The Smooth life working at Ayalim

The clock is ringing and it wakes me from my sleep. My eyes have barely opened as I look around and see people waking up. It is early morning, the stars are still out as the sky prepares itself to awaken, slowly opening up for dawn in the east.

"Good Morning." I hear from a sleeping bag near me. I nod my head in response. This has been my life for the last few days. This has been their life for the last few months. This has been life for the last 9 years in Ayalim.

We are gathering for breakfast, students from all around the country who have decided that their love for their country is expressed through doing, not just talking. The students themselves are joined by idealistic 18-19 year olds, volunteers in a gap year after their last year of high school who push back their army service and future plans in order to give a year of service to the communities of Israel. During the summer months, we all come together to forge the future of the Land.

After breakfast we start to work. Bricks, mortar, drills, electricity and water instillations, pipes - for some of us the language and those words were never part of our daily routine before we came here, but now are a part of our everyday vocabulary. We see people that love the country are taking it on it's next step forward, taking an active role and leaving the complaints and suffering we hear to change everyone's point of view. It's not just the scholarships that bring people here, or the commitment of community service to develop the periphery of the country, it is the declaration that the flag moving forward is the settlement of the Negev and the Galil. We hear the call to more than sitting in front of our TV's, more than living in house in Tel Aviv needing 5 people to get by month to month. Here you won't find the Tent City protests or the demands for someone to help us solve our problems. Here we don't have yells for Tzedek Hevrati (social justice) or affordable accomodation, because here the situation is different. Here people understand what Trumpledor, Jabotinsky, Shlomo Gur, Ben-Gurion, and others knew - there is nothing to complain about when life is hard, only action to take. You decide the reality you need to face, and you find yourself looking around at the strength of a group of young Jews, working in the desert heat with the sun in their faces, loading buckets of cement, building, and working. We are continuing the Zionist legacy we were raised with in way fitting for the 21st century.

What we give of ourselves is amazing, and it comes with the satisfaction that if you volunteer to help, things will be clear that the rewards are greater than any accomplishment from "Kochav Nolad" (Israeli Idol). There is no fifteen minutes of fame we strive for here. We search to give more than we receive, to understand that there is more than instant gratification that is so familiar in Western Culture. Because when you look at a wall you've built, or on a brick that you've lain, you know that in the end when the house is finished you were a part of that building and a part of that greater achievement. The knowledge that you are part of a movement that proves that Israel is still driven by people proving that the Zionist dream need not have any ethical or moral complications.

From a group of 2 men and one dog 9 years ago, Ayalim has grown to over 650 students, 70 Gap year participants, and too many dogs to count. Between studies, exams, and work, these people are committed to the goals they set out on here. At a time when tents are spread around the country with people saying they have no where to live and can't make ends meet month to month, no one asks the question of what the consequences are of a welfare state. There is a movement that does things differently. Who go beyond clicking "Like" on facebook to make a change. 

Many say that the protest in the last few months will be written in the history books as the biggest social protest in Israel, and children will learn in school about the Headquarters of Social Justice being in a pitched tent in the middle of the street. In the end I am reminded of the poem of Rachel, one of the first pioneers of Israel:

"Maybe this wasn't real. Maybe it was a dream. Maybe I never woke up with the Dawn to the garden to work hard and sweat."

Because in the end, at the bottom line, working hard, sweating, that is the way to make reality. This is how the country was built, and this will establish real accomplishments in Social Justice. The way to change things depends only on ourselves, and in this place the pleasure and satisfaction makes it a place where dreams truly come true.

- Boaz Zeira

Boaz is a first year student at the Kfar Adiel village in Ashalim. He has his own blog at http://www.tapuz.co.il/blog/net/userblog.aspx?foldername=loveIsael

Seek

Seek


I seek the peak of the mountain
It stands there tempting me with all its glory
Who would ever think such a desert pinnacle holds the key
The key to my new life
My life away from the obvious the mundane the stagnant
What would you do if given the choice?
Would you tame the desert beast or would you cower under your man made tower
Do not fret for I am no fortuneteller
But I do foresee adventure in your future if you choose to seek it
Seek it at the peak and let the mountain be yours



I wrote this poem in a writing class in less than 3 minutes. It’s not that I am a gifted poet or even that I write poetry, but it came to me naturally as if it was a no brainer. The Negev for me is not just a place but a state of mind. For me it represents a new and exciting experience that few have had the chance to comprehend. The Negev, just like the old American West has great potential, and like the gold miners of 1849, Ayalim and its students are the real pioneers of this move south. A people are only as strong as their weakest link. Currently both the south and north have much less infrastructure and opportunities than the center of the country. Israel cannot maintain its exponential growth without the successful integration of its northern and southern regions. Imagine America without San Francisco, Los Angeles, or even Las Vegas. Yet for the longest time no one dared to move west because it meant leaving the security of the already established east coast with cities like New York, Boston, and Philadelphia. It took a courageous few to leave their comfort zones and venture out towards unchartered lands. Don’t just read about how the Negev was established, be a part of history and see for yourself.

Crossing the Language Divide

In the Bedouin Village of Bir Hadaj, deep in the Negev, the residents are Israeli citizens but Hebrew is rarely heard among them. Their neighbors, the students at Ayalim's Ashalim Student Village, wanted to do something about this.

"We want to bridge the gap between Bedouin and Israeli society," says Eran Shlomi, social director at the Ashalim Village, "and the children are the key."

As part of their social volunteer commitment, ten Ayalim students have started a Hebrew language after-school club in Bir Hadaj, mostly for children in fifth and sixth grade. In order to form the club, the students received approval from the Village's two elementary school principals and then went from house to house to get the parents' support.

"There is a lot of respect for school and studyin in the Village," says Shlomi, "and Ayalim's students were welcomed into the homes."

The students meet with over 20 children three times a week. They engage them in Hebrew language learning through fun, informal activities that also incorporate Israeli history, national symbols, the army, and national holidays. "These children live in Israel, yet know so little about Israeli culture and society," says Shlomi. "We want to expose them to that when they leave the Village they won't be in shock. The emphasis is on culture, never politics or religion."

"The children love the activities," Shlomi continues. "Although it's mostly for elementary school children, many bring brothers and sisters and cousins, and there are even some first graders in the class."

"The students are highly motivated and feel that they are doing something meaningful," says Shlomi. "They see the results of their work week after week." In addition, while they teach, Ayalim's students also learn about Bedouin culture from their pupils.

Ayalim's student volunteers hope that one day Israelis and Bedouin can live side-by-side in mutual respect and understanding. They see language as a great connector and their program as a significant beginning.

Building more than just buildings

I get asked a lot why I came to live in the middle of the desert, to give up my comforts of living in a big city for a lifestyle that in many ways adds more difficulty to one's day to day life, my answer was always "to build the future of the land of Israel." When I saw pictures of young people settling the Negev, building their own homes, working together and having fun, I was stuck by the romance of it all. Like the early pioneers who first came to Israel to build a more ideal society, I too wanted to be a part of the people that could say “I was there. I had a hand building something where there was once nothing.” I am proud to say I am a part of this, that the future of Israel I have had a hand in shaping, but I didn’t know exactly what I’d be building.

I am building a constructive role model for troubled youth. I am building a positive image of Israel and Jews with the Bedouin Arabs. I am building a future of opportunity for recovering addicts. I am building a community which goes beyond myself and my peers in Ayalim, but seeks to bring up the whole of the region with us. We have issued a call to action for the next generation of Jews, realizing that the work of establishing the country did not end in 1948. Only here, in an area so neglected by the past, so open and ready for change, so separate from the establishment and the tired ideas repeated over and over is such a change possible. This is the real goal of the Ayalim Association, to bring up the quality of life of all Israelis, regardless of age, race, or religion. A Renaissance of the vision of Herzl, a Jewish state with commitments to social values and Jewish morals, and all in the lands in which Ben-Gurion saw that very possibility.

 The recent protests raging across the country have come accompanied by demands for Tzedek Chevrati, or Social Justice, but what does this all mean? It is a vague demand and to what degree is the government even responsible? That may be a distinctly American way of thinking, but I can’t help but be reminded of JFK’s inaugural speech when he encouraged all Americans to “ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” This spirit is alive and strong in Ayalim as we not only provide a legitimate alternative to rising costs of living in the center, but also want to ensure that it is not only ourselves and our future communities that are secured. We want to elevate the quality of life of all Israelis, and are willing to do the work to create that greater community and society.

              Living here and being a part of the Ayalim Association, we are constantly reminded that we don’t need to ask anyone for help in something we can do ourselves. From building our own pub to organizing projects to the local Bedouin school, from to planning our philosophical discussions and Beit Midrash to working with local bus lines to establish routes so the elderly will be able to do their daily grocery shopping, all aspects of our social and logistical lives are taken care of by us. So when I am asked why I came to live in the middle of the desert, my answer is still to build the future of the land of Israel. Only now it is so much more than just buildings. Come build with me.

End of Program Tiyul- a Microcosm of the last 5-months

Breakfast in the Negev, Lunch at Lake Kinneret, dinner in the Golan, a stroll around the Bahia Gardens in Haifa, a swim at the beautiful beach of Caeseria, a visit to the Illegal immigrant camps at Atlit and a delicious dinner in Beer Sheva. There aren’t many countries where you can enjoy such a variety of experiences in just two days.

Perhaps, these two jam-packed days, which made up the final Tiyul (tour) of the Ayalim Entrepreneurs program epitomise the diversity and richness of experiences that Ayalim participants have enjoyed over the past five months. During this time a small group of Diaspora Jews have been exposed to a unique side of Israel they would probably never have been aware of if it was not for the Ayalim program.

Like everything on the program, this Tiyul was nothing like the Tiyulim they were used to on Birthright and other Israel programs, where they were clearly outsiders, tourists coming to sightsee in the ‘Jewish homeland’. Rather the Ayalim Tiyulim are lead by Hadar, a dynamic Ayalim students with a background in Jewish and Israel history. Hadar has a wealth of knowledge on almost everything in Israel, and wherever you go she shares her knowledge and personal stories in an intimate way that would never have be possible with a busload of students.

Everything about the Ayalim program is personal and “real”. The participants have truly become part of the Ayalim student village, experiencing life as young Israelis and taking part in birthdays, weddings, tiyulim, Al HaAish (Barbeques), midnight walks through the desert, bonfires and more. As one visiting American friend described her weekend at the Ayalim’s Ashalim village, “it’s like living permanently in a summer camp for adults”.

The Tiyul followed the same pattern as the program, a mixture of activities designed specifically for the international students and activities in conjunction with the Israeli students. The trip coincided with the Ashalim village’s end of year Tiyul. So that in the evening the group met up with the Israeli students in a kibbutz in the Golan, where after watching a beautiful sunset they spent the night enjoying an “all HaAish” with the students.

During the day, in true Ayalim fashion the group enjoyed a flexible schedule where they visit places of interest where they had never been before. (The Tiyul also had an entrepreneurial aspect in that creative solutions were found in order to avoid the thousands of families who were enjoying the last week of summer vacation.) Besides visiting the Kinneret, Haifa and Caeseria the group also toured the Atlit immigrant detention camp which was established in the 1930s by the British to detain Jewish refugees who had illegally attempted to enter Israel. In addition to the official tour, Hadar spoke about her grandparents who after the Holocaust had been detained there before being sent back to Cyprus and then only later re-entering the land of Israel. As someone in the group pointed out Atlit was a poignant reminder of “how much we need to appreciate this country and how easy it is for us to come spend time here and enjoy all Israel has to offer”.

In sum, the Tiyul was a perfect ending to a program that has been in many ways as fun and exciting as it has been interesting and meaningful. It has incorporated both a strong and first hand understanding of Israel’s rich history and a real encounter with its people and a young generation of students, entrepreneurs and leaders who stand poised to play a role in determining the future of this unique country.

Reflections of an Angeleno: "There is still and always will be work to do in our homeland"

Reflections from an Ayalim Entrepreneurs Participant from Los Angeles

I had been living the life of so many 20-something Jewish Angelenos, and life was good. I worked at a job I enjoyed. I lived on the westside with a very close group of friends in a neighborhood of young people. I walked to Farmers Markets on Sunday mornings and live music on Wednesday evenings. Shabbat on Friday nights with my family and out to bars or parties on Saturday night. My biggest concern was my parents wanting me to find a girl and get married. I didn't know what I wanted as far as that, but I did know that I was looking for something more, something to do that I could feel good about and contribute to society. 

When I first heard about Ayalim, what struck me most was the fact that I had no idea what this program even was. Here was a group of young innovators, continuing the job of establishing the country of Israel that I in America thought was long over. Here was a community that saw the change they wanted in the world and picked themselves up from nothing to achieve their dreams not just through words, but the actions to make these dreams happen. Here was a society being created with the common goal of bringing what had been discussed for fifty years, the development of the periphery of Israel, and making it a reality. I wanted to know what was going on for myself, I wanted to be a part of having a hand in the future of the Jewish State. How in the world was all this happening, and no one had told me about it? How was it possible that when I discussed this Association with people they had never even heard of it? I wanted to take action myself, stop talking the talk and get my hands dirty doing things that needed to be done, no longer letting other people do all the work that I knew I was going to benefit from.

In America, it is easy to feel a disconnect to taking action for one's beliefs. The apathy of my generation is rampant not because of any lack of a desire to make change, but rather the burden, whether warranted or not, of feeling any change we struggle to create surely cannot be achieved in the climate of contention both at home and abroad. Here was a chance for me to be a part of something bigger than myself, and to be on the ground level of a change that is happening and no one can stop. Combining that with the Land of Israel, which I'd always longed for more of a connection to, only made this mission greater to me. I thought I knew what it meant to be a Zionist. To support the idea of a homeland for the Jews, to defend her reputation at home, and if needed, criticize and disagree in a healthy productive way when warranted. It wasn't until I arrived here in Ashalim that I realized that to be a part of creating that vessel that needed support, defence, and criticism could be so powerful. 

Let us establish a new role for Diaspora Jewry in the support and development of our Jewish Home. Let us not sit idly by as important and meaningful change happens that we should be a part of. There is work to be done here, and one need not make Aliyah to be an integral part of that. Living and working here evokes a feeling like no other. It is a feeling distinctly Jewish, raw and emotional, indescribable and touching. Wherever life should take me after this, I always will hold in my heart that I am a part of the people that did not rest, and made clear and evident the fact that there is still and always will be work to do in our homeland. 

Ayalim in Action- Offering an alternative solution to the housing protests

From its inception Ayalim has always been an organisation about “doing”. While most people sat talking about the apathy of the youth, the dwindling of Zionist ideals, and the numerous problems of Israeli society, the founders of Ayalim decided to take action and began building student villages in the Negev and Galilee regions with the vision of developing these peripheral areas of Israel. 

Today, 9 years later, the organisation is well established, operating on a national level with 13 villages and over 500 students living in the North and South of the country. However its leadership has in no way become complacent and continues to engage with and take an active part in the social issues of the nation. The current housing protest is no exception.

Unsurprisingly, Ayalim has chosen to participate in a somewhat unconventional manner and is plotting its own course in the social protests that have engulfed Israel in the past week, becoming the largest social demonstration in the history of the State of Israel. Ayalim sees itself as well positioned to offer an alternative solution to the problems of lack of affordable housing and high living costs that have galvanised over 150 000 people to take to the streets and demand the government address these issues. Ayalim sees at least part of the solution in focussing on the periphery, by removing unnecessary bureaucracy and giving people the incentives that will make it financially viable to move to these areas. Ayalim is calling on the government to support young people who have made this move and provide the means for others to do the same.

To this effect, Ayalim has taken the initiative to establish 11 residential points in the Negev and Galilee. Within one day 300 families had already signed up to live in these areas. Ayalim plans to follow a method reminiscent of the Homat V’Migdal techniques used by the pre-state pioneers who first built towers and then received official recognition to establish settlements.

However Ayalim’s actions are in no way politically contentious, in that all the locations where they are setting up caravan are in areas of consensus within Israel (within the Green Line.) These areas include Ramat HaNegev, Dimona, Yeruham, Ofakim, Mitzpeh Ramon and Kiryat Shmona. These are places that lack resources and human capital and can greatly benefit from an influx of young people who are fed up with the high costs of the city and are looking for an alternative lifestyle.

Ayalim hopes that within 21 days it will provide them with housing facilities and in 60 days the organisation expects to receive government approval for the building of permanent communities as part of its Housing Plan for the Negev and the Galilee. Ayalim Deputy Director Dany Gliksberg explains: “We need to offer young families like those protesting in the tent cities viable solutions for their future.” Ayalim sees the current housing protest as a historical opportunity that could potentially provide a catalyst for both developing the periphery and offering young Israelis the potential for an alternative, less stressful lifestyle in these areas.