Cohort 2 NAS - Day 1

     After many months of virtually keeping up with our Israeli counterparts in Yerucham, the day to meet them finally arrived. Excitement filled the air as we welcomed our new brothers and sisters with open arms. 

We had a welcome dinner at the Bonwitt home (one of the teens in the Miami cohort), and began our activities as one cohesive and complete group. Learning new and interesting things about each other, we matched up song lyrics in English and in Hebrew, and configured puzzles that spelled out the Diller logo. Our favorite part of the evening, and of the seminar so far, has not only been meeting our Israelis but meeting everyone else’s matches. 

The fact that we could all come together as one group, all from different schools, cities, even from and across the globe is an amazing opportunity and experience to say the least. Thank you to anyone and everyone who helped make this year’s North American Seminar happen! We are so thrilled to be able to spend the rest of the time developing relationships that will last forever.

  

Israel Winter Seminar - January 2, 2015

Dear Parents,

We got a vivid taste of Jerusalem today. After a filling breakfast, we had the privilege of visiting Mt. Herzl alongside two tour guides and an armed medic. The tour guide helped us visualize the agonizing grief that all of Israel feels when another if its brothers falls. The melancholy yet humbling experience left us Dillers with a larger sense of gratitude and inspiration to take initiative as Jewish leaders.

After the tour of the cemetery, we drove to the Old City of Jerusalem where we enjoyed yummy schwarma. We then proceeded to our favorite part of Jerusalem, the Western Wall. We have never felt more thankful and blessed to be standing at the Kotel, the most important symbol of the Jewish struggle. Later, we rode back to the Caesar Hotel and had a lovely Shabbat dinner followed by games and programming led by our tour guides and Diller staff. Overall, today was an educational and fulfilling day. Love and miss you. See you soon!

Israel Winter Seminar - December 29, 2014

It is hard to believe that our community week is already coming to an end.  Tomorrow morning we will leave Yerucham.  We spent much of the day today and yesterday volunteering around Yerucham as our way of giving back to the city that has given us so much this past week and year.  

Yesterday we spent the morning volunteering by stocking shelves and organizing at a second hand store.  

In the afternoon, before heading out for a free evening with our host families, we taught two 6th grade classes at a public elementary school.  We started our program with them by playing a name game, to teach them to introduce themselves in English.  Then we talked with them about some of the similarities and differences between Miami and Yerucham and ended by painting murals.  

This morning, we went to school with our Israelis - a very different experience than high school in America!  Then, we went to a public park and fixed a bench for kids to hang out.  

It has been really fun to be able to spend some time giving back to Yerucham.  I am so happy to have been able to leave my mark on such a great town.  We will all miss it here!

Israel Winter Seminar - December 26, 2014

Today we began with an art workshop during which we painted rocks from Yerucham to take home with us.  This gave us not only a fun souvenier to take home but also taught us that all stones can turn into gems and these stones will remind us of the unforgettable memories that we have made here.

After the art workshop we went to bake Moroccan bread for Shabbat.  Each Diller got to fill their bread with their choice of many tasty sweet or savory flavors.  It was delicious!  

After baking and eating, we had some free time to share with our families before Shabbat and then we all met up to watch a beautiful sunset over Yerucham.  When we started eating dinner we learned that even though we all celebrate Shabbat differently, we were all with our loved ones and friends!  When dinner finished, we joined walked to Israeli Diller teen Roni Biton's house.  Her father, Michael Biton, is the mayor of Yerucham.  Michael and his family treated us to some delicious dessert and led us in a conversation that made us all think about our Jewish identity and what makes us all so unique and connected at the same time.  It was amazing to think about and was a perfect conclusion to the night.

Israel Winter Seminar - December 25, 2014

Hey Parents, 

We started off our day today by going to an army base 5 minutes outside of Yerucham.  At the army base we participated in a shooting simulator which all soldiers go through before fighting in the fields. We then toured the base where we spoke with Golani soldiers and saw armored vehicles. These vehicles weigh 65 tons and safely transport soldiers in and out of combat. We were then treated to an extravagant breakfast at the Yerucham teen club, Machsan 52. After the breakfast we heard from IDF air force pilot, Ido Frumer, who spoke to us about morals and ethics when fighting in the IDF. We then visited the statue in Yerucham that commemorates both soldiers and civilians that were killed in action. Lastly, we enjoyed a couple of hours of Cohort bonding through games and sports. Throughout the day we learned the true hardship that Israeli teenagers go through when joining the army. And we got end the night by going to a white night party with all the teens in Yerucham. 

היה כף בישראל!! זא הוא 

Israel Winter Seminar - December 24, 2014

After a late night due to the Diller International Mega Event in Tel Aviv, we were treated to a late start on the day, meeting at 10:00 (thank you, Yerucham!). The day, planned by some of Yerucham Diller’s finest Diller teens, began with a visit to a nearby Bedouin tent, where we listened to a Bedouin woman, Nora, explain how she became a Bedouin and the life style of the Bedouin. Interestingly, hospitality is a fundamental aspect of the Bedouin life, something the Bedouins and Diller have in common. Additionally, because the Bedouin life seems to me to be very oppressing for women, Nora’s perspective was enlightening. Exposure to Bedouin culture was also interactive; while Nora spoke, we relaxed in a Bedouin-style tent and were given Bedouin tea and coffee to enjoy. Needless to say, we were excited to thank Nora and her husband with a “Diller woosh” afterwards.

We then took a 45 minute drive south to Mitzpe Ramon. There we split in to two groups. My group started with rappelling, or walking down the side of a cliff with a rope. Those who went down did not come up for a while, choosing instead to support the next Dillers to descend and watch the rams nearby. Although rappelling was definitely the “thriller,” it was not the main attraction. I suppose you could say that it “co-mained” with a museum on Ilan Ramon, the astronaut who represented Israel on the American shuttle Columbia, and the Mitzpei Ramon crater (which have no connection – I asked). The museum featured several short films, an interactive learning area on geography, and a film on geography based on a shifting thing  (?)  acting as the earth’s surface. While my group enjoyed the tour, the second group went rappelling. The two activities were followed by a program led in English by Arava, a Yerucham Diller. Arava did an amazing job directing a conversation which examined why the Torah was given in the desert.

Mitzpei Ramon was followed by the first Limmud Yerucham (Miami Diller also participated in Miami’s first Limmud last year). Many of the girls enjoyed a session on rikkudei ahm, Israeli folk dancing, where we learned and made mistakes together – a Diller must. Dinner, couscous with a vegetable soup, was served at the Limmud. After dinner and a conversation with Mandy, we split off. Some of us played basketball. A few of us went to our Israeli homes for some much needed sleep.

Although the day was long and much went on, the most important part was certainly Arava and Dolev, yesterday’s teen coordinators, who demonstrated how a leader needs to act, such as stepping out of our comfort zones by using a foreign language. So thank you, Arava and Dolev, for an amazing day.

Miami Israel Winter Seminar - December 22, 2014

After a LONG day of traveling, we made it!  All 16 of us got through both flights as a group, and luckily everything ran smoothly.  As we walked past the immigration services in Ben Gurion Airport, we couldn't believe what was before us.  Every one of the Israelis was there in the airport waiting for us with balloons, treats, and a song.  It truly was an exciting moment, reconnecting with our pen pals, only this time on their home turf.  

After many hugs, photos, and bathroom breaks, we loaded our bus and headed to Yerucham.  I was happy for the bus ride, because it was a chance to get some welcome sleep.

After about 2 hours, we got off the bus and loaded our stuff into a small building, Atid B'Midbar, that we later found out was actually donated by the Greater Miami Jewish Federation.  There, Nitzan and a few other of the Israeli teens led us in some ice breakers and activities including a fun Diller version of dreidel.  We also lit the menorah.  Then we set tables up for a potluck style dinner and waiting for the Israeli parents and families to arrive.

The dinner was lovely, and it was super fun to meet the Israelis with their families.  We were very lucky to have the mayor of Yerucham, Michael Bitton (father of one of the Yerucham Diller teens), in attendance.  He spoke about Diller and how happy he was to have us here in Yerucham.  If there is one that thing really stood out to me from the first day, it was how American I am.  Being surrounded by Israeli teenagers, out of my own element, in the middle of the Negev, I truly felt different from my peers, yet united through our shared religion and values.  I hope to further look into this idea of being different yet united throughout the remainder of the trip, and am excited for all that's in store!