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.