NCSY in Israel
On Shabbat “Chayei Sara”, twenty eight 6,7,& 8th graders came together from Raanana, Gush Etzion, and Jerusalem to contemplate their thoughts and feelings about themselves and their place in society. They held group discussions and had a chance to air their own ideas.
Friday night davening at Mercaz HaRav was a special experience, followed by dinner, singing, and lots of ruach. Shabbat day continued the theme of “What do I care?”, with more discussions and a talk with Rav Mizrachi on the importance of doing for others. A walking tour of the Knesset, the Rose Garden, and PM’s Offices completed the day. After havdala, last week’s drummer returned with his African drums so that junior NCSY could also give expression to their basic rhythms.
On a different front, MAKOM BALEV sponsored their second beit midrash session last Sunday. Twenty kids from the Mekor Chaim, Shavei Rachel, and Neve Chana high schools of Gush Etzion went to visit the secular Giv'at Brenner school. There they learned together with twenty of their contemporaries a mishna from Avot about really listening and learning from each other.
This series of 10 meetings was created with the goal of opening communications and learning between the different segments of Israeli youth. NCSY staff conducts the discussions with the hope that these will trigger future joint ventures between the groups and continued ahavat Yisrael.
CHEN, the new scouting chug for Jerusalem teens!
Are you looking for outings and tough challenges? For activities with good values? For great chevra? What are you waiting for?
If you're in 8,9, or 10th grade, please call Tamar Pollak, 050-750704 - until Dec. 15th - for more details and registration.
Something to think about!
HOMEWORK HELPERS
NCSY B’Yisrael is happy to provide a new service for all 4th-7th graders. Every Monday and Wednesday from 4:00-6:00, the new Teichman Youth Center at the Seymour Abrams Orthodox Union Jerusalem World Center (the Israel Center), 22 Keren Ha’Yesod, Jerusalem, will be open for tutoring help in English, Limudei Kodesh, etc.
Our devoted volunteers will be available to all who register for this help. Bring a friend!
Refreshments • raffles • weekly quizzes
Please contact Sarah Pinsky, bat sherut, 566-7787 for registration and more information.
NESTO
The Israel Center's youth program for Anglo-Israelis
tel. 566-7787 ext. 245 • fax: 561-7432
silvera@mail.biu.ac.il • www.zyworld.com/nesto
Rabbi Avi Silverman, dir. • Ilana Milo, Bat Sherut
Now that everyone's schedules are well established, we have decided to modify the weekly events for NESTO. As of December fifth, this coming Tuesday, NESTO will sponsor a program every Tuesday night. Until now we had an open lounge every Thursday, and a program every other Tuesday. This new arrangement will better suit the needs of NESTOers. The following is our schedule for the month of December:
DEC 5th Team Games & Competition
DEC 12th Fiddlin and Food
DEC 19th Movie Night
DEC 26th Still recovering from the 24th. No program - order in Chinese!
JAN 2nd Fiddlin and Food
All Tuesday night programs take place at 7:30pm in the youth lounge (TYC) unless otherwise noted. There is no charge for any Tuesday night event.
Remember to mark your calendars for Sunday December 24th- NESTO's full day Channukah tiyul. The board is in the process of finalizing all details. Be sure to look here next week for tiyul site, times and prices. You can join for he day tiyul or just come at night for the Chanuka celebration. Better yet - plan on spending the whole day with some of the greatest kids in town!
As previously announced our Informal Shabbat Experience which will be taking place IY"H at Kibbutz Ein Tzorim is scheduled for Jan. 5-6, 2001, Parshat Vayigash. Details will be published in two weeks in the Torah Tidbits.
From the Desk of the Director
What can we adduce in this week’s parshah from the seemingly mundane account of Yitzhak filling in his father’s wells and calling them by names that Avraham had used previously?
First, we learn that Yitzhak lived up to Avraham’s humanitarian role of the “Father of all peoples,” since the wellsprings served everyone. And we take note of Yitzhak’s tenacity and forbearance as he gradually restored the “be’er mayim chayim” – the ‘well of living water,’ analogous to the Torah. Rashi reminds us that three of these wells hinted at the future Temples, as indicated by the Hebrew names that Yitzhak endowed them.
It was the spiritual significance of the names which so upset the local populace. So much so that they not only deprived themselves of the scarce resource, they even completed filled the wells with dust, indicative of all things lowly. They despised Yitzhak (“ve’atem s’neitem oti”) and envied him (vayekan’u oto). Moreover, Elimelech accused Yitzhak of becoming wealthy at his expense (ki-atzamta mimenni), despite the fact that Yitzhak personally dug out the wells (ki chafar…).
Today, more than ever, in the face of the slanderous jealousy and misrepresentation of our neighbors, we need Yitzhak’s devotion and fortitude to counteract this vile phenomenon. And like Yitzhak, we must appreciate that the search for “Mayim Chayim” is an essential precondition for preparing the way for the resurgence of the Jewish people.
Sincerely,
Menachem Persoff, Director, Israel Center
