Travel plans and the Kibbutz Rotations

Return transportation information

As MBI wraps up, expect some emails coming your way about transportation details.  As of now expect the Princeton bus to arrive around 915am, Philadelphia (Gratz college) to arrive 1045am and Washington DC (Montgomery Blair High School) to arrive 145pm.  This is based on the bus leaving JFK at 7am which is 70 min after they are scheduled to land at 550am.  We will be updating everyone by email the day of.

The last two days the MBI'ers have been on the Kibbutz rotation. This is one of the few times of the program where the two busses split up, do different things and spend time in different locations. The two days are focused on different themes and the buses switch, this way each group has the same opportunity.

Kibbutz History

The MBIers learned about the recent changes in the kibbutz movement. In the 1970’s and 1980’s, kibbutzim started to become more privatized, insular, and less ideologically directed. This process of the weakening of the classic kibbutz model has continued on to this day. However, the MBIers also learned about the new kibbutz movement of today. This revitalized kibbutz movement has been built on the premise that the role of the kibbutz is to meet societal needs, but that agriculture and industry were no longer crucial needs for Israeli society. These kibbutzim, some of which have been created by members of Habonim Dror, have taken up education, social work, and the sociological needs of civil society. To this end, they moved from the fields to the cities and developed urban communes and urban kibbutzim that work to better Israeli society.

Rafting
The MBIers spent a day rafting down the Jordan river. The picturesque scenery makes for a very relaxing and refreshing activity. The Jordan valley is one of the hottest places in Israel so being able to float down the river.  

Learning about Kibbutz Eshbal with Miriyam Holtzman