Day 17: Tel Aviv

The MBI chanichimot spent the day in Tel Aviv to learn about the city and some contemporary issues in Israeli society. In the morning, they visited Migdal Shalom to learn about Tel Aviv's origins, what the city was intended to be, and the challenges and dilemmas that have since arisen for its many people over time. They kept this all in mind as they continued along with their day.

In order to learn more about these challenges, the group rotated through three different stations. First, they met with someone named Amir, who was previously a shaliach (Israeli emissary) at Machaneh Galil in 2013! Amir spoke to them about his experience being LGBTQ+ in Israel, touching upon his experiences living in Tel Aviv and cities outside of Israel's center. While Tel Aviv is often characterized as an LGBTQ+ friendly city, there is still a lot of homophobia in Israel - anti-LGBTQ+ remarks made from citizens and top government officials, as well as advancements in anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. Despite this, there have been many efforts to host pride events and other community gatherings in several cities like Tiberias, Beer Sheva, Netanya, Jerusalem, and more - some of which held events for the first time this year despite counter protests.  

In the group's second station, they learned about refugees and asylum seekers in Israel. They learned about where they are coming from, what routes they take and endure, as well as the many dilemmas of discrimination, racism, legal status, and economic status these people face if and once they get to Israel. The group also learned about the socioeconomic disparities in different parts of Tel Aviv, and delved into a conversation about what they think Israel's role should be towards those seeking refuge and a better life.

Lastly, they went to Kikar Rabin, a large public square that was the site of Yitzhak Rabin's assassination. There, they learned about Yitzhak Rabin's life and choices he made, before relating them to the present. In doing so, they explored topics such as democracy and peace, and shared what they want for the future. At the end, they met some people who show up to Kikar Rabin every Friday afternoon, and all joined in singing Shir Lashalom.

Afterwards, it was time to head back to the hostel to get ready for Shabbat. It is certainly hard to believe the group is already spending their third Shabbat together! 

This week, Machaneh Galil led MBI in Kabbalat Shabbat. After dinner, the chanichimot from Galil performed an oneg and led everyone in rikud.

Shabbat shalom!