Exploring the North

This morning the MBIers headed farther north to Rosh Hanikra, a geologic formation located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the Western Galilee near the border with Lebanon. The Rosh Hanikra grottoes are cavernous tunnels formed by the sea action on the soft chalk rock. The grottoes branch off in various directions with some interconnecting segments. The chanichim went down to the grottoes and were mesmerized by the way the water gently ran up against the rocks and then seconds later came crashing down with great force.They also enjoyed the light and sound show which described the history and ancient legend of the grottoes.

In the afternoon the group went to the Lochamei Hagetaot Museum (The Ghetto Fighters Museum). First the MBIers were brought to a lookout point where you can see the whole museum and learned about the founding of the kibbutz and museum. Then they saw 3 different exhibits within the museum, the children's exhibit, the resistance exhibit and a new exhibit about Holland. The groups were led by members of Habonim Dror and Hanoar Haoved (our Israeli sister youth movement). In the exhibits and in the sikkum (conclusion) of the day the chanichim discussed people's ability to make choices in their lives of how they act and react in different situations. They also discussed the involvement of the youth movement in rebellion during the Holocaust and about how to relate the themes of rebellion and responsibility to their own lives. While difficult, this trip was also meaningful and inspiring for the MBIers to see that our movement did something back then and can still be active and strong today.

This evening MBI arrived at their next location; the Shlomi Youth Hostel. After dinner the chanichim had a peulah about chalutziyut (pioneering). This is a follow up to the several excursions this week revolving around early pioneering in Israel. Here they will discuss modern concepts of pioneering and how the values and dedication of the early pioneers in Israel can be relevant to their lives today.