From the Desk of the Director
Vayikra’s opening word is written with a small letter Alef whose meaning is ‘to instruct.’ It is as if the Torah is telling us that it is often the little things that count. 

This tiny Alef alerts us to the well-known practice of teaching innocent children initially the Book of Vayikra, replete with its rules of purity and sacrifice, before the other books of the Bible. This custom also induces in these “tinokot debeit rabban” and in us the concept of self-sacrifice. 

The moralists tend to see in the small Alef a hint that those who seek modesty and self-mollification are preferable to those who seek pride. “So why does honor still chase those who deny it?” ask the rabbis. One possibility is because that honor will later be bestowed on Hashem. However, Rav Bunam once noted that those who flee from power might not be embraced by kavod. Why is that? - Because the people running away are too busy looking back to see who notices!
Chazal taught us that Moshe stood at the entrance of the Mishkan awaiting a call from Hashem that was loud enough for all to hear. They then added that the small Alef indicates that only Moshe could hear that voice. It appears then that this one miniscule letter Alef presents us with a most monumental challenge.

Sincerely yours, Menachem Persoff, Director, Israel Center

NCSY B'YISRAEL NEWS

A Day in the Life of…
Hi, my name is Mor, I’m 14 and I live in Lod. My parents came from Gruzia, or Georgia, in the former USSR, when I was 2 years old. I am totally Israeli though, and don’t consider myself anything else. I go to a “yeshiva”, but everyone knows it’s really a school for what you would call ‘rejects’. I guess it’s kind of good though, because they make us daven there and stuff, and really I wouldn’t bother with that if I were somewhere else.

My folks are traditional, and my dad makes kiddush, and Ema lights candles, but we also get to watch TV on Shabbat. I don’t really have a problem with that, but I know some of you would.

I thought I would tell you about some of the things we do at Makom Balev Lod.

On Monday afternoons, I meet my friends at the bayit and we play some soccer or basketball. We also have some activity that has to do with Jewish values. For example, our madrich, David Katz, asked us the other day what it would be worth to us in money, to: burn the Israeli flag, reveal State secrets, hit your mom, or sell drugs. The selling drugs part is sort of common, as Lod, don’t forget, is known as the drug center of Israel. The other day, while looking out the window, I myself happened to witness a drug sale. 

Anyway, back to the bigger question. At first, I have to say I was in shock at the question. But then, it got more complicated because David assured us that if we did this thing - and not for a small amount of money, I might add - no one would ever know. And then, just to make matters tougher, he told us the story of the guy who bought a stolen car. Maybe you heard the story. It was about this religious guy who discovered that he just paid a lot of money for a hot car. After battling with his conscience for a while, he gave it back to the owner, with no compensation for himself. The story, in short, found its way to the media and ended very happily, but I know I could never do what he did. But, David made me think about that.

He also told us about Chana Senesh who had the chance to renounce what she did in order to save her own life, and refused. Wow! All she had to do was say she regretted what she did. Makes you think…

Anyway, last week we had a “shabbaton”. I personally have never gone to one of those. I have to say, it was really special. The avirah was warm and inviting and we hung out in a way that I never could have if I was home. Don’t get me wrong, my dad plays soccer with me and all on Shabbat, and we have a chance to watch TV together which is really cool, but this Shabbat was different. We sang and davened together, and well, there was just something chagigi in the air. Do you know what I mean? Well, I for one, will be at the next one.

I think that’s it for now. Mor

Registration for the Spring - Pre-Pesach Tiyul is closed. We wish all participants a GREAT TIME! 
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
Working on the skills they gained two weeks ago at their drama workshop, NESTOers were given a dramatics assignment this past Tuesday that challenged the core of their Jewish identity. Before they viewed the scene from Fiddler on the Roof where Chava meets Fiedka, the kids had to act out various issues that deal with interdating and intermarriage. The debate over the outcomes was rousing and insightful.

This past motzie Shabbat 30 parents from both Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh gathered in Beit Shemesh at the home of Chani and Gabe Saltan for a malave malka social. Social worker, Vardit Spiegelman was present to lead a group discussion on issues that are unique to raising teen olim, and the challenges that face this group of parents, olim themselves. A role playing session followed which highlighted some of the points raised in the discussion, and gave all the participants the chance to see the true acting talents of the NESTO parents. 

At the malave malka the parents confirmed their interest in attending the First Annual NESTO Family picnic at Kibbutz Gezer, and set the time for the picnic to be 2:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Sunday April 15th. Please reserve by April 10th. to the NESTO office; coming without a reservation will make the event a difficult one to plan for. Transportation will be available from both Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh areas. 

Submissions for the NESTO Newsletter are now being accepted. Please email them to Daniel at the address below. Poetry, editorials, songs, divrei Torah etc. are all welcome. Submissions must be in before Pesach.

The kids enjoyed another D & D with Daniel Stambler at Sbarros. After reading a text by Rav Kook on ‘chosenness’, the kids expressed their views on the topic and what their Jewish identity means to them. If you are interested in being invited to a dinner and discussion with Daniel, please let him know directly, or call the NESTO office.

In keeping with the concept of zman cherutanu, there will not be a NESTO article in the Torah Tidbits for the next issue or two. Be sure to come back to these pages to hear details of the Pre-Pesach trip and Family Picnic.
Shabbat Shalom, and Chag Kasher V’sameach,

Rabbi Silverman, Daniel and Ilana

Come meet a NESTO advisor who is a first-year student at Bar Ilan University

Let's take... a Closer Look at
Itamar Danziger
Q.Can you tell us some of the details of your aliyah?
A. I made aliya from Toronto, Canadia*. Asking when exactly I made aliya is not 100% clear. This is because last year, I started off at one of those American, 1-year yeshivot programs. During my ‘year in Israel’, I decided to make Aliya. I think that my decision came around Chanuka last year (i.e. December, 1999). I made aliya because I am Jewish.
*Moshe Fifer and I are having a heated debate. He prefers to call it Canoodia.
Q.What is the hardest part of making Aliya?
A. There were two things that were difficult.
1) To come to a new country, where the culture isn’t the use I was socialized in. It is hard when the language isn’t my mother tongue. Sometimes, reading a simple article report in preparation for a class could take me hours, whereas my Israeli friends breeze through it.
2) The second thing is saying goodbye and putting behind you the family, friends and place that I grew up in.
Q. What is an important value for you?
A. An important value for me is unity. There are many kinds of unity. There is personal unity, namely that you are happy with yourself and value yourself appropriately. There is social unity, which means that you value your friends. There is also Jewish unity, which means that you see the value of every Jew.
Q. If you could be a vegetable, which vegetable would you be?
A. I want to be a potato, since you can make many good things out of a potato, namely: french-fries, chips, cholent, couch-potatoes and potato heads.
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