everyone who got to see them. If you would like more information, feel free to contact us or the UJIA, but also be aware that Shnat Netzer lets you go and visit and volunteer at these places as part of the program.
Also during the trip we were able to have a tour of Hebron with Yachad, and an exciting meeting with the staff at Netzer, in Jerusalem. Look out for more updates soon!
L’Shalom,
Graham, Bethany and Tom