Page 4 - Kol Bogrei Habonim - September 14

great success (we rushed home afterwards though at the International Ballroom dancing competition,
in order to see 'That Was The Week That Was' on
the telly). Visits and camps at the Chava (the
Eder Farm) further attracted me to the idea of
Kibbutz - I came to yearn for a life of back to the
soil in a hot place I could call my own - hard
fought for by my fellow socialist Zionists after the
disaster of the Holocaust.
I went to Israel camp (my first trip abroad) in
1962. It was wonderful - the Madrichim were Jeff
Berkowitch, Benny Cohen and Brenda Samuel.
We started at Kiryat Anavim, then Jerusalem (the
Old City was still in 'Jordan') travelled to Masada,
Beer Sheba, Eilat, Tel Aviv and the Galil via
Acre, staying at Amiad to work in the bananas,
visiting Safed, Nazareth, Bet Ha'Emek and Haifa.
Sadly my dad died when I was 19 (1963) and,
although I was about to commit myself to join the
Garin to live at Amiad with my chevra, , Whilst
in mourning I decided not to in order to care for
my Mum and Grandmother. I could always go
later! I worked for an Israeli company - Migdal -
and was told that there would be a job for me
there if I went on Aliyah. I stayed in the
movement for a while but soon after there was no
chavura for me to attend. So, I joined YPZ
(Young Poale Zion) in Willesden - a natural
follow-on for ex Habonimniks who didn't make
Aliyah. I then joined 'Ronit', a dance ensemble set
up by an Israeli, the late Shoshana Klein (Einav)
with Jinny Jonas, Norma Jacobs, Steffi Rose and
Rosalie Barber. We rehearsed at the Moadon in
Finchley Road. We performed at lots of big dos -
including the Blue and White Ball (JNF), on TV
4
the Cork music Festival, and Selfridges Israel
Week (before Golda Meir). We were a great
success.
I was invited by Rene Inow (at the Youth and
Hechalutz Department of the Jewish Agency) to
use my Habonim leadership 'skills' on two Jewish
Agency Youth schemes - 1965 and 1967. I met
Eva Sheldon at a Habonim camp in 1962 and we
married in 1969 - two children Tamar (1971) and
Adam (1974) - both went through the Movement -
my own business 1974 (Sheldon Monk and Co)
and we stayed in England.
My love of Israeli dancing has remained and I
dance every week in Hendon - and go to our
annual dance camp with a social atmosphere much
like Habonim camp including a last night of Zigs.
Maurice Stone set up the Israel Dance Institute
and there have been more than 30 summer camps.
Today Israeli Dance has gone global! My major
meshugas is collecting ephemeron (mainly
postcards) of Zionism, pre 1948 Israel and pre
1940 Jewish life. Call me if you want to visit it!!
So what has Habonim given me? A deep love for
Israel, a wonderful circle of lifelong friends, an
understanding and love of Israel and Jewish
history, a lifetime of dancing, a deep appreciation
of the morality of non-political socialism, a
repertoire of Israeli songs to share with my new
family - Carla and my young son Benjamin .
Yes it was a good idea at the time and indeed the
best idea of my whole life!