MBI Kaf Bet Recap MBI is a five week program in Israel that brings together sixteen year olds from the seven Habonim Dror North America machanot (camps.) On the trip we built rafts and sailed across the Kinneret, experienced complete silence hiking through the expansive Negev (desert,) and climbed Masada at sunrise. We visited the kibbutzim that our machanot are modeled after, and learned about the chalutzim (pioneers) who built them. We visited Yad Vashem and the Ghetto Fighters' Museum where we learned about the involvement of Dror (the youth movement that later merged with Habonim) in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. We met movement members from Holland, England, Australia, Uruguay, and Brazil on Yom Habo (Habo Day,) and members of Ha'noar Ha'oved (Habonim Dror's sister movement in Israel.) Our understanding of the country, of each other's machanot, and of the movement we're all part of came together rapidly. The sense of community and cohesiveness throughout the group helped us see Habonim Dror as it extends beyond our individual machanot. Discussing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on a hill overlooking Jerusalem, interviewing Tel Aviv locals about Israel's current Issues, and discussing Zionism and Actualization with 16 year old Israelis from Ha'noar Ha'oved added context, perspective, and complexity to the conversations we've had growing up in our own machanot in America. The ceremony where we received our first chultzot (blue movement shirts) was one of the most highly anticipated parts of MBI. We are getting ready to return to our machanot as madatzim (counselors in training) next Summer with new responsibility and leadership in Habonim Dror. The past five weeks have been an incredible, valuable experience that I will never forget.
- Dena MBI '13
