The Madhala Family

I cannot continue this blog without mentioning the Madhala family, our adoptive family in Kfar Gvirol. Arriving in Israel from Yemen in 1952 the Madhalas and their extended family have expanded exponentially, and are now over two hundred strong in Kfar Gvirol.

The Shabbat we were invited to the Madhala home, the group was treated not only to a hearty meal in a warm family atmosphere, but a cultural experience as well. Not many of us had experienced a genuine Yemenite Shabbat, with their beautiful prayer services and spicy foods. Very often, spending Shabbat in a stranger’s home can be awkward or unpleasant. However, walking home from shul with the Madhala brothers that Friday night, I knew this wouldn’t be the case. After introducing ourselves we walked back to the house together as if we had been acquainted for years, as if we were just another family member coming for a Shabbat meal. With the aromas wafting from the kitchen, the smiling faces and laughter one instantly feels as if him/her is back in the comfort of their own childhood home. Whenever there is a family barbeque, or one of us is in need of a Shabbat meal, the Madhala family welcomes us into their homes with smiles and open arms serving us a tasty Yemenite meal consisting of Jachnun, different types of meat, soup, and fish. After spending time away from our family, it was very comforting to be in the warmth of a family environment, especially the warmth emanating from the Madhala home.

In order to appreciate the significance of our relationship with the Madhala family, one needs to know the history of Kfar Gvirol. Before their mission in Kiryat Moshe, the UJA of Greater Toronto was heavily involved in Kfar Gvirol. After building a brand new building, housing a school, library, community center, and sports facility, the UJA has done an excellent job transforming a once at-risk community, to a thriving, vibrant one with an even more hopeful future. Yisrael Madhala has been watching this renewal project unfold from atop the hill in Kfar Gvirol on which his house is situated. Yisrael remembers volunteers from Toronto, like us, helping his children in summer camps, groups, and schools. Having witnessed this transformation firsthand, he is always excited to host volunteers from Toronto now helping another Israeli community in a similar predicament to the Kfar Gvirol he grew up in.
The greatest testament to Yisrael and his family’s generosity can be seen when I called him late one Thursday afternoon, in need of a place to eat on Shabbat. I asked him, “Is it possible for me to come for meals this Shabbat?” to which he responded, “It’s possible for you to come every Shabbat, and you’re welcome in our house every night of the week too.” Yisrael is so grateful for all the UJA of Greater Toronto has done for his community. Kfar Gvirol is a living testament to the power of the generosity of the UJA in Israel and evidence of the hopeful outcome to the hard work us volunteers put into Kiryat Moshe everyday.

Hand and Foot Painting

Our volunteers as well as the children decided it was important to give something back to the Toronto community to say thank you for all they have done for Kiryat Moshe. Orna Marron, one of the volunteers working with Chetz Kadima, decided that it would be great if the children could ‘hand-paint’ and ‘foot-paint’ signs reading ‘To Toronto, Todah Raba, With Love, The Children of Kiryat Moshe’
Leah and Laura kindly supplied the paint and bedsheets/canvas required for the program while Orna carefully drew the appropriate wording on the sheets. The morning of the program arrived and Orna, Keren, Isaac, Ilan and I swept the broken glass and pebbles away from the painting area. Once the area was prepared, the Chetz Kadima children were led out in groups, first the girls and then the boys. The groups waiting for their turn to come outside and paint were learning about computer use from Ilan and Isaac in the computer lab.
The first group of girls was very apprehensive about getting their hands covered in paint, as Orna had painted their nails just that morning. But, by the time the boys came out to paint, everyone was involved and having a great time. Paint was everywhere. The children ran across the signs, leaving their little footprints along the lettering occasionally playfully throwing some paint at their friends or us. Once on their way to the buckets of water for washing off the paint a child would casually walk past one of the Toronto volunteers and wipe paint covered hands along his/her cheeks, then would run away, giggling. Exhausted and covered in paint we cleaned up the area, admiring the children’s handiwork and laughing at our paint covered faces, arms, and legs as the children went inside to wash up. Two of these gifts to Toronto have already been sent back with David Goodman, and two more are on their way. These signs will be given to the UJA, Hillel, and IVPC offices as tokens of appreciation from the children of Kiryat Moshe for all their amazing contributions.

'The Score' Comes to Kiryat Moshe

The morning of July 17th, the air in Kiryat Moshe was filled with excitement. Teenagers were coming up to me and asking in Hebrew “Ata MiCanada?” I would answer, “yes” to which they would all respond the same way. They would break into a big smile and say “B’shtayim” (At two o’clock.) This afternoon at two a group of Canadian media personalities would be arriving to film a segment on sports in Kiryat Moshe. The TV anchors would be filming the gymnastics, juggling, and acrobatics squad; a soccer game; a basketball game; and, little did they know, a basketball game between themselves and the Kiryat Moshe youth.
The reporters consisted of Steve Simmons, a reporter for TSN, and a sports writer for the Toronto Sun, which boasts the largest and most comprehensive sports section in Canada. There was Jean Dion, a freelance writer from Quebec, and ‘Cabbie’, a charismatic personality from the sports channel ‘The Score’ who has interviewed some of the biggest names in sport. The Score is recognized as one of the top three sports networks in Canada. Cabbie’s proucer David Krikst, who has led four Birthright trips was also present.
Upon their arrival the reporters were taken on a tour of the area with Laura and Leah, while those teenagers to be filmed for the segment played a fun game of basketball with the Toronto volunteers. I followed the reporters into the community center where the Kiryat Moshe Gymnastics squad performed their well rehearsed acrobatic and juggling routines. I was quite impressed. I knew that the community center ran gymnastic classes, but I never expected these young children to be as skilled as they were. Each child wore a huge smile on his/her face, thrilled to be performing for an audience, especially a group of well-known TV personalities from Canada.
After the Gymnastics demonstration, the reporters were escorted to the basketball courts were they filmed a game between the Kiryat Moshe youth and a game between themselves and some of the teenagers. As soon as I have the opportunity, I’ll upload the video. Needless to say the sportscasters lost 5-2.
Cabbie then took some of the youth aside to talk to them about their experiences in Israel and the role sport has played in their lives. Cabbie was incredibly touched by the community and the contributions of us Israel Volunteer Program Centre volunteers as well as the donations of organizations such as the UJA of Greater Toronto. Before he left, Cabbie donated a pair of his basketball shoes and basketball shorts to the community. The segment should run on The Score sometime this fall.

The Birthright Visit

On the 12th of July, Laura asked me to help guide a Birthright group from Toronto around Kiryat Moshe. I arrived in the big hall in the community center to find the usual sight one sees when chancing upon a group of birthright participants. Fifty very tired students aged 18-25 who have just had an entire Israel experience packed into 10 days. Late nights and early mornings leave these students exhausted and ecstatic having had one of the greatest and most memorable experiences of their lives. Laura and I briefed the participants on the situation in Kiryat Moshe as well as the volunteers’ role in the area and the difference we have been making to the community.
We then led the participants to the basketball and soccer courts next to the community center. Once on the courts, they were divided up and put on teams with children in the Kiryat Moshe day camp. It was amazing to see how quickly the Toronto Birthright participants and the Kiryat Moshe children warmed up to each other. Maybe it was the Toronto-Kiryat Moshe connection, maybe it was the children excited for another group of Torontonians here to help them, but within minutes the birthright participants were playing and joking around with the kids. One participant even gave one of the children his wristband as a gift. After an exciting and fun twenty minute basketball and soccer game, the Birthright participants were escorted back to their busses. I looked out the window to see an amazing sight. All the children who had just participated in this meeting were standing outside the bus waving, smiling, and calling out the names of the Birthright participants with whom they had just played for only twenty minutes. They had formed a connection, even if for a brief twenty minutes, that would not soon be forgotten.
After a brief tour of Kiryat Moshe the students were then taken to the new community-meeting centre, currently under renovation. There they spent 10 minutes sanding down the center preparing it for painting. Every Torontonian Birthright Group arriving in Kiryat Moshe has contributed to the center in some way, and the center has become a testament to the contribution of the Toronto community.
After the group left I realized how vital this visit was as a part of the Birthright itinerary. Birthright shows its participants the beauty of the land of Israel and instills a powerful love and connection towards the land in the hearts of all those that have been privileged to experience this fantastic program. However, each participant’s Israel experience should not stop at the sandy beaches of Herzliya, a refreshing dip in the waters of the Golan, or the springs of Ein Gedi. While it is very hard to fit more activities into an already hectic 10 day schedule, it is important to give these participants a small taste of the work that needs to be done in order to help this amazing young country develop into a strong democracy. After half an hour in Kiryat Moshe, after being shown that there are problems within the country beyond the Arab-Israeli conflict, these participants from Toronto were already talking about coming back to Kiryat Moshe. Birthright visits, like the one that took place on july 12th, are essential in taking the love of the land that the amazing CIE madrichim instill in their participants and allowing that love to expand into a strong desire to help their country grow. Israel today needs a new kind of pioneer. Today’s pioneers are not about making the land cultivatable. Today’s pioneers are about helping the country overcome it’s social problems, and helping the country develop into a strong, independent, moral democracy. It is the responsibility of birthright, all of us volunteers, and Jewish Organizations involved in Israel programming to help create opportunities for Birthright alumni to continue their relationship with the land of Israel and to give them the opportunity to take part in cultivating the land of Israel as the new modern day pioneers.

The volunteers

Before I continue with this blog, I feel it is necessary to discuss the typical workday of the volunteers on my trip. It is important for all those reading this to realize the number of hours the volunteers are putting in on the trip and to appreciate their sacrifice. My trip consists of seven university students between the ages of nineteen and twenty-three. The students are divided into two groups. The first group works in the day camp in Kiryat Moshe. Ronit Gordon, Anna Neuman, and Keren Rosenthal start their day at 6:30am, when I wake them up to the sweet sound of me knocking on their doors. In order to arrive at camp for 8:00, they need to be at the bus stop for 7:30am to catch the often-unreliable number 16 bus. A bus which very often seems to follow the schedule of the driver, rather than that of the bus company. At camp the girls help the kids of grades 1-3 through a strenuous day of computer use, physical activity, and educational class time. During class the girls act as role models for the kids, engaging in arts and crafts projects for the children as well as giving the children English vocabulary lessons. The girls creativity shines through in their lessons as can be seen very clearly when Keren and Ronit created colorful pictures describing English words, with their Hebrew translations. Camp ends at 1 and the girls have a 3-4 hour break before they return to Kiryat Moshe to take part in ‘chugim’, night activities in which they take part until 7pm. The purpose of these programs is to keep kids off the streets at night as well as engaging them in fun, stimulating activities such as Capoeria, Belly Dancing, Soccer, Basketball, Ninjitsu, Salsa Dancing, and arts and crafts. Every Tuesday and Thursday we have an ulpan which runs from 4-6. Sunday nights involve a group meeting where we discuss the past week, housekeeping, and different subjects relating to leadership, fundraising, and the politics and history of the land of Israel.

The second group of students works with a group called ‘Chetz Kadima’ which is a group for at risk youth between the ages of 8-14. These children have various behavioral problems, and struggle in school during the year and would otherwise spend their days on the street. Isaac Anidjar, Ilan Manoim, and Orna Marron start their day at 10am and work with these often tough to handle young adults until 4. They spend time talking to and ‘hanging out’ with the students, giving advice, being role models and friends, and teaching them math and English in order to prepare them for the upcoming school year. In the afternoon the students choose articles about Israel and the international affairs to read and discuss. The three of them then run fun and creative computer classes educating these youth in word processing and other useful computing tools. After a long and strenuous day, they head off to their respective chugim. They attend Ulpan on Tuesdays and Thursday and group meetings on Sunday nights.

The one thing which has been so inspiring for me in addition to the hope in the eyes of the children of Kiryat Moshe and the help of donors from Toronto has been the commitment, sacrifice, and creativity of the volunteers on my trip. Each one brings their own specific strengths to the community which are then translated into programs intended to stimulate, inspire, and educate the children with whom they work. These volunteers are not being paid, and very often are not thanked by the camp staff at the end of the day. These volunteers are driven by a desire to attain the Jewish value of ‘Tikkun Olam’, fixing the world, and make an impact on the children. I still think back to the first day of the trip when all eight of us walked into a completely different culture for our first day of work, not knowing what to expect. In the short three weeks that have passed, through their initiative and creativity, the group is starting to develop close and long lasting relationships with the children in Kiryat Moshe. Everyday we are coming closer and closer to embodying the mission statement we decided on at our first meeting.

“We are here to expand our knowledge of how Jews in other communities live; to create ties with a plethora of Jews. We wish to create an awareness of their present living conditions here, to the community in Toronto. We hope to gain appreciation from this unique experience in order to enrich the lives of many.”

We, and the children of Kiryat Moshe owe so much gratitude to the UJA and Hillel of Greater Toronto for funding out trip and allowing us to make a contribution to this community in need.

The Chetz Kadima Computer Lab

Walking into the school computer lab in Kiryat Moshe, there is much commotion. Four or five children crowd around one of the two working computers yelling advice to the one student playing the only game available. Computers stand on the floor as if waiting in line for something, and blank screened monitors sit, disconnected on a table. Isaac Anidjar and Ilan Manoim, two of the participants on my trip took a look at the computer lab and decided that something needed to be done. There were eight computers in the lab, most of which did not work. Both Ilan and Isaac have much experience with computers and immediately set to work organizing the lab from the mess of computers and wiring, to a neat and orderly area with different workstations. They then proceeded to fix the computers and now there are 8 working computers with Internet access. Over the next few weeks Ilan and Isaac intend to run computer classes for the children aged 8-14 in the youth group “Chetz Kadima” for at risk youth. These classes will cover Internet use, word processing, and PowerPoint. Knowledge of computers has become a central part of our everyday lives and a basic part of every child’s education. Many families in the Kiryat Moshe cannot afford a computer. Were it not for the generous donations of the UJA of Greater Toronto, many of the children would not have the same opportunity to learn the basic skills required to use computers as do other children around the world. The games on the two available computers provide the children of Chetz kadima with entertainment allowing them to enjoy computer use, however, they are not learning computer skills. By teaching them basic Internet use and word processing, Isaac and Ilan will be providing them with the building blocks needed to participate in a technologically based society and help spark the motivation to continue learning. As the old saying goes, “Give a child a fish and he will eat for a day, teach a child to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.”

Shabbat and orientation

Shabbat was nice and relaxing, the five of us who had already arrived went to the Shuk (market) in Rechovot before Shabbat to get a real ‘Israeli’ education. We walked past the vendors selling fruits, vegetables, fish, and bread. Using the stipend Hillel of Greater Toronto and the UJA had given us, we were able to buy ourselves a wonderful Shabbat meal consisting of fish, salad, chicken, and freshly baked bread.
That Sunday the group and I went into Kiryat Moshe for our orientation with Leah and Laura. We were shown around the community and told of its history. Leah told us the story of her journey to Israel, of all the anti-Semitism that existed back in Ethiopia and how Israel had heroically rescued the Ethiopian Jews and brought them to the safety of their own country. She went on to explain the problems many of the new immigrants faced trying to adjust to their new home. For example, Leah said, she was used to bringing water from a well, and was suddenly able to turn on the tap and water would come out. On a much darker note, the racism they faced was different than any other they had previously experienced. They had never been singled out for being black before, and all of a sudden they were different, not because of their religion, but due to the colour of their skin. In addition, many Israelis did not accept them as Jews and, until the Rabbinate officially passed a ruling against it, wanted the new immigrants to go through a mass conversion. After suffering years of persecution because they were Jews, they were now being treated differently because they weren’t considered Jews.
In Ethiopia, many Jews were not allowed to hold certain jobs strictly because of their religion. Now that Israel has rescued them, and they are living in a democratic country they can hold any job they would like. The problem exists in that they don’t have the means. While racism does extend throughout Israeli society, one of the biggest deterrents to these people getting jobs is the lack of education, and the lack of skills. Skills that the older generation did not learn back in their native Ethiopia, and skills that the younger generation does not have the means to learn. This is all starting to change in the community due to the generous donations of our wonderful Toronto Jewish community. Some say the government doesn’t have the funds to help out these communities, some say the Ethiopians are not a priority. But the one thing is clear, the only way for these children to have a future in Israel, is to continue our support and funding of schools, community centers and night programs. This will keep the children off the streets, give them the education and skills they need to be on par with other Israeli children, and to obtain jobs in the competitive Israeli workforce.