In October, a delegation of Israeli grade 9 students from Emek HaHula high school came to see Edmonton and were billeted by our grade 9 students. They went to Sukkot and Shabbat services, spent time with them in class, and had a two day trip to Jasper. They went to the waterpark, and did other activities I can't remember right now. Now our students are visiting those same students and are being billeted by them. We have been to the Banias nature reserve (Jesus and Herod enjoyed this place), riding jeeps in the Golan Heights up to Tel Fakher to check out Eli Cohen's Eucalyptus trees, rock climbing, and bowling. We've done remarkably similar activities to the ones that they did in October if you think about it!
One difference is that we haven't been to their synagogues, but we are taking part in a very important Jewish time with them - Yom HaShoah. Tonight, at the kibbutzim and moshavim survivors founded two and three generations ago, our students will stand with their penpals and see what Yom HaShoah means here in Israel. Having been to Yad VaShem several days ago, they have no doubt developed a general idea, but to feel it tonight and tomorrow will open another dimension of understanding.
That's one thing, and the other is that the groups have bonded really nicely. They sit together on the bus, they play soccer and basketball and bowling, have their get-togethers, and whatever they do, they are really enjoying the growing group. People keep saying "oh, but we didn't do this," or "we should have done that" and I keep saying it doesn't matter what they do, if they do it together, they'll be perfectly happy. If you drop them in the middle of a field, as long as they're together it will be perfect. So we're going to test that theory tomorrow as we tour the orchards of Kibbutz Amir.
I'm sure they'll love it.
No comments:
Post a Comment