Year Course Tzeva Kachol Brings Activism to Kibbutz in Need
By Year Round Programs
Tzeva Kachol visited Kibbutz Nir Am located near the city of Sderot, a place unfortunately most known for its close proximity to Gaza which has fired rockets over the city for the past ten years. Some of the rockets have fallen into the kibbutz’s agricultural fields.
With help from the Sderot Media Center, the chanichim arranged to help the kibbutz’s elderly residents in the days leading up to Pesach, cleaning their public gardens and helping to kasher their kitchens for the holiday.
First, they took a short tour of Nir Am, seeing the metal factory and meeting some of the residents who were incredibly grateful for Year Course’s visit. Dividing up into small groups, half the chanichim pulled out weeds and helped to beautify the areas outside the houses while the other half helped put chametz into storage and throw away anything not needed for Pesach.
Tzeva Kachol making a difference on Kibbutz Nir Am
It was clear from the residents how much they care about their home, seeing that there was only desert when they arrived decades ago (Nir Am was founded in 1943). The Year Course visit really touched the residents who were moved that the chanichim cared about a place that meant so much to the kibbutzniks.
Said Aviva Weinstein of Washington, DC, “A lot of what we talk about in the Activism track is the importance of giving a community help that they actually need, as opposed to focusing on what is easiest for us to give. It was an enjoyable afternoon but really shocking to hear the news the next day that rockets had fallen again so soon after our visit.
Together with the NU Campaign, Tzeva Kachol is creating t-shirts to raise both fund and awareness. In addition, the activism track is working with the Koby Mandell Foundation to send birthday care packages to Camp Koby, a camp created to provide positive experiences for victims of terror.
