Hello! This is Beatrice Karish writing from Israel. As I write, I am in the computer room in Beit Riklis, the Hadassah Youth Center, on Mount Scopus, right between Hebrew University and Hadassah Hospital- Mt. Scopus.
I am here in Israel, the Holy Land, on Young Judaea's Year Course in Israel program. I am enjoying myself, a lot. It is a ten month, first year of college program for High School graduates. I am having tons of fun and learning a lot too. There are seven groups here on Year Course. Each group has a one week orientation when they arrive in Israel. Every group has a slightly different itinerary. The components that each group are made up of are: Academic Studies, Kibbutz, Development Town, Israeli Experience and Army.
There are two different Army things, one is called Sar-El and is where you just work on an army base and the other is called Marva and is actual basic training.
I am in group (Kvutzah) Bet. My group, Kvutzah Bet, went to Kibbutz Ketura, after our one orientation, which was at Beit Riklis, in Jerusalem. At the Orientation we met the staff and got to know our group and talked about the year. Kibbutz Ketura is located in the South of Israel, about forty-five minutes from Eilat. On Kibbutz Ketura, we took Hebrew Classes (Ulpan) and worked. Some people in my group had permanent jobs and others had a different job every day that they worked, which was every other day. We alternated days between class and work.
I was in the lowest Hebrew class, but I feel like I learned a lot. I am proud of what I learned in Ulpan. I really liked my Ulpan teacher. We had class from 8:00 in the morning till 12:30 in the afternoon with two breaks, every other day. It was fun to learn to speak Hebrew and to improve my reading and writing skills. I now can read and write in not only block letters, but script letters too, very exciting. I could now have a very slow, very simple conversation in Hebrew.
I had a few jobs on the Kibbutz. For the first week. I worked in the Kibbutz kitchen, mainly chopping veggies and refilling platters. Then I worked for one day cleaning the Kibbutz's hotel rooms and then I was placed in my permanent job, working in the Kibbutz Baby House. I helped take care of the six babies between the ages of three months and one year old. The babies spend there days there, while their parents are at work. I would work from 7:15 in the morning until 2:30 in the afternoon. I loved my job. The babies were very cute and the people that I worked with were very friendly. There were four children's houses on the Kibbutz, I working in the one for the youngest age group.
Now, I am in Jerusalem taking classes. I really like my classes a lot. The classes that I am taking are: Hebrew, The History of Zionism and Modern Israel, Jerusalem and the Jewish Historical Perspective, Concepts and Ritual in Jewish Life, The Jewish Woman: Traditions and Changes. I really like my classes. I am learning a lot and finding my studies very interesting. My teachers are wonderful. My day here starts at 8:00 am and school is over at 2:30, except for two days a week when we may not got back until 6:00 because of trips that we take in our Zionism and Jerusalem classes. Some of the trips that we have been on include: going to Mea Shearim, the Ultra Orthodox section in Jerusalem; going to Bet Guvrin and doing an archeological dig; going to Rosh Pina and the Kinneret; going to the Tower of David Museum in the Old City. The trips are very interesting and informative. It is very nice to learn about something in class and then to go and see with your own two eyes.
We have also been to Hadassah Hospital-Ein Kerem and to a Aliyah Youth Village. I was amazed my Hadassah Hospital-Ein Kerem, they take care of there patients so well, there. I am in a wonderful group of thiry-five wonderful people and two fantastic counselors. I am feeling very safe. Young Judaea has restrictions on places that we are not aloud to go, and the violence is settling down. I feel very safe. I miss you all a lot and think about you often. I hope to hear from you.
Thanks for reading,
Young Judaea Year Course
PO Box 24111
Mount Scopus, Jerusalem
91240
Israel
© 2001 Beatrice Karrish
updated 02/07/2001 - rge
(home) (calendar) (info) (articles) (sponsors) (links) (bios) (reviews) (travel) (recipes) (projects) (photos)