Year Course: It’s Not Just Meaningful for the Chanichim

Posted in Section 3, Staff Contributions on 02. May, 2012

Natalie Lazaroff, Section 1 madricha
  … Read more
 
 
 
 
 
When asked to write a blog post about being a madricha on Young Judaea/FZY Year Course, I immediately said yes and that I would have it ready as soon as possible. That was over a month ago. My job is absolutely incredible.  Fun, rewarding, special, and extremely unique. In theory I could have written about

Rwanda: Our Final Week

Posted in Rwanda, Staff Contributions on 04. Mar, 2012

This is the most recent of a series of posts from Rwanda from the group leader Adina, detailing our Tikkun Olam track  … Read more‘s one-month visit to the Agahozo Shalom Youth Village.
Dear Parents,
Our final week at the Agahozo Shalom Youth Village was a busy one. Our challot came out extra delicious on Friday thanks to Alex Lyon, Rachel Frenkel, Julie Cohen and Sammy Schwartz.

Rwanda Adventures: Week 3

Posted in Rwanda, Staff Contributions on 26. Feb, 2012

This is the third of a series of posts from Rwanda from the group leader Adina, detailing our Tikkun Olam track  … Read more‘s one-month visit to the Agahozo Shalom Youth Village.
Dear Parents,
Our third week at the Agahozo Shalom Youth Village started out with a trip to the Western town of Gisenyi. Gisenyi borders Lake Kivu, Rwanda’s largest lake and home to many fishermen. We arrived at

Week Two in Rwanda: Exploring Our Surroundings

Posted in Rwanda, Staff Contributions on 20. Feb, 2012

This is the first of a series of posts from Rwanda, this one written by the group leader Adina, detailing our Tikkun Olam track  … Read more‘s one-month visit to the Agahozo Shalom Youth Village.
Our second week at ASYV has been filled with adventure and action. On Saturday morning we woke up bright and early to join the entire village for “muchaka muchaka” (jogging). We enjoyed

The Art of Judaism

Posted in Staff Contributions on 19. Jan, 2012

Twenty-two Year Coursers are currently enrolled in a pioneering, cutting-edge class designed by Rabbi Matthew Berkowitz, one of our teachers (and a Young Judaea alumnus to boot) and the team of Kol HaOt: Illuminating Jewish Life Through Art. Founded two years ago, Kol HaOt  … Read more seeks to showcase Jewish history, values, and texts through a synthesis of the performing, visual and culinary arts. The class’s curriculum

Semester Change and Negev Tiyul

Posted in Section 1, Section 2, Section 3, Staff Contributions, Video on 29. Dec, 2011

With 2011 coming to an end, the first semester of Year Course is behind us.  It is hard to believe that almost four months have gone by since our chanichim first arrived to Ben-Gurion International Airport, wide-eyed and ready for the experience of their lives.  Little did they know what this first semester would have in store for them:  new friends, a new language, fascinating  … Read more

Hiking Shvil Yisrael

Posted in Photos, Section 3, Staff Contributions on 11. Dec, 2011

Justin Jacobs, Section 3 madrich

Right now, twelve chanichim are in the middle of week two of hiking Shvil Yisrael, Israel’s national trail, with madricha Shawna Dolinka. I spent the first week (and will rejoin next week) hiking and leading the chanichim through experiences on the trail that none of us will ever forget.
The first morning was the hardest.  Waking up at 5 AM,  … Read more

Gilad Shalit: Where Were You When You Heard the News?

Posted in Section 1, Staff Contributions on 12. Oct, 2011

Jason Roston, Section 1 madrich (counselor)
  … Read more
History was never my favorite subject. When my teachers used to say enthusiastically “history happens around us all the time,” I never really understood what they meant.
History happens? History is history, it’s in the past, how can it happen in the present? At least that is what I used to think until this week, when for the first

The Power of the Kotel

Posted in Section 1, Staff Contributions on 20. Sep, 2011

Natalie Lazaroff, Section 1 counselor
  … Read more
 
 
 
 
Just as the first week of Young Judaea/FZY Year Course can be a bit nerve-wracking for most of the chanichim (participants), it evokes similar emotions for the madrichim (counselors) as well.  At 3:30 am on September 5th, our alarm clocks sounded with a few extra minutes to spare in order to insure that we would not