From the Desk of the Director
“Unity” was the theme of our recent Torathon. This message ties in beautifully with this week’s parsha Vayakhel, where we are told that Moshe gathered together, “all of the community of the Children of Israel.”
The use of the expression “Adat Bnei Yisra’el” should not be lost on us, especially after learning of the catastrophic consequences of the Golden Calf which divided the people. The term, the rabbis tell us, is all-inclusive: everyone was to be involved in building the Mishkan; all were to keep the Shabbat. The unifying aspects of these collective endeavors served as atonement for the people’s transgression and were to return them to their prior state of “Am echad belev echad.”

Collective consciousness is a major theme of the Mishkan: So long as we Jews care for each other the Shekhinah dwells among us and the Mikdash stands. When we clash, our holiest of places are destroyed accordingly. The rules of Shabbat thus preceded the actual building of the Mishkan because, according to the Zohar, the inner secrets of Shabbat are intricately bound up with concepts of Unity.

Shabbat and the Mishkan bind our very being to time and space; together they raise the mundane to new levels of Kedusha. Together, they bind us together as a Kehillah and as an Edah. Vekhen yehi ratzon. 
Sincerely yours, Menachem Persoff, Director, Israel Center

NCSY B'YISRAEL NEWS
This week alone, over 200 kids were touched by the programs of NCSY B’Yisrael.

The ongoing encounter groups with the Givaat Brener High School and religious teens from Gush Etzion continued Thursday morning. For four hours, they were treated to the very special insights of Michi Yosefi on nature and spirituality, in the blooming Emek Haelah.

That same evening, while the adult Torathon was happening, NCSY held a simultaneous teen Torathon in the Teichman Youth Center. About 40 teenagers enjoyed the storytelling of “Yosef HaMisaper” and his sitar, the Torah of Rabbi Michael Fredman, and the warm outreach of Harel Hetzroni. 
NESTO held a very successful Shabbaton for 25 of their members (see following column) and the first ever Shabbaton in Makom Balev Lod happened this past Shabbat also. The Lod kids had never experienced the ruach and warmth that means NCSY Shabbaton, and were wowed like never before. With these seeds sprouting around the country, Makom Balev NCSY is filling the void of youth outreach.

And let’s not neglect mentioning our zula. Harel continues to do his magic, attracting 100 teens on motzaei Shabbat, with his genuine love and affection for the younger clal yisrael.

NCSY’s Gesharim program is up and running. We invite anyone who knows Russian olim in need of bar/bat mitzva preparation to contact us. The program organizes fun-filled activities for youth and their families to introduce them to basic concepts in Judaism. For more information, please contact Sarah, 5667787. ext. 245. 

Hey, you in Raanana! How old are you? What are you doing Wednesday evenings? If you are 13-14 years old, Makom BaLev Raanana is waiting for you at Beit Knesset Shivtei Yisrael, at 6:00pm for lots of fun and interesting activities. Questions? Call Shlomit at 054-578-937 

Special Pesach Tiyul: Exciting hikes Great evening at the seashore. Your chance to see old friends and meet new ones! Who? All 6-11th graders •Where? To the Carmel •When? April 2,3 •How much? 160NIS We still have room. Call NOW! For more info, please call Daniella at 02-5667787, x246, or 058-650240
Rabbi Michael Fredman, Director; Daniella, Ilana, Sara, B'not Sherut; (02) 566-7787 ext. 242 • fax: (02) 566-0156; ncsy_isr@netvision.net 

NESTO•Native English-Speaking Teen Olim
The theme of our Shabbaton last week, held at the Windmill Hotel in Yerushalayim was SIMCHA and that was truly what the experience was.
The 34 participants of the Shabbaton began the event by davening Mincha and Kabbalat Shabbat at the Israel Center, where the “Carlebach” tefilah set the tone for the rest of Shabbat. After a spirited, and insightful ice-breaker in which the participants creatively identified themselves and then selected a symbol which represented simcha for them, we returned to the Windmill Hotel for dinner. A madrich-led session on simcha was followed by a “midnight” walking tour of Yerushalayim. 
We wound our way through the streets of Rechavia and Katamon and ended up at NESTO member Katie Deutsch’s home in Nachlaot where we were treated to homemade “blondies” and Purim surplus! Our thanks to Katie and her family for inviting us. As we returned to the hotel, we stopped in a park to discuss the concept of Tikun Chatzot prayers and the significance of our being a group of olim who now have the privilege of walking through Yerushalyaim once again.

Of course at 12:30am in a park in the middle of Jerusalem one could only expect one thing from a group of teens on a Shabbaton - they took off in all directions playing on the slides, swings, climbing equipment and playing games of tag (I must say with pride that the director and madrichim made a fine showing on the monkey bars!)

The kids were able to select from four different options of where to daven with the madrichim on Shabbat morning. I am especially proud to note that 7 of the participants elected to leave the hotel at 4:15am to daven vatikin at the kotel with advisor Itamar Danziger.

Before lunch another upbeat session on simcha was held which had some members literally screaming in their seats (to the chanichim: mine was not a scream, rather a loud audible gasp of surprise!). I want to thank Daniel Roth, one of the founding members of NESTO, for coming to the hotel before lunch to meet the kids and spend time with us.

Following menucha and seudah shlishit, we all gathered in a huge circle on the hotel’s patio to conclude Shabbat with zemirot, stories, and inspiring thoughts.

Continuing the theme of simcha into the malave malka program, we had… an ice-cream buffet! But even more than gastronomical joy, we had a nine-act talent show. Though my heart–rendering, tear-jerking performance of the song, “Feelings” did not win first place, I am please, nonetheless, to announce the most deserving three winners: First place, Aviella Trapido for writing and performing her songs on peace, Second Place to Zev Rosenstein and Daniel Gindis for their hilarious skit on Pinky 
and the Brain, and Third Place with her art drawings and explanations, Leah Weinberg. 

I would like to thank the following madrichim for making the Shabbat the success that it was: Itamar Danziger, Kinneret Fischer, Bracha Fraser, and Yaakov Reichart. Thanks also to the NESTO staff of Daniel Stambler and his wife Batya, Ilana Milo, and my wife Ditza and our children. And for their continuing work, our NESTO board of: Yoel Kahn, Jeremy Saltan, Michal Stillman, and Aviella Trapido.

Throughout the Shabbaton various members of NESTO, and advisors dropped in to spend time with us and we were pleased to see all of you.
And finally, a tremendous yashar koach to the Shmelzer family of Efrat who sponsored this Shabbaton in memory of Irving Brifman, Yitzchak ben Yaakov 

HaLevi and Philip Shmeltzer, Shraga Feivel, both of whom have their yartzeits in Chodesh Adar. Tanya Shmelzer, a long standing NESTO member is attributed with having kept NESTO afloat during a difficult period when there was neither Director or bat sherut. May this act of chesed bring an aliyah nishama to your father and grandfather.

UPCOMING NESTO EVENTS
• NESTO Parent Malave Malka - March 24th. in Beit Shemesh
• Golan Overnight Trip - April 1 & 2. Sponsored by the Gindis family of Har Nof
• NESTO Family Picnic-April 15th. at Kibbutz Gezer
• Shabbaton at Chashmonaim-April 27-28
Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Avi
NESTO is 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, director; Daniel Stambler, asst. dir.; Ilana Milo, Bat Sherut