A Glimpse into the Life of a Typical

Workshopper/Workshnattie

Workshop/Workshnat do some ropes course chevrati            Tavornikot on Shabbat

But not really. There's obviously no such thing as a typical Workshnattie, and I won't pretend otherwise. On this section of the program we're split up into groups of two to four people all over the country, so clearly we're all having very different experiences. Each group of us is living with kids our age from HaNoar HaOved VeHaLomed, which we've heard ever-so-much about since the tender age of MBI. Matt Becker and I have been Galiling together since '95. We now make up the group of Habo-Dror representatives in the lovely town of Chadera, where there have been six shootings in the past 18 months (or so say the high school kids we're teaching English to). The most recent one happened last night at about 10:45, while I was knitting in my room. (At last count, 18 out of 29 in our kvutsa knit or crochet, not including Mikella our Scottish madricha who crochets like a madwoman.) I heard the shots; a few moments later I heard someone turn on the radio downstairs. If the radio was going on, I should be listening for police sirens. As soon as I heard them I knew it was time to call in. You're supposed to have a list in your head of everyone you're concerned about in the
area, and of course the closest people who are concerned about you. But who was I supposed to call, after my parents and madricha? Everyone in the chava was safe; some were already looking at the damage in what I imagine to be a large crowd of anxious people hoping not to see anyone they recognized. I felt like I should do something. Was there anyone else I could call? Anyone I could support? Everone seemed to be fine, seemed to be wanting to support me. Wasn't there anything I could do with myself? Be very upset or worried, cry, say wise and peaceful and new things about the situation? Yes, there was something I could do: set the table. By this time - 11:30 - we were ready for our usual dinner, and everyone was home for it. Over a fabulous meal of mostly starch we talked only about the shooting. It was then that I found out where the violence had taken place: Rechov HaNasih, three blocks away from our chava and two from the school where I teach. "Not as close as last time," said Yuval, one of the HaNoar HaOvednikim. Every day my English students ask me if I feel safe here. I always give the same answer: Yes, but I probably shouldn't. And it's so true. I'm not scared: I'm angry. I'm angry that violence happens and I can't stop it. I'm angry that I'm living in a country with a government I don't want to support in any way — yet just living here is supporting it. I"m angry that I'm in a group of knitters and talkers, but with so much potential - especially as a kvutsa - for making change here. And I'm angry that I should be scared.

Shira Etshalom Workshop 51, Israel

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