By Jacob Goren, Special to JTNews
Driving through the gates of Kibbutz Yad Mordechai, I didn’t know what to expect. We were about to be thrown into a completely different culture for the next 24 hours. The kids we met there and stayed with were our age, but at first I wasn’t sure if we could relate because of our different cultures.
However, as soon as we met them and began to make our way down to the beach, it was just like hanging out with my friends back at home. We hung out on the beach for a couple of hours, swam in the ocean, ate some Bamba, and played paddle ball, Israel’s most popular beach game.
It was great getting to know these kids and hearing what they had to say about going into the army, and all of the different issues that face Israel — especially Gaza, as Yad Mordechai sits only about a mile from the border. What amazed me was that they didn’t seemed phased, like I was, about Gaza being so close or the danger of rockets falling on them at anytime. This was just part of their lives and they simply lived with it.
The next day was Lag B’Omer and we spent the entire day with their “youth society,” which was similar to youth groups such as BBYO here in the U.S. We joined all of the kids on the kibbutz to build hammocks and beds that they would sleep on that night. It was a lot of fun — it allowed us to get to know all different ages of kids on the kibbutz and gave us a peek into what their hobbies and traditions are. That night they had a ceremony inducting the 6th graders into their youth society, while at the same time celebrating the holiday.
This whole day showed me how living on a kibbutz is a unique way of life. The people there really do everything together, even the kids. The night before, when we ate in the communal dining hall, I had thought to myself: “I can’t imagine eating with everyone in my neighborhood every night.”
But it worked. The residents all share a special bond with their rich history and their communal lifestyles, which makes life on kibbutzim special.
Jacob Goren graduated from Interlake High School in 2010. During his senior year, he and seven other teens from the Seattle area spent eight weeks in Israel on the Alexander Muss High School in Israel program, studying and traveling the country to learn about its history and culture. For more information, contact 206-948-2030 or kyeyni@amhsi.org
Jacob Goren is a senior at Interlake High School in 2010. During his senior year, he and seven other teens from the Seattle area spent eight weeks in Israel on the Alexander Muss High School in Israel program, studying and traveling the country to learn about its history and culture. For more information, contact 206-948-2030 or kyeyni@amhsi.org