Page 3 - Kol Bogrei Habonim - October 19
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FROM THE CHAIRMAN
BARRY COLEMAN, KIBBUTZ AMIAD
S by? A flash of inspiration, which we lost in the
o there I was, minding my own business,
tents are packed and are ready to go.
haze? An exhilarating epiphany, which our
Another knobble-kneed boy scout had
been left behind there, in the mists of the fables chanichim caught, all now just vapour?
So we called for a forum of those who still
and myths of the 1960s.
cared, and blow me down if some 45 chaverim
No more up on Kinder-Scout or down by Ilkley did not make their way up the long and winding
moor. No more rushing back on a Sunday to road to Amiad. And there we were, a jolly old
quickly put together a chotrim programme. A lot, in August of 2016, with maybe no less than a
game, a run around, song, dance and discussion. 30 year age span between the youngest and the
No more. oldest.
FREE! See me, Feel me. Touch Me, Heal me. So we talked of the Iton, the Archives, Parlour
Right behind you, I saw the millions, On you, I Meetings, Overnights, contact with Habonim-
saw the glory, From you, I got opinion, From Dror UK and Olami, Newsletter Updates, the
th
you, I got the story. Who? Irbutz and the 90 Anniversary. No longer
abandoned, IBH began to twinkle and cuddle
So, a flutter with the Movement here and there
in the 70s and 80s, to final Movement oblivion. into its newfound family of friends and
The past is the past, to be let gone. No more activities.
reunions, no more nostalgia. Life is finally in top Two superb Itonim, an Archive Day, which
gear and has taken over. enlightened us all and truly demonstrated the
dedication of our weekly Archive Volunteers; A
Still in touch with some of the chevra, with
whom together we stormed the unsuspecting Zichron overnight with speakers, who mirrored
Crown and Pie in Derbyshire, taking no our lively youthfulness, and considerable
prisoners. Over an aspirin chaser, a cardiloc fizz contacts; Some eight parlour meetings (chugei
and an anti-cholesterol cocktail, we still bayit) from Amiad to Ganei Tikva, which
reminisce on how we left the pub owner encompassed get-togethers of Bogrei Habonim
searching for his dartboard. with Habonim-Dror Olami and the Irbutz…
th
…and then came along preparations for the 90
But that's a long time ago. Another life.
Anniversary celebrations, embracing two
So, it was deep into the two thousands, once continents - a Steering Committee, a Production
again minding my own business, that the call Team, A Technical Team, Cast Rehearsals,
came. Finance team, on the road again and so much
Irgun Bogrei Habonim had been pretty much more.
abandoned. The committee and chairman no So what happened? Were we just a bunch of
longer active. Who needs it anyway? A bunch of lonely old geezers seeking a final chance at
"past it" old folk looking for some sense of glory immortality? Remember me, remember me,
in the mists of time before they move on? Maybe because something important made me alive. An
to catch a moment of erudition, which passed us Age of Innocence and Promise, which
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