Page 23 - Issue 8

Ohad Lahav, madrich for shichvat Ofek (shnat 2006) recently returned from his 3-week
shlichut to Australia to visit his chanichim and take part in their annual Ma’ap (Ma’apilim)
Seminar. This seminar is for the bogrim body (post-shnat) to discuss the movement; part of
this seminar includes voting in the new Federal Mazkirut. Below, Ohad shares some of the
experiences and insights he had during this meaningful journey.

A voice called. I went. Kol kara, vehalakhti, , יתכלהו , ארק לוק
I went, for it called. Halakhti, ki kara . לוקה ארק יכ , יתכלה
I went lest I fall. hakol. . לופא לבל יתכלה
(Hannah Senesh) halakhti lebal epol ( שנס הנח )

If people are the product of technology, then my shlichut is the product of airplanes, internet,
and computers (with special recognition for the laptop).

If everything springs from personal choice,
Then my journey to Australia was the choice of a madrich towards his chanichim, chanichim
towards their madrich, a movement toward their nation.

I guess that this is Zionism – actualizing values and human choices in reality.

I travelled to meet my chanichim.
To see the Australian movement with them leading it and doing hagshama.
To understand the Jewish world on the other side of the globe.
To discuss life, desires, dreams.

I landed in Sydney, where four exceptional people maintain a beautiful ken.
I was excited to see this real ken, where the movement really happens.
Here the chanichim meet with one another and with values,
Here the young leaders are madrichim and magshimim,
Here people challenge one another and demand from one other – to arrive, to think, to be
responsible, to be a friend.

In this house in the middle of the city (an amazing and cool city!) there exists a youth
movement, wherein every element of informal education fills the rooms and the air. Chanichim
here of various ages choose to be in this place, which allows them to grow, change, attempt new
things, create various types of relationships, and gives them the ability to believe that things
can be different and it’s in their hands.

The chanichim allowed me to see their world, their daily lives in the ken, at university, at work,
in their parents’ homes. They allowed meaningful conversations to happen about hagshama,
desires and changes.

Through this I started to understand a bit about where I was, who they are, and what the
tafkid is of a madrich who comes to visit.