Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Kibbutz & Jerusalem

B"H

Many years ago, I was a Kibbutz volunteer in Kibbutz Gezer (an American community near Ramle / south - east of Tel Aviv). Later on, I participated in two Ulpanim (Hebrew language course); once in Kibbutz Revivim (Negev) and in Kibbutz Givat Brenner (near Rehovot). 

Okay, all those Kibbutzim were secular and Givat Brenner used to serve sausages made from pork oil. Nevertheless, for a about six months on a row, it is a great experience being on a Kibbutz. Either as a volunteer or in the Ulpan. Also due to the bad financial situation, Israel's Kibbutzim have undergone severe changes and hardly anything is as it used to be in the old days.

On one of my German blogs, I sometimes write about Kibbutzim and also about how to become a volunteer. Due to a specific question from one of the readers, I, again, went to the Tel Aviv Kibbutz office yesterday and received some updated information. In the course of the day, I am also going to write the update in English for anyone interested. 

After the Kibbutz office, I went to see a friend in Jerusalem and only came back to Tel Aviv at midnight. When I got to the Central Bus Station, there was no local bus available anymore and I was too tired to walk all the way home. I started looking for a Sherut taxi and thus had to cross the Levinsky Park outside the bus station. What I saw where Africans ! No Israeli around but only plenty of illegal Africans hanging around in the park or sleeping in the street between the park and a building where prostitutes were standing outside and waiting for clients. It was not a pleasant situation. Especially because Tel Aviv didn't feel like Israel but like Africa. 


The new tram


Near the Ben Ben Yehudah Mall / Jerusalem.

Photos: Miriam Woelke

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