By Shula Smith, Bogeret of HDNA, Member of Kvutzat Charish in Be’er Sheva

Context from the editor:

Before the war started, Habonim Dror’s sister movement Hanoar Haoved Vehalomed (NOAL) ran kenim all along the border area known as Otef Aza, the Gaza Envelope - on a given Tuesday you would see kids and teenagers in these cities, kibbutzim, and moshavim wearing blue chultzot tnua with red strings, running peulot and playing with their kvutza and all the things we know happen in a youth movement. These communities that were brutally attacked on October 7th were home to our chanichim. Kenim are mourning the loss of madrichim and chanichim who were murdered, and are praying for the return of others who are still being held hostage. In addition, chanichim from cities and kibbutzim near the Lebanon border in the north have been displaced within Israel. The losses in Israel hit everyone, and the movement is no exception.

Immediately, madrichim from the youth movement and the wider Dror Israel adult movement responded to the crisis. Kommunarim and Garinerim on their gap years, Bogrim in their twenties, thirties, and beyond; scores of movement members traveled to the hotels to which people have been displaced to figure out how to meet the needs of the youth and adults. Hotel lobbies in Eilat, the Dead Sea, and many points around the country have become kenim of sorts, with madrichim in chultzot tnua, brand-new teenage madatzim, fun and silly activities, sichot ishiot.

In addition, Dror Israel has begun a number of educational projects beyond the youth movement: schools, kindergartens, day camps, community organizing initiatives, trauma work with old people, and more. This infographic shows our work in numbers, but the reality is far more day-to-day and human: meeting each other, building relationships, listening, understanding people’s needs, running sichot - the things that movement members do in their everyday messimot but here and now, working with people who are displaced from their homes.

Shula writes a personal update from her experiences as a madricha for Kibbutz Reim, whose entire community including its NOAL ken was evacuated to a hotel in Eilat.

By Nancye Kochen, Bogeret of Netzer, Member of Kvutzat Nissan and Shorashim Madricha

Messima Leumit:  A project/mission (messima) that is by and for the nation/people (Am). A messima leumit is a way to answer basic needs for all the people in a society, especially in a time of crisis. Agriculture in Israel has been a Messima Leumit since before the establishment of the State of Israel and continues to be to this day. 

To be a madricha for chanichim from the Diaspora over the last few weeks has not been a simple mission. To navigate how to make the chanichim feel safe, understand the situation and the context of what’s happening; to help them deal with their parents who want them to come home; to help them cope with grief and navigate interacting with their friends at home and online leftist spaces that are unfortunately pretty anti-Israel and antisemitic. It’s a hadracha position I never thought I would find myself in. Having to navigate how to speak and deal with the chanichim, while dealing with the same dilemmas, tensions and emotions that they are facing has been honestly quite challenging.

I am with a heavy heart, deep in mourning, scared. For the first time in my life the conflict and terror in Israel is something I am a part of, experiencing, not just something I see on the news or on Instagram. For the first time I feel deeply part of the Israeli People, and of course the Jewish People. Part of the collective mourning and fear, but also part of the strength and resilience. I see, hear, feel and understand life and people here far more than before.  Through talking with my tzabar friends, kvutza members and movement partners here, while also seeing them go out and do meaningful work in the society at this time, my understanding of the reality and attitudes in Israel has deepened.