The Canadian Jewish News, Friday, February 8, 1974 - Page 1 a
Perhaps the most exciting developmerit in Aliyah from North America is the chance that is. now being presented to select individuals topar-. ticipate in the growth of a new urban development scheme that may hold as yet unprediGtable potential. We refer, of cpurse, to the Ra-fah Approaches project that has only just been approved by the Israeli Goyernment:
A new group of vgarin''' calling itself Yamit has been started by, members of A.A.C.A. in Cincinnati to ^serve as core group and organizers for those American and Canadian Jews who may: .be interested in joining this promising new venture. The first group of olim for Yamit is scheduled to-arrive in Israel in September, 1974. . What then is Yamit? : Right now it is much more than a site,.a plan and some . dreams! The site is.a beautiful stretch of clean sandy beach on the northeastern Sinai coast. Above the beach are high dunes with clumps of date, palms and .castor •shrubs — to the south runs the road to.^1 Arish. Near-
by, west and south of the pld border tow.n of Rafah, a number of. prospering new nioshavim spread their green pverthe sands; ;
Yamit,\ to begin with, will serve 5S the town center for these settlemehts. In the first stage there will be housing and work for some 300 - 5d0' faniilies, latetr more, will be added as the Settlement grows to become i town. Som.e saly a major deep water port and a hew .international airport are in the plans. One thing is clear, growth Will be quick and applications from, potential settlers in Israel are coming in thick and fast. All the original settlers, however, will be screened selectively for good health, professional or economic qualifications,, and general . stability and suitability for a life which at first will present certain difficulties. • •
In keeping with the char-e acter of aliyah of the mid-.70's, Y^mit will'initially be a joint settlement project for Russian and Nqrth Am-,
eri.can olim who will be joined by . some young Israeli
.'families.
Physical planning for this new urban center is virtually [ cdmpleted; this avoids some of the blatant^ filannihg mis-. takes of other Israeli tbwns; Full emphasis is beihgplac-' ^d on ecological considerations and on the creation o • a pleasantly laid out com-, munity, .
It should be .niaide clear that Yamit is iiot a collective framework as such. The garin. will simply unite all. North American applicants for settlement; wili represent their interests, and will facilitate their Aliyah and klitah processes. But while settlement .will be on an inr dividual basis within the garin and everyonw will be responsible for. his own income, the garin can also, inr corporate smaller collective associations of settlers -who may wish to. pool and share their incomes.
Employment willbe guaranteed to a considerable range of professions and skills, and a variety of busi-: hess opportunities will be open in the provision of ser-' vices and shops for the new
town. So far, plans exist for a large:garage and vehicle repair shop, ah electronics components plant, and
■ beachfront, tourist and recreational .facilities. •
There are openings for a number Of physicians and other medical and oara-medical personnel in servr ing the needs of both the Jewish and Arab populations of the area.. There is also plenty of scope for new initiatives, for businesses and
: production enterprises. Special finahcial aid schenies are availabjie to settlers. . Housing plan's are now in
. the process of being finalized. According to the project ted plan, architects are considering the climate arid topography ' of the area . --. with an eye towards comfort and privacy. In accordance with standaiird absorption practices, each inrimi-grant settler will be able to rent "a two-bedroom apartt
. ment at, low rates with an option to buy. Those who want larger apartments Will be able to acquire them with an additional investment. • We believe that Yamit may
Aliyah
be an answer for many Americans who have had doubts about Aliyih -- either for financial, social or professional reasons. .Some of the additional incentives comprise:
1. Five year oleh status (excluding buying a car) as opposed' to ■ the ■ standard .three year'status
2. Loans at;a Very low in^ terest rate for housing and business
3. Special income tax consideration
4. The early settlers of Yamit will have a sha:re in the decision-tnaking of the town's growth, As the town develops, Americans will be represented on the Planning and town Committees to help shape all the town de^ cision making and to project their spebial views as the need arises.
5. The garin structure will facilitate Aliyah and will give etach member more strength, through the group, in fulfilling his needs and goals. •
By K.G. PETERSON
A "home address?* for religious young people visiting Jerusalem is the__JJnited Synagogue of America office -which opened last year under the direction of Dr. Pesach Schindler, a rabbi.who,has long been active in the field of .Jewish education and a past President of A.A.C.A; -Before coming on Aliyah with his family in the summer, of 1972, he'served for six years the Educational Director of the Adath Israel Congregational Schoof in Toronto.
The . United Synagogue Youth Movement the largest Jewish Youth .Movement in : the-United, States organizes group tours to Israel and also an" East European Pilgrimage"— a tour to'I.srael via. Russia. The programs, planned by the.Department of Youth Acliyities in the .United States in conjunction with the Jewish Agency, provide young; people with an introdiiction in depth to Israel with the additipri of a religious dimension; ''There is a parallel," Dr. Schindler said, "between their adolescent search to find themselves and the endiEiavour of the Jewish pepple to realize itself in' its return to. Oiir homeland. We try to awaken iii them, a sense both of privilege and of obligation.. Our direct purpose is hot n.eces-^ sarily Aliyah, but to deepen and strengthen their ties, with . Jewishness ; — which means different things to different people.-- so as to ensure the suryi.val of Jewish life not only in Israel but also in the Diaspora.'.'
The project has been in existence for 15 years, and many of the young people come back to Israel for .part of their university studies.-A recent survey at the He-
Dr; Pesach Schindler,.foririer educational director Of Adath Israel congregatidn school in Toronto- is shown with his family in Israel. He is director of the United Synagpgue of America office in Jerusalem. At left is his wifeV mother, Mrs. R. Feldnian; of Toronto.'
brew University of Jerusalem, shpwed that these youths .' form a substantial part of . the student body and. Dr.. Schindler said, his movement. feels responsible for , meeting their socialandcul-tural heeds! The Jerusalem base is One of a dozen in the country;- housed in a for- ,, mer Baptist Mission, it includes a.Youth Hostel with 90 beds and feeding facilities and rooms for IS.long-term residents. Last .year, a United Synagogue Youth Chapter Was established for teenagers Who have come on-Aliyah.,. and the setting up of a Beit Atld is plahned. The- center also prepares teachers and emissaries: for service in the Diaspora, and is planning to open its own institute for training Diaspora youth leaders in Israel.
"We do not see our own Aliyah as. a response to negative conditions," Dr. Schindler said. "There is vibrancy in Jewish life in "
the United States and it's-, thriving spiritually, especially since the establishment of the State of Israel"
Dr; Schindler was born in , Munich in 1931 and reached the: United States with his younger brother in.February 1940 (their parents had pre--ceded them). he.greW upon, the Lower ' East • Side, absorbing "ah ,American version of the Stetllife.". Af.--ter graduating from theTal-. mudic Academy in Brooklyn, he took a B,A: in nriusic at Brooklyn Gbllege, and' an M.S. in education ,at the -Yeshiva university. He ob-tained his PhD. with a study of the response of the Has-sidic Movement during the Holocaust and the effect of that response 6n select aspects of Hassidic thought.
Before completing his studies, he spent a year .in Israel at- the Institute, for Youth Leaders in the Diaspora, where he met his wife Shulamit, nee Feldmann,
from. Toronto-. Thfey were married in '1954. and spent the following. 18 months at Kibbutz Ein Tsurim. Their oldest child was born in Israel; they how have five children', their ages ranging from 17 .to three, years. -'I spent'three years in Toronto, .working in my iather-^ in-law's hardware business,": Dr, Schindler said, "1 could have stayed and had a hice comfortable life." . But even then, he. spent a few hours a week teaching at the, local Hebrew school, and; gradually he was drawn back to his true vocatioh.,.
"Our Aliyali was never in question," Mrs. Schindler explained.. "It was only a matter of waiting for the right time. And then the .whole family made, the transition easily. Here, there is far less tension in our lives. Arid the children , are freer, not only, as Jews but.as developing people.".
A YEAR IN ISRAEL - A SEED FOR A JEWISH FUTURE
\SRAEl PROGRAMS AT A GLANCE
NAME OF PROGRAM DURATION AGE
Servico Opportunities Sherut La'am—college and Graduate.. SherutLa'am—Kibbutz Program Sherut La'am—Technical and Vocational Service ' Religious Kibbutz Work S)udy Program WUJS Institute—Arad Summer in Kibbutz MedlcalWork Summer Program Temporar'y Workers on Kibbutz Social Workers Summer Program One Year One Year One Year Ten Months . One Year 9-t13 Weeks Summer Minimum One Month Two Months , 18—30 18-30 18-30 20^30 18—25 Medical Students 18-35 20—35
Job Opportunities .Professional Placement Tour Ve'aleh SoclalWork Program at Bar llan University Long Term Optional Thirteen Months Adult Adult 20-35
Leadership Training : Institute for Youth Leaders from Abroad (IVIachon) . Zionist Youth Movement Year Programs In Israel IVIai'ada of ZOA Leadership Traihing Course , One Year One Year Eight Weeks H.s. Grads H.S. Grads H.S. Grads
Training for Jewish Education, Youth Work, Community. Service Haylm Greenberg College Gold College Teachers Seminary for Women Jewish Education Courses at Hebrew University One/Two Years .. One/Two Years 1-4 Years 18—25 ■ Women 1.8—25 College
Seminars for Jewish . Educators, Center Workers Hebrew Educators Seminar: Adult Education Seminar Sunday School Teachers Seminar In Israel ■ Summer Seminar for Young SephardI Leadership. Seminars for Center Workers and Camp Workers Seminar for World Jewish service. Rabbis, Cantors and Torah Educators Seminar , One Month One Month . Four Weeks Three Weeks Five Weeks, One Month One Month AdOlt Adult Adult 20-35 .; Adult .7 ■ Adult',: .•-■.....:■,;'.>: ;/\dUlt;, ;\
Hebrew Language Study: : . Kibbutz Uipan City Ulpan ■. -: ■ Tel Aviv University Summer Hebrew Institute Short Summer Ulpan, on a KIbliutz Summer Hebrew Language Ulpan Programs Los Angeles Summer h.S. Ulpan Temple University Summer Hebrew Institute Cleveland Youth Study Programs _, ' Atlanta Leadership Experiment Summer-UlparrDatl in-Jerusalam_j. Haifa University Summer Session JlT Six Months Five Months Seven Weeks Nine Weeks 7-8 Weeks ^ Eight/Ten Weeks Seven Weeks j.Seven Weeks Seven Weeks Six Weeks Seven Weel<s 18-30 Aduit College 18-25 h.s. h.s.■ , College _^ h.s. ■ _ _h;s. " College'and Adults College
University Study One Year Study Program at the Hebrew University Undergraduate Studies at ttTe Hebrew University GraduateSludles at the Hebrew University Two Year Program^the Hebrew University One Year Study Program at Tel Aviv University Junior/Senior Jewish StOdles Course at Tel Aviv Univ. Semester Study at Tel Avlv University Preliminary Studies Course at Tel Avlv University One Year: Study Program at Bar Han University One Year Study Program at the University of Haifa Gold College for Women (Judaica) Yavneh Israel Institute : .: One Year One Year JDne Year Two Yeafs one Year One Year One Semester One Year One Year One Year One/Two: Years One Year Collet & Graduate College , College College. • Collfige & Graduate H.S. Grads College H.S. Grads H.S. Grads and Up H.S. Grads and Up College College ; :
/ ■ ■'- ■, . .'i- ■. ■' .'■ ■ * ■ ^NeveR Yerust^a^aylm Women's Seminary Hebrew University Sumrner Courses Tel Aviv University Summer Courses . Bar Man University Seminar Courses One Year or more. Three/Six Weeks y Four/Eight Weeks 'C Sevan Weeks V College--s^ 'college >^ , College \ 'College ]
'■:■'..' .'-*■■.. v ,■ :, : . ,.; .;,;, ■. ■. ■ \ 1
i3''a pint:; kVh'''' tk n Vnan D-inn i-iMK''TK
:D''n)Du;i3''''n v-iTn"iu;n K\yia nam "^b^ yhn
Psalmcxxvi. A Song of Degrees.
When the Lord turned again tKe captivity of Zion, we_,were like unto them that dream. Then was our mouth' filled with=-laughter, and our tongue with exultation: tlien said they among-the nations, The Lord hath done gr.eat things for them. The Lord hath done great things for us; whereat we rejoiced. Bring back our captivity, 0 Lord, as the streams in the south. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. Though he goeth on his way weeping, bearing the store.of seedi he shall come back with joy^ bearing his sheaves.
ISRAEL PROGRAMS AT A GLANCE
NAME OF PROGRAM
DURATION
AGE
High School Study
Summer Programs for Travel and/or Study (College and Graduate)
Summer Programs ' for Travel and/or Study (High School)
yeshtva Study/ Judaica Study
Huleh Valley H.S. at Kfar Blum . Solomon Schechter Schools Program in Israel Beit Sefer Kadourie . •' Tochnit Imutz (Host Program) Mollie Goodman H.S. • . ■Eisendrath-lnternational Exchange Program Yeshiva High School Programs m lsrael..(Boys)- , . Religious H.S. Programsin Israel.(Girls) Religious High School Programs (Co-Educational)
Summer in Kibbutz • Archaeology Seminar and "Dig" Israel Summer Institute (College. Division) . Israel Folk Dance Institute ■ Arts Seminar (Painting) . Theatre Workshop Summer-Music Workshop Yavneh-:Rellgious Students Seminar^ Yavneh Religious Kibbutz Experience Israel Kibbutz and Europe Vacation .ZOA-Masada Summer Institute—College Div. Sephar.dic Youth Expedition to Israel 1-
Israel Summer Happening • . . - ■ Gesher—Religious Seminars in Israel : Community and Jewish School Groups St: Louis H.S. Study Group . ' Essex, N.J. H.S. Study Group Houston, Texas H.S. Study Group ; Two New York H.S. Study Group Detroit Midrasha of Jewish Studies Neot Kedumlm^Cleveland Nachat—Bible Study Youth Program Bar MItzvah Pilgrimage ■ Sabra Youth Safari
Weizmann Institute Summer Science Program
Adventure in-Kibbutz -
Hakfar Hayarok ■- ,- . .
Kfar Hayeled Summer Camp
International Youth Festival •
Experiment in KibbutZ;Living —
CarmitWogram__
"Gesticn^ibbutz Camp —
Adventures In Youth ■
Israel Folk Dance institute ■
ZOA Teen Age Camps _^OA>Masada Summer Institute''
Technlon Summer Science^Program
Hebrew UnlversltySummer Science Program
Studies In Israeli Yeshlvot and Schools of Higher Judaica Learning '
H.S. -
H.S. -
H.S.
H.S.
H.Si
16-18
H.S.
H.S.
H.S.
College
College:
18-25
College
College ■
College
College
College
18—25
College
College
18—35
One Year
One Year
One Year .
One/Two Years ■
One Year
Half Year '■ :
1/27 1 Year or more 1/2 7 1 Year or more Half Year . , :
9—11 Weeks Eight/Ten Weeks Seven Weeks Seven Weeks . • Seven Weeks Seven Weeks Seven Weeks Seven Weeks-Seven Weeks ■ Seven Weeks : Seven Weeks-Seven Weeks
15^171/2. H.S.'
H.S. ■ ■ ■
■ H.S.'. .■ H.S. . H.S.-:- :•■ H.S. ■■::.. H.S. Grads .
■■■HJS. ■ ■
■ H.S; ■ ■
I3-':
H.S. ^
H.S. Upperclassmen 16-17 ■ ,,
13- 17
Children Not Over 12 H.S.- 4 College ;
ife—17..,V_.i.'-:
H.S.
14- 17 -■■
17 and Up 14—17 ■ ■ ■ --H.S. .
H.S. Upperclassmen H.S. Upperclassmen
Minimum of H.S. Grads and up.
Seven Weeks . Six/Ten Weeks Seven Weeks 45 Days 45 Days 45 Days • : 45 Days Eight Weeks Three/Seven WeeKs Four/Six Weeks Seven Weeks Seven Weeks Six Weeks ■ Seven Weeks ' Seven Weeks Seven Weeks Six Weeks Seven Weeks -Seven Weeks SevenJWeeks. Seven Weeks Seven Weeks Seveiiv Weeks-Seven Weeks Seven Weeks ■ ■ Seven Weeks
Semester, One/Two Years, and longer ■
1
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CALL CANADIAN ZIONIST FEDERATION 787-6171 OR 781-4660.