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'A programme encouraging deep introspection and personal growth with new found friends. One that will only improve yearly driven by unique group dynamics. This is the ideal option for those seeking a non-affiliated rewarding Israel experience. Don’t be shy, give it a try'
Sasha Kliger and Ilana Levi, IBC Pioneers 2005.
'some people dream about doing great things other people get up and do them' IBC- gave us the opportunity to choose what we wanted to do in order to fulfill our dreams, to grow and develop as individuals and as a group. It challenged us to live and cope away from the familiar, whilst integrating into Israeli society
It is such an amazing experience, take it and enjoy the journey
Lisa, Ariella and Erin IBC 2005
Israel By Choice is a unique program, in the sense that you, the participant, get to choose your Israeli experience. Israel By Choice, is based on pluralism, it caters for a wide variety of beliefs, ideals, and people. This program allowed me to experience parts of Israeli life that I wouldn’t have had the opportunity otherwise. I have met people form all walks of life, and have made friends with people that have challenged me to think outside the square I live in. Israel By Choice, lives up to its name, giving you the chance, to shape your future and Israeli experience.
Amanda Shilkin, IBC 2005
“IBC provides a great opportunity to learn and live in Israel ”
Adina, IBC 2005
“ It was very exciting when we went to the Hall of Independence on Yom Ha'atzmaut. Its incredible that we were able to stand in the spot where the State of Israel was declared 57 years ago. While we were singing the Hatikvah I was thinking about how far we have come and where we are headed in the future…”
Emma, IBC þ2005
Israel By Choice is a program that moulds its itinerary on the individuals and the group involved. Through the various Shabbatot, tiyulim and seminars, IBC opened doors, helping me to grow as an individual, discovering new aspects everyday. I found that the hikes, although at times tough, were the biggest push in the discovery of myself. By taking me out of my comfort zone, I was forced to turn to others for help as well as search inside myself to find my own courage and determination. They were also, perhaps, the best group bonding sessions - not just between chanichim, and our madrichim. I am a different person to who I was when I arrived in Israel in February and I know that I have the memories, the friendships and the family that IBC provided me with to thank for helping me to spread my wings and truly soar.
Jessie Goulburn , 2005
Hey all
First off I'm Justin. I was in contact with a few of you last week. Basically for those who I didn't get to, or don't remember I'm on the program this year and was asked to be here for questions and stuff relating to the program.. so any questions you can send them my way or add me on facebook or anything you want, and ill answer them as best as possible.
Before I go into my IBC expierence so far there will be a information evening at Biyachad on August 21st at 8pm for all you Joberg people. If your from Cape Town and got this email, sorry I dunno when yours is…
So far it's been a mental ride,
working hard volunteering but partying harder. The first section for
us (I'm not sure of the plan for you guys) was to volunteer somewhere
in Jerusalem, and I was lucky enough to get the zoo. I ended up working
with the monkeys which was quite fun. On my first day one of them spat
on me but that's just some of the crazy shit that happens here. The
people who didn't go to the zoo worked at places such as yesh (a school
for mentally challenged people), kindergartens and other community
places. Each person so far has really enjoyed where they have been
positioned and has learned a great deal.
25 out of the 29 people on our program then opted to do MADA, Magen David
Adom training and we worked be working as first responders with the Israeli
ambulance service. We had an intensive 2 week course of learning about
first aid and the like, and now most of the program is fully qualified
to handle everything from car crashes to drowning to electrocution to
gun shot wounds to heart attacks and epilepsy as well as stabilizing
fractures and cuts. If you guys decide to come I thoroughly recommend
choosing this options, the knowledge I learned in the training alone
was invaluable. Our training was in the MDA compound on the other side
of Jerusalem from where we stay. Although the accommodation was far from
the luxury we have had in our usual apartments we met and trained with
and made intense friendships with Jews from all over the world staying
in Israel. There were people from USA, Canada, England, Mexico, Guatemala,
Panama, Switzerland, Holland and the IBC people from Australia, New Zealand
and South Africa.
In between volunteering and saving lives, we have had the general program
running. As I mentioned before our accommodation has been luxury in comparison
with the other programs running in Israel at the moment. Our apartments
in Jerusalem are located above the hamashbir if any of you guys know
the place. It is on King George Street which is parallel to Ben Yehuda,
where all the bars and pubs and clubs are in Jerusalem. The apartments
are called Lev Yerushaliam if any of you wanna see what we are staying
in.
The course itself is very relaxed but at the same time very full. we
volunteer everyday (depending on you shift times) from 7am to about 3pm,
then we relax for a couple hours and have group programs in the evening
and night, and almost every night we are free to do what we want as long
as we are at our volunteering in the morning in a "complete state
of mind". This system has on the whole worked with a few slip ups
along the way :p, but the program ideology of self-responsibility is
upheld. Almost every decision is made by the group and if we don't like
how something is being run we speak to our madrichim (leaders) and we
come to a compromise.
We have 3 mads on our program, Geva, Gabi and Maayan. All three of them
are genuine people trying to help us with our Israeli experience. Geva's
the quite one that gets random bursts of energy and dances like a nutter,
Gabi's our cool calm and collected Israeli special forces physco whom
we are all convinced is actually in Mossad, and Maayan is Maayan and
there really isn't any other way of explaining her aside from saying
she is somewhere in between Geva and Gabi and she is the female of our
balanced triangle of leadership. Working with our day to day mads is
Mimi, the program coordinator, who is gradually becoming a mother to
us all. We play basketball with her youngest son Noam and have had snowball
fights with her older son Matan. So although the program is based on
freedom we still have a feeling of control and leadership amongst us.
Every few weeks we have had some sort of tiyul or trip, we have been
to places such as Pikiin (the only city in the entire world that has
had a constant Jewish presence since Moses entered Israel, and also the
birth place of the Zohar, the cabbalistic book of Shimon Bei Yorchai
and therefore Kabbalah), we have been to Safed (Tsfat) and Mt Chermon,
as well as staying for 5 days on the beautiful kibbutz Ketura where we
learned about kibbutz life and had the most relaxing days of the program
thus far. We have done hikes and climbs through mountains and some of
us watched the sun rise from the Arava dessert from a mountain peak.
The shifts with MDA were pretty nerve racking but "enjoyable" none
the less. Some of the calls so far have been things such as fires, broken
bones and everything in between. A few of us had a call in the middle
of the old city and had to carry a lady for 500m on a chair through the
streets, pushing people out the way with our police escort which was
quite fun. Another call was to a fire in Meir Sherim which was an experience
to say the least. People have performed CPR, saved lives, and been active
in all ways on an ambulance.
From there, most of the group left for Poland, where they spent a very
intense 5 days learning about our history and attempted destruction as
Jews. The others who are did going to Poland spent time at a MASA seminar
learning about the future and present of the Jewish people, in and out
of Israel, as well as participated in generally Israeli lifestyle (going
to a Hapoal vs Betar soccer match, going bowling, riding ATV's, you know
the usual Israeli stuff..)
After saying goodbye to Jerusalem we went on a 2 week hike which included participating in the Annual Shvil Yisrael whose group hike from The very south the the very north of israel. We joined them for about 60 kilometres over 3 days with a rest day in between. This section of the trip was incredible.
We then went on to Safed we were confronted by the most challenging volunteering we have had to date… if you want to know more your gonna have to ask cause im not too sure how to explain what we did other than say we worked for a charity called lev echad and gave invaluable help to poor families in the area.
From there we continued on to Beer Sheva, were we stayed in a Mirkaz Klita, living and interacting with Jews from all over the world. We became involved (some a little too involved) with the families living there, which included origins from Russia, America, Portugal, Uruguay, Ethiopia, England and there was one from Australia. In Beer Sheva we continued on with similar volunteer work as we did in Jerusalem, but found ourselves a lot more receptive and involved then Jerusalem. I worked in a Hospital in the Anastheatic department. I helped out in brain and heart surgery as well as working some more with MDA. Others worked in Kindergartens, taught english, some taught hebrew, and all in all we did good work.
Beer Sheva is a very unique town in Israel. Comprising of a lot of students due to the university there, the town somehow has managed to develop an incredible student night life as well as incorporate the history of this once small town in the Negev desert. It was during this time IBC got us Tickets to Yom Hastudent, of which included a 3 hour set by Infected Mushroom. We went on to pull the "we are from overseas card" and got the main singer to come out and have a picture with the group.
After Beer Sheva we embarked on our solo hike, comprising of a week in the desert hiking through craters and cliffs and going to natural springs, a week in the jerusalem area hiking through historical sites, both modern and biblical, and the last half week was a hike horizontally across israel in the northern section, which was by far the most challenging thing physically we did.
Currently the group is in MAARVA, a simulation of basic training with the israeli army. Obstical Course, lessons on the IDF as well as shooting guns, all of which is done in Uniform whilst travelling the country carrying a M16 on your shoulder.
During this entire time we have had constant contact with the people of the Mechina which we are going to, which is located on top of a mountain with a natural spring just below. This is our next stop and we are all looking forward to going to this place.
So yeh that's what the last 6 months as been. As I said before contact me if you have any questions and ill let you answer you as best as I can.
All the best and see you soon
Justin Karpas
2008
Read an Article by the Jewish Agency on IBC!