Community Service

Shalom,
We can't believe that tomorrow will be our last day of community service and the following day we are leaving for the last 'leg' of our CAARI 2011 journey. It has been so wonderful - there really aren't words to describe how we all feel about the experience and the camraderie of the group.
We have volunteered in 7 schools in Tel Aviv, working with the Tel Aviv Education Department, 2 rehab hospitals - Ichilov and Reut Medical Center. Each of us has had a rewarding experience and feel our short 4 weeks has made a difference to us and to the students, principals, patients and hospital staff. We have been 'thanked' over and over, but we THANK them for the opportunity to work with them!

Others will be writing more. Here is Joy Cohen's (Toronto) impressions. Joy tutored English at HaGalil School.
"What a heartwarming feeling it is to walk into a school in Tel Aviv and be welcomed by children running to their classe, but waving to us and calling....'Hi Helen, Hi Joy!"
today was the last class of the week for us and we have only one more before we leave to return home. children in one of our groups brought us gifts of candy and a beautifully expressed thank you not, composed on a computer, which stated how much they appreciated the time we spent with them, helping with the conversational English.
We spend our mornings playing games, such as 'Simon Says', 'Head,Shoulders Knees & Toes', 'Hangman' and a variation of 'x's and o's' - all working on improving vocabulary, pronounciation and spelling, as well as having fun.
This was the first year that HaGalil has used the services of CAARI and we fell certain that they will request our services next year.
Regards,
Joy Cohen

Tel Aviv Tours - Feb. 10 - 11 - contributed by Rosalie Whitehill

Shalom,
Wow - can't believe that our time in Tel Aviv is coming to an end. Where does the time go?

The past days we have had visited some special places. The first was Utopia Park, located in Kibbutz Bahan, outside of Netanya. We had a terrific guide show us through a rain forest environment, which included fish, birds and other animals. She described the amazing world of orchids.....7,000 varieties? All of us were busy with our cameras taking pictures of the breathtaking orchids, so many different colors, the animals and each other. And, of course - always time for ice cream and coffee.

Thursday was our rainy day - and rain it did - even flooded many of the streets! In the afternoon, after community service, we visited the Rabin Center. I had been there two years ago, when it was a shell of fantastic architecture by Moshe Safde....and we learned that they planned a museum, library and auditorium. Well, yesterday...we visited the completed museum....we were there about 3 hours....and at the pace we went, it would take 3 or 4 more visits to see and listen to ALL of the museum.....called the Israeli Museum at the Yitzhak Rabin Center. The purpose of the museum to explain what was happpening in Israel during the lifetime of Rabin and Rabin's life. Israeli technology is awesome - as we all wore headsets around our necks with earphones. - the headsets were activated by standing in front of one of the many....maybe over 100 TV monitors...to pick up the explanation of what was showing on the screen. Our wonderful guide could interrupt the recording at any time to get the group together. Since for most of the people, the time frames were familiar to us, it was truly an emotional experience.....filled with many historical facts that were new to many of us. I really loved the time we spent there....and it tied together so much of what we have seen and done in Tel Aviv....... can't wait to go again.....

Last night's speaker, Simi Shine, from the Office of Strategic Planning. She was a wonderful speaker. She talked about the situation in Egypt, as well as Israel's relationships with other Arab neighbors. She was very forthright in answering questions.

During the night we had heavy rains, but today (Friday) it is warm and sunny - good day to go to the crafts fair and enjoy Tel Aviv!
Wishing all of you a Shabbat Shalom.
CAARI 2011and Rosilie

Rainy Forest Day - Feb. 8

Shalom,
Another rainy forest day - disappointing! But, our leaders, Susan and Neil, came up with a great 'game' plan! We boarded the bus around 9:30, giving us a chance to 'sleep in' after our long day in the Negev on Monday. As skies were clearing, we headed off to Jerusalem. First stop, the dramatic Chagall Windows at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital. Just beautiful! One of the representative spoke to us about the work that is being done here, including the Da Vinci Laser, a robot for abdominal surgery that leaves no scar - now being used at the hospital. Next, it was outside to see the trauma center with the heliport atop it, that can function on its own for a month in case of emergency, the 3 story addition to what is now the Charlotte Bloomberg Mother and Child Center and the spectacular new Davidson Tower - about half-built - which will have 19 stories,
Then - with our bagel lunch in tow - we headed for Latrun - Israel's Tank Memorial and Museum where we enjoyed our lunch under sunny skies.
This is the site of many tank battles during the War of Independence. We had a guide who was born in L.A. and is almost finished with his service who was absolutely wonderful in explaining about the tanks and the improvements the Israelis have made.

Before heading home, we stopped at Canada Park where many of the Canadians recognized the names of donors. Lovely JNF Park for all to enjoy!

Another great day - rain or shine!
CAARI 2011
(contributed by Rosalie Whitehill)

Negev Day - Feb. 7 by Rosalie Whitehill

Shalom,
Monday started another exciting, interesting and wonderful week. After visiting Rishon LeZion Museum, a charming museum in the first Zionist community in Israel where our guide showed us the first school, pharmacy and so many little shops from the pioneer days. We saw an excellent film about the town and how they found water! After, we headed south to Beersheva, where we visited several sites connected to the JNF project of reclamation of the land around a dried up river bed, Nahal Beersheva - really amazing to see what has been done so far and how it has improved the community. Then we went to the Or Communities Center, where we learned about all the great work the people are doing to build and resettle in the Negev. The Center is not quite finished but it was quite impressive. Then we went to an established Or community...Givat Bar!! Then we visited the site of a new community, Carmit, that hopes to attract Anglos and will include a golf course....nothing really there yet....and I hope to see it again in a year.
Dinner was at Kibbutz Kramim, where we had a most interesting talk about the Kibbutz from Debbie Rulnick....a native Israeli of American parents.

Can't believe that this is my last week.

Rosalie