April/May 2007

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You are here :		Aliyah & Absorption		Publications		Ibim Newsletter		April/May 2007

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April/May 2007, Volume 53

Dear Friends,

Words escape me when I try to describe the beauty of the Spring flowering on Ibim. I suggest you come and see with your own eyes. At the same time you can smell the fragrant blossoms and hear the thousands of birds passing our way; over the northern Negev, rich in color and life. You may join the many delegations which come to visit us, from abroad and from Israel, to see the work we do absorbing young immigrants

We hope to have the opportunity to once again welcome a San Diego delegation and to share our experiences with you first hand.

Best Regards and wishes for a Happy Shavuot,
Soni Singer and the entire staff of
the Ibim-San Diego Student Village

Taking a Brake

Listening to bubbling brooks, negotiating mountain paths, and most of all, being free of the fear that a kassam rocket could fall anywhere nearby was how Ofek and Selah students spent a glorious two days in the north. US donors made a generous contribution to residents from the southwestern Negev who live with the daily anxieties of rocket attacks. The monies funded a two-day relaxing, invigorating and revitalizing trip to the Menashe Forest on the Eastern slopes of the Carmel Range. The students rode bicycles, horses and tried their talents and strengths at more steep physical challenges. Threatening skies were forgotten for the moment, and an abundance of youthful energies were directed toward the unadulterated pursuit of fun.

Ready to Serve

On the same Tuesday in April, fifty-five of the Selah students received their draft notices. Israeli citizens only four months and they are prepared to face the grueling challenges of military life. Nervous, but eager, they traveled together to Beer Sheva for their initial tests and physicals and each will soon receive his or her final draft date.

Bring on the Popcorn

Israel's Russian-language TV channel allowed Ibim's Selah students to show off their talents during an Independence Day special. Song, dance and a dose of silliness proved entertaining for participants and viewers alike.

ZECHOR (Remember)

Not long after the Passover holiday, the Israeli Jewish calendar calls for two days of remembrance; Holocaust Remembrance Day and Memorial Day.

Selah and Ofek students participated in a ceremony held at Kibbutz Yad Mordechai commemorating the Holocaust of European and North African Jewry, as well as the bravery of those who resisted. Kibbutz Yad Mordechai was established in 1943, a few months after the suppression of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. The young founders of the kibbutz named it in memory of their comrade, the leader of the uprising, Mordechai Anielewicz, who committed suicide when his capture by the Nazis was imminent.

On Memorial Day, Israel's pain was brought home to Ibim's immigrant students at a ceremony held in the Village. Special portions were read in memory of two Ibim graduates who were killed in action: Selah graduate Alexey Naikov in Gaza in 2001 and Kedma graduate Yalau Yasmu in the 2nd Lebanon War this past August.

For more information about Ibim-San Diego Student Village:
Contact Soni Singer, Director, SoniS@jafi.org

Tuesday 06 January, 2009

יום שלישי י' טבת תשס"ט