Page 4 - Issue 5

Chaverim,

Shalom from sunny Tel Aviv! We are writing to introduce ourselves as Kvutzat Aseef,
the newest kvutza in the Tnuat Bogrim in Israel. Since the Chag ha-Aseef (better
known as Sukkot), the seven of us have been living together as a kvutza: having a
weekly yom kvutza, sharing a kupa meshutefet, learning together, working in
movement mesimot, developing our relationships, being mudrachim by Vered
"Frumka" Samuels, attending rallies in Kikar Rabin, cooking spicy Shabbes dinners,
and otherwise practicing cultural Judaism.

What makes our kvutza different
is that we are at an aseef
(collection) of stages in our
process in the movement and
Israel. Our kvutza consists of two
olim chadashim, a sabra, and four
who are considering aliyah. Not
all of us are yet committing to a
longer term kvutza life; some
definitely are and the rest are
exploring the
possibility. Additionally, three of
us work full-time in the
movement, two work part-time
on Habonim Dror and Hanoar
Haoved Vehalomed projects, one is in ulpan and one is studying human rights
law. Ours may be a different model for hagshama at this stage than the kvutzot
established by our predecessors, but we believe it will be relevant for shchavot soon
reaching the post-college or post-shlichut decision-making period.

Those kvutzot that came before us, from Degania to Ogen, have shaped a vision and
a path of movement hagshama that guide us. None of them nor anyone else,
however, have imposed standards or codes on us. Rather we are setting our own
course with our own choices and it is for that reason that we see ourselves as leaders
and as a dugma. Being a leader and a dugma means that we commit ourselves to
continuing the critical dialogue with one another and with the movement about how
to further the core movement values of shivyon erech ha'adam and Jewish
peoplehood, and it means that we take responsibility for the movement we are
shaping.

Aleh ve hagshem,

Kvutzat Aseef

Nadav Barzelai, Naomi Kassel, Itamar Landau, Jake Passel, Ruth Stevens, Ilan
Brandvain, and Rebecca Friedland-Little