BETAR ITON 2016 WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM: THE PRESIDENT OF ISRAEL, REUBEN RIVLIN MINISTER FOR TOURISM IN ISRAEL, YARIV LEVIN YOAZ HENDEL, ACCLAIMED JOURNALIST AND HISTORIAN KEVIN NAFTE, FORMER COACH OF THE AFL PEACE TEAM + mORE! PAGE 1 HADERECH THANK YOU We would first and foremost like to thank all the contributors to this publication, for giving up their time and without whom we would not have been able to provide the variety of content to Jewish communities in Australia President of Israel, Reuven Rivlin Kevin Nafte Minister for Tourism, Yariv Levin Dorit Wolenowitz Neriya Meir Jaella Goldstein Yoaz Hendel Gabrielle Briner We would like to say a special thank you to all the organisations, families and individuals who have CONTENTS contributed to the success of Betar Australia and its subsidiaries in all of its endeavours throughout the year Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies Zionist Council of NSW Millie Phillips Fund for Jewish Education Givat Zion Synagogue Friends of Likud Australia Burbank Jewish Community Centre Alex Goodman Reuben Pelerman Benevolent Foundation Charity Tamir Aloni and Parents & Friends of Betar Melbourne Stephen and Sharon Ryan MK Sharren Haskel Ayelet and Ezra Rinon Rabbi Yitzhok Risenberg and Central Synagogue Howard and Rosa Rother Zionism Victoria Myriam and Gary Goldman The Zionist Federation of Australia Goald Coast and Brisbane Jewish Communities State Zionist Council of Victoria Betar NSW Parents and Friends The Pratt Foundation Trust of Betar NSW Sam Parasol B’nai B’rith NSW Mary Schwartz North Shore Synagogue Avi Michaeli & Family Jewish National Fund Our supportive former bogrim Most importantly our chanichim, madatzim and their parents! PAGE 2 PAGE 3 youth and provide an ideal forum for exploring young people to get involved in rigorous and identities. We provide an opportunity for young relevant ideas and builds resilience and passion in LETTER FROM people to make friends without the social order to build the leaders for tomorrow’s society. restrictions of school. We introduce young Jews We aim to ensure the continued vitality of Jewish to other young Jews and enable the creation of communities in Australia by empowering and friendships for life. We support an alternative inspiring our chanichim to fight for a cause for THE EDITOR framework for young people to express their which they are passionate. opinions and have their voices heard on a variety of ideas. The meaning that our chanichim extract from our peulot may not be limited to the educational value or academic content of what we are teaching; it is more often than not about the opportunities we provide through our distinctive culture, which is characterised by central ideas of dugma (being a role model), ruach (spirit) and a freedom to challenge the boundaries (be they social, educational or political). Despite this, our peulot remain fundamental way in which we discuss our ideology and the values we uphold. However, we live in a world obsessed with the freedom of the individual and staunchly Shalom ve’Tel Chai, opposed to the notion of ideology. The result of this for youth movements is that it can be hard to Tamar Ruiz Betar’s Federal Iton is an annual publication comes to overseeing the programs that we run for justify running peulot that actively aim to foster a curated by myself, the Federal Director of our chanichim (participants) on camps, seminars love for Judaism and Israel and a connection to the Rosh Chinuch Artist Education for Betar Australia. The Iton is an and Zohar meetings, there is always a need to Jewish people, which people see as indoctrination. Director of Education for Betar Australia assortment of writings – articles, letters, interviews ensure that our activities are fun, creative and I think it is important to remember that the values – arranged by the bogrim (senior leaders) of engaging. However, today we are constantly faced we actively instil in our chanichim should be seen the movement for the enjoyment of the Jewish with concerns about the enduring relevance of as honourable. At the end of the day, we are a community across Australia. This year, I am proud our peulot (activities). How can we ensure that Zionist youth movement with a set of ideals to to say that we have expanded our scope further our chanichim are finding meaning in our peulot? which we aspire towards, and we should be proud than ever before and have commissioned works This is just one question I have face as a leader in to have something to stand up for. This being said, from a variety of influential figures from Jewish a youth movement, and it has a thousand different while we guide our chanichim on how to act – with communities across the world, including the answers. integrity, propriety and self-respect – the extent President of the State of Israel, Reuven Rivlin, in to which we teach them how to think should be attempt to bring more exciting, challenging and One of the important things to remember about limited to exercising skills of critical thought and interesting content to you, our audience. youth movements is that, as they exist today, they not teaching them to follow ideology blindly. do not serve one singular purpose. Although Betar As the Director of Education for Betar Australia, strives to create the ideal Jew to contribute to the Ultimately, Zionist youth movements are one a key concern of mine is ensuring that the development of the land of Israel and Zionism, of the most important ways for the youth to get educational content of Betar’s programs is our influence cannot be limited to this goal. We involved in the community. Our educational consistently of a very high standard. When it play a key role in the social development of the framework provides a unique opportunity for PAGE 4 PAGE 5 A Letter from the Director of have planned for them. The bravest are those who attend for the first time. I witness this regularly: a young person (sometimes very young) walking Betar Australia through our doors, or sitting on the bus, not knowing quite where their parents have left them. Seeing old and new chanichim being challenged, socialising with others their age and just having some people sit and listen as they speak their mind and build their confidence, that’s why we do it. For any chanich reading this - well done and keep it up. Take it from me – what you’re getting yourself into is absolutely worth it. Growing up in Betar has been the greatest positive influence on my life, and it’s the same for many others. Winter is always a highlight for us. This winter, we held camps in Toowoomba (Queensland), Forster (NSW), and Alexandra (Victoria). Chanichim from year 2 up until year 10 attended in each state and our year 11 and 12 madatzim (junior leaders) helped our bogrim (senior leaders) organise and Shalom ve’Tel Chai, facilitates the camps. On any of these camps you’ll have found singing, chanting and dancing, intense Asher Kozma discussions, year level rivalry, sports and musical Betar Australia has had a fantastic 2016, continuing Shnat program in Israel, and end up as leaders instruments played, questions being answered Rosh Hanaga Artzit to fulfil its important task of engaging Australian themselves running the movement. and more questions being asked. Importantly, the Director of Betar Australia Jewish Youth. In Queensland, New South Wales singing of Hatikva at mizdar every night – we are and Victoria, Betar runs camps, seminars and We take great care in teaching the next a Zionist movement, and this is the foundation weekend activities designed to challenge and generation how to write intellectually stimulating of everything we do. This summer will be just as inspire our chanichim (participants). and meaningful activities, and how to hold good, with our once in a decade federal camp for responsibilities such as managing finances and all ages - Jamboree. The content of our activities is based on Israel organising camps. It is because of this process that affairs, the Jewish people, leadership and Betar our community is so strong; it lays the foundations On a more personal note, it has been very ideology, however beyond this we provide an for the future leaders. I truly believe we only have humbling serving as Rosh Hanaga Artzi for 2016. environment for Jewish youth to socialise. Often the passion, willpower and naivety to do what This position gives me a glimpse of the full gamut our chanichim come from the fringe of the Jewish Betar does in our youth – the long nights, the of what Betar Australia does, and shown me community, and so Betar serves as a meeting tireless arguments, the laughs – these subtleties are firsthand how hard our madrichim (leaders) work point between those who have attended Jewish the best parts and unfortunately they are reserved and how dedicated they are. I really appreciate the day schools their entire lives and those who have for when we are young. effort every madrich puts in, as well as the support barely been to a synagogue. Jewish youth from Our chanichim have also, as always, been a source we receive from the community. We have a lot to all parts of the community come together, build of inspiration for us all this year. They rock up to be proud of, and a lot to look forward to. strong relationships in their year groups, go on our each activity eager to engage in what their leaders PAGE 6 PAGE 7 Letter from the President of the State of Israel Jerusalem, September 22, 2016 | Elul 19, 5776 Dear friends in Israel and around the world, On Rosh Hashanah, we come together to hear the Shofar.