Karmiel is exhausting and uplifting in each and every breath. Our weekly schedule boils down to 2 days at Kishurit, 2 days at Kfar Yeladim, 2 days at Psagot High School, 1 day in a Bedouin village and after-school English tutoring.
Kishorit
I have very little experience working in a Special Needs environment but the moment I stepped into the Kishorit offices and watched an introductory video I felt suddenly empowered. I held back tears as I watched parents attest to how incredible of a place Kishorit is, how it gave their children a life, and purpose. Kibbutz Kishor, more affectionately, "Kishorit" is a village and home-for-life for adults with special needs. Almost ever member, "Chaver" (friend) works in the morning and goes to clubs in the afternoon. Kishurit has SO much to offer, a toy factory, plastic factory, dog breeders, horse therapy, goat farm, zoo, and vineyard...just to name a few. We go to Kishurit twice a week to help out in various places. I work in the Mikbesah, or the Laundry, making sure all of the village has clean clothes. I work regularly with anywhere between 4-8 Chaverim, all ranging in broad abilities and covering a wide range of special needs. For more information about Kishurit check THIS out.
Kfar Yeladim
Kfar Yeladim, literally meaning "Children's Village" is a foster-care village for children from Kindergarten until 18 years old. There are 17 Mishpachtonim (families) in the village all together, each Mishpachtonim housing Parents and their own children as well as 12 foster children. Jeff, Michael and I were assigned to one Mishpachton each to spend time there with the children twice a week. I work with the Levi family, and have such a great time with these amazing children. If I'm not helping with homework or escorting kids to clubs and activities we sit and play guitar, talk and sometimes cook. And I thought I grew up in a busy household...It's crazy and even a bit manic but an incredible environment for children who have very little.
Bedouin Village- Ras el-Ein
One day a week we have an amazingly special opportunity to spend the evening in a small clubhouse in a Bedouin village in Misgav (the Regional council that surrounds Karmiel). Ras el Ein is one of the smallest Bedouin villages combining 2 large families, one Bedouin Arab and one Christian Arab who have been living on the same lands for hundreds of years. Working at Ras El Ein has been such an uplifting experience. The children in the clubhouse speak very little English and/Hebrew so Naif, the head of informal education for the village translates from Arabic to Hebrew and I translate from Hebrew to English for Jeff and Michael. They are some of the most warm and inviting people I have ever met and place such an importance on co-existence in Israel and making sure that we feel at home in Ras el Ein.
Psagot High School
Aside from just helping 11th and 12th graders prepare for their Bagrut (standardized testing) exams we each have small projects of our own that we work on. Right now Michael and Jeff are helping students research for a debate on "Whether or not the Tanach (Bible) should be taught in Public schools (it currently is)" and I'm helping a film student, Sagi, with some translations for his final film project. Sagi is working on an AMAZING documentary film on a man David who lives here in Karmiel. David is a 60 year old African American man who has lived in Israel for over 30 years. Despite his religiousness, love of the land and period of time he's lived here he is still unable to become a citizen of Israel (even after giving up his American citizenship). To add to that, David also has a physical handicap, he has very little use of his hands and arms. It's an incredibly interesting story, and when the final video is finished I will make sure you all see it.
That's pretty much what our work week looks like here...throw in some dinners and community events and you've got it all. We love Karmiel, the beautiful weather, scenery and people.
Not only are we far passed the halfway mark of OTZMA...but we're passed the half-way mark of Part 2!!! (how could this be...?)
We leave here mid April, and I'll be moving to Tel Aviv to work with the Israeli Opera and Center for Performing Arts in their marketing department!!!
That's pretty much what our work week looks like here...throw in some dinners and community events and you've got it all. We love Karmiel, the beautiful weather, scenery and people.
Not only are we far passed the halfway mark of OTZMA...but we're passed the half-way mark of Part 2!!! (how could this be...?)
We leave here mid April, and I'll be moving to Tel Aviv to work with the Israeli Opera and Center for Performing Arts in their marketing department!!!
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