Page 10 - Kol Bogrei Habonim - February 14

TAKING THAT STEP
GEORGIE DAVIS*
M for the participants but also for the Tzevet of
aking Aliyah straight from being on
the Movement Work Tzevet in
Habonim UK leads to many
questions and challenges, but also opportunities.
Being part of the movement in England meant I
had a forum to discuss what I really wanted to
do with my life (a question that I'm actually still
asking myself) rather than that which was
dictated to me by the community in which I
grew up. My Movement background meant that
I had people who knew me from my time on
Shnat, and were able to guide and mentor me on
my future path. This meant having to admit
things about myself that no one else makes you
think about and maybe accept challenges of
slightly controversial life decisions.
As well as the reassurance of having family in
Israel (Yigal and Linda Levine) I also knew I
had my Movement family looking out for me
and I know I always will, despite whatever
decisions I make in the future.
After completing Ulpan on Ma’agan Michael I
became the madricha for the Shnat Hachsharah
program for the UK. Eleven chanichim came
and although that sounds a small number, it was
quite an achievement after battling through the
increase of University fees and a declining youth
movement culture. Thanks to Habonim Dror
Olami, Shnat is not just an educational program
Georgie, then...
10
madrichim running it for, in this case, the
Northern Hemisphere (UK and North America).
We had Yom Tzevet once a week and together
with our co-madrichim from Hanoar Haoved
V’Halomed, covered topics that were relevant to
what we wanted the participants to explore and
challenge and think about Israeli society and
dilemmas that arise from, I suppose, being left
wing in Israel today.
Even if my next steps in Israel may not be within
the movement, due to the fact that the movement
is now town-based and logistically difficult for
me as I have chosen to live in the centre of Tel
Aviv, I know that Habo has made me who I am
today: a person who is not afraid of being
challenged and standing up for what she believes
in, whilst wanting to work to benefit Israeli
society. At present I am working throughout Tel
Aviv from Ramat Aviv to the neighbourhoods in
Yafo, teaching English after-school in an
informal educational structure and, although it
doesn't have the Habonim label on it, I know for
sure that this is where it has come from and a
label by which I am still inspired.
* Former Mazkira of Habonim Dror UK
(2010-2011), made Aliyah in January 2012
... and now