From Sarah Langerman (NIFTY)
Well, we are coming to an end as a full group here on kibbutz lotan. This past week has been filled with kef (fun) and lots of memories made. This past Thursday some of us continued our work in the garden by planting potatoes and harvesting egg plants while the other half worked on building a mud hut in a neighboring kibbutz. Friday we had a free day so most of the group took a day trip to Eilat to enjoy breakfast on the beach and a fun time in the sun. We continued the fun day by attending a festival in a kibbutz twenty minutes away featuring the band Axum which was a good way to start off our evening festivities. The next morning we enjoyed our relaxing Shabbat by playing frisbee and soccer (football) with the kibbutz kids. Overall it was an amazing and relaxing weekend that bonded us as a group. Sunday we continued program as usual with a weekly checkup then a fun program about creating communities and all of the complications that would go into cooperating with everyone. What started as a serious program ended in many laughs when one group said they are a nudist community, one said they would import Chinese babies and only teach them about the stock market, and one would be a foster home for all of the kids that would be destroyed from both communities. Although it was funny, we learned a lot and it was overall worthwhile (and not serious, don’t worry parents we aren’t going to become nudists). The day continued as usual with Hebrew class and an Israeli dancing lesson at night. On Monday we had a lovely lesson about self fulfillment with the wonderful Michael Livni who we all adore. I think we can all agree that his programs are not only the most enjoyable but also the most useful. Later in the day we had another lesson about the bustan, the sustainably neighborhood where we all live in at the moment, and the history of it as well as the history of one of our supervisors Mike. The following day we went on a hike/day out to many locations. We saw an ancient temple in the middle of the dessert, a lovely view, sand dunes, and we went to an animal reserve. The best part of the day though was definitely the ice cream stop near the end (although that might just be me). That brings us to today which was work as usual (taking down the sukkah and building a mud hut), programming, Hebrew class, and just enjoying each other’s company.
Although we are all dreading our separation at the end of this upcoming weekend, we are all excited for what this new experience will have in store. Till next time parents, Sarah Langerman.