ShnUpdate- Shnat Eckaliptoos- 22.10.21
Weekly update by Georgia Burstin- Netzer Australia
This week has been crazy. It’s hard to explain what moving into an apartment with 17 other people is like. How are we meant to choose a room when we don’t even know our housemates surnames? Or cook for people when you don’t know their food preferences. It’s mad how quickly a space has to become your space. How all of a sudden a random room is your safe place for the next few months.
I think we all expected Jerusalem to be the next big challenge of Shnat, one where we having to be fully vulnerable to the people around us, and set boundaries we’ve never had to come to terms with before.
Nonetheless, this week has been an incredible, adventure packed few days. We’ve starting settling into our new neighbourhood, right next to the shuk where we’re fully immersed with different cultures. We had a lovely orientation seminar ran by our madrichot and started learning about where we’ll all be volunteering at over the next few months.
We visited Tel Aviv twice this week, attended a MASA festival event, commemorated the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin and ate our well prepared pre-packed lunches. Even our friends from Habonim Dror donated some food to us, see, we’re building bonds everywhere.
It’s amazing being an 18/19 year old in the heart of Jerusalem, and I’m sure you can all imagine the fun we’re getting up to.
Updates from Lior Argaman- Shnat Netzer Grandma
Shalom!
For those who do not know me, I’m Lior. I’m the Director of the Youth and Young Adults’ Department of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, and within that, of Netzer Olami. Although I’ve been the Shnat Netzer Director in the past for 7 years, these days I’m the Shnat Netzer Grandma, since Tomer became the Shnat Netzer coordinator. As a grandma, I have the privilege of spending time with the Shnattim, playing with them and take them out for tours and meals, and like a grandma, I leave the hard work to the wonderful staff that works with them….. It is a lovely job!
It is wonderful having them here and meeting with them, and read how they describe their experience. I want to add to the wonderful update Georgia wrote a few things that happened in the past week-
Last weekend we had our Netzer Veida Olamit, which is the democratic body of our global Youth Movement. The Veida traditionally happens in Jerusalem, but this year was done online, and the Shnattim were an integral part in it! On Friday we ran Kabbalat Shabbat, and the Shnattim were by far the most enthusiastic and wonderful participants!
On Sunday, as part of the Veida Olamit, we voted in two new branches to Netzer Olami- Netzer Barcelona and Netzer Argentina! Both countries used to have Netzer back in the past, and we want to welcome them back to the family!!!
On Sunday afternoon, an event for Rabin Memorial Day took place in Rabin Square in Tel- Aviv, and our Shnattim were so immersed and amazing. They basically created the English speaking circle!
Yesterday, Thursday, was the first official Educational Day, where we had some really great session.
here are quite a few challenges we are facing- a lot of those are very familiar and we face them with every single Shnat group. Some are unique, as this is the first year we collaborate fully with Noar Telem, and have a living breathing community with Israeli. We are grateful for the opportunity these challenges bring with them- for discussion, learning and growing. It is really great having the Shnattim with us!
Shabbat Shalom,
Lior
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Shant Eucalyptus is the name the group chose to be called, and consists of- Shnat Tzuf South (AKA the Aussies), Shnat Keren North (AKA the Brits and Dutch), Shinshinim (AKA the Israelis) It is spelled "Eckaliptoos", as how it sounds when an Israeli says it :)
