The ulpan is an important part of the identity of the kibbutz.

Upon your arrival, you will receive your room assignment, room key, laundry number, and magnetic card for the dining room. You will also receive sheets, pillow cases and a bag for a water bottle. You will find a blanket and pillow in your room.

For the next five months, you will be an important part of the kibbutz. You will work
hard, you will study hard and you will have fun. You will be able to spend and celebrate the the holidays with us

The key to success is to keep things in balance

Studies: Shortly after you arrive, you will be given a Hebrew placement test to see at which class level you will study. We have different levels – from beginner to advanced.
There may be some movement between classes during the ulpan if the teachers feel it
would be appropriate. You will have Hebrew studies three days a week

Schedule is as follows:
Breakfast is available from 07:00-8:00.
Class is from 08:00-15:00 with a morning break, lunch break, and afternoon break.

Our ulpan is geared for people who want to learn Hebrew. You must come on time for
class, you must do your homework and you must participate in the class. At the end of
five months, you will be amazed at how much Hebrew you will have learned. If you
have a learning disability, please notify your teacher discretely so we will be aware of
the situation.

Work: We will try to place you where you want, but the kibbutz’ needs come first. You must be on time for work and work to the best of your ability. We take work and studies
very seriously. Our work week is three days. You will need to make, at least, two
shabbat shifts in the ulpan kitchen! Those who come to work with a positive and open attitude have the most success and the best experience.

If during the month you behaved accordingly (class, work and free time) you will get
50 NIS bonus from the kibbutz.

Rooms: You will probably live two or three people to a room, except for couples who have
made arrangements in advance. Be considerate of your roommates just as they must
be considerate of you. Keep your room clean and tidy as well as the area outside your
room. If you have a problem you feel you cannot handle, tell us and we will do our
best to help you. If something is broken in your room, notify us immediately so we can repair it.

Cash Point: There is a cash point at the supermarket (Stop Market) where you can use your credit card. It is a short walk from the main ulpan building.

Ulpan Office and Moadon: The ulpan office and moadon are for your use. Keep them clean and insist others do so as well. The Moadon includes a TV and DVD player for Israeli and Region Free DVDs. Feel free to use the moadon and the office, but clean up after yourself. If you see someone not cleaning up after themselves, tell us and we will take care of the situation.

Internet: There are three desktop computers in the office for your use. If there is a line of
people waiting to use a computer, be brief. They are available after work/class until
10PM. WiFi is available for your laptops in the office and on the benches outside.

Laundry: You will mark your clothes with a numbered tag which we will give you. You will
bring your dirty laundry to the office on Tuesday and it will come back to your
laundry box in the office, on Wednesday. Clothing not marked properly will get
placed onto a table for all the ulpanists.

Health: If you have a health problem, let us know when you arrive. If you require special
medication, make sure you have a supply for the entire ulpan. If you become sick, you must first come to the office and we will send you to the clinic as necessary. The clinic on the kibbutz is excellent. If they determine you need a specialist, they will send you to the area clinic or hospital.

Trips: We will be going on several trips during your ulpan. We will give you a schedule of
the trips shortly after you arrive. You must always wear strong, closed walking shoes,
a hat and carry at least a liter and a half of water. Always keep safety and security in
mind.

Food: Our dining room serves two meals a day, six days a week, with very few exceptions. We are a secular kibbutz and the food is not kosher. You will be given a magnetic debit card to use in the dining room. Your budget is 350 NIS per month.

Days off and free time: The work/study week ends around noon on Friday. You must be back by Sunday morning for class or work. We suggest you return Saturday evening.

Summary: The ulpan at Yagur is an experience of a lifetime. No matter what else you do, you will always remember your ulpan. You will return home with a stronger connection to
Israel and the Jewish people. From all of us here in the ulpan, we wish you the greatest success and we are here to help you in any way we can.

PROGRAM INFORMATION

 1)     ULPAN CLASSES AND
ENRICHMENT PROGRAM:
The Ulpan’s goal is to provide you with a working knowledge of conversational Hebrew. Ulpan teachers specialize in teaching Hebrew as a second language to adults. Classes generally consist of 10-15 students and meet approximately 60 teaching hours in total. The program includes general information of Israel society and Judaism, and guided tours and hikes to historic sites and stunning locations.

2)     KIBBUTZ WORK: Participants work 6-8 hours a day (total of 8 working days.) The type of work you do will depend on the immediate needs of the kibbutz. Be prepared for relatively menial work and tiring physical labor.

3)     ULPAN LIFESTYLE: You will live in dormitory-style accommodation: three students to a room with shared bathroom and shower facilities en suite. The kibbutz provides full board and lodging as well as sheets, blankets, pillows, work-clothes and laundry services (for a nominal fee.) You will provided with three meals a day in the kibbutz. The kibbutz facilities (club, swimming pool, sports courts, etc.) free of charge.

 4)     ADAPTING TO KIBBUTZ LIFE: The demanding work ethic and tight camaraderie of the small rural environment can sometimes make it difficult for the newcomer. However, if you are open to new experiences and flexible to a different reality you will be pleasantly surprised at the warm relationships you can develop and how much you can enjoy your special Israel experience.

 5)     INSURANCE : We insure each participant with medical insurance while the participant is on the program.

6)     FLIGHTS AND TRANSPORTATION: You must buy your own flight ticket. Transportation is not provided from the Airport to the kibbutz, so you must make your own arrangements. We suggest you take the train from the airport to the central bus station in Tel-Aviv, and then a bus to the kibbutz. (numbers 921, 823, 841 until 10p.m.)

For application forms, price and payment, visit our Kibbutz Summer Ulpan website today!

Brad says he was left with a yearning to go visit Israel some day. He continued through a public high school, then took Accounting in college. “About four months into the course, I was sitting in class one day, and I said to myself, This isn’t right for me. I’m eighteen, I’m young, I want to go see the world.” He contacted the Birthright organization and joined their Taglit program. “They took us for two weeks, paid for the plane ticket there and back, they paid for food, hotels, everything.” He went without any of his friends. “I always like to travel alone,” he says. “I meet new people and I can do whatever I want to.” Besides showing the young Americans the sites, the Taglit staff tried to familiarize them with life in Israel. Brad liked what he saw. When he came back to America he missed it.

“Immediately, I started looking for ways to get back to Israel,” he says.

Brad did some research and decided to attend a five-month program at a kibbutz ulpan. “We were a group of 36 people, living on the kibbutz and learning Hebrew. I was working in their sprinkler factory.” Instead of living an insular life in the ulpan, his five months were a time of discovery. Every weekend, Brad and five of his friends from the kibbutz program would travel to different spots, exploring the country. It also helped him with his Hebrew.

“Every day that went by, I felt more at home,” he says. “I felt that my soul was settled.”

In 2008, after the ulpan, Brad and two friends rented an apartment in Tel Aviv, and continued their exploration of Israel.

To Continue Reading Visit The Jewish Press Website

The story of Revivim is fascinating. Revivim  was established in 1943 by pioneers from the center of Israel, as an agricultural research station in the center of the harsh and relatively water barren Negev Desert. Recording rainfall, and experimenting in various ways, they managed to find enough water to grow produce in the sand, and succeeded in transforming the research station into a kibbutz, a communal settlement, in 1948, following Israeli Independence. In the 1970′s Revivim moved into new accommodation, very near to the original site where today, visitors can learn the story of this incredible community and its successful role in developing desert agriculture in the Negev.

At Mitzpe Revivim (the name for this original site – which literally means Revivim Lookout) you can explore the tower which was constructed and provides incredible views out into the sandy desert, and the ring of green agriculture which surrounds the kibbutz. The museum also tells the incredible story of the kibbutz, and there is film screening in the cafe/visitor center just across the road. Today, the kibbutz has a large olive crop, as well as a dairy, and other, non-agricultural industries. The kibbutz is located about half an hours drive south of the city of Beer Sheva.

-http://www.touristisrael.com/

You can sign up for the KIBBUTZ VOLUNTEER PROGRAM here!

A UNIQUE 4-WEEK PROGRAM
JULY – AUGUST 2012

• Choose between two great kibbutzim:
  • KIBBUTZ NAAN   
    OR
  • KIBBUTZ MISHMAR HASHARON
• Learn conversational HEBREW
• Work on the KIBBUTZ
• Enjoy trips around the country to:
  • Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Masada, The Dead Sea, Eilat – For SNORKELING, and MORE!
• Take jeep tours throughout the DESERT
• Learn in workshops and seminars about Ancient and Modern Israel, Israeli Society, and Tikkun Olam/Social Action
• Meet young people from  ALL  OVER  THE  WORLD
• Including medical insurance

 For further information visit: Kibbutz Summer Ulpan
Or Email: lauren@kibbutzprogramcenter.org

]]> http://www.kibbutzprogramcenter.org/experience-an-amazing-summer-in-israel/feed/ 0 http://www.kibbutzprogramcenter.org/a-special-letter-from-the-ma%e2%80%99ase-olam-staff/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-special-letter-from-the-ma%25e2%2580%2599ase-olam-staff http://www.kibbutzprogramcenter.org/a-special-letter-from-the-ma%e2%80%99ase-olam-staff/#comments Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:00:35 +0000 lauren http://www.kibbutzprogramcenter.org/?p=1358 Dear partners and friends,

We wanted to share with you impressions and pictures from the “Speaker of the Knesset Quality of Life Award” ceremony  which took place on Jan 10th 2012.

Knesset member Nitzan Horowitz presented the award rationale: “Ma’ase leads in its field, is exemplary as an incubator of leaders, and in its work to reduce social disparities in Israel, while creating the infrastructure for a more egalitarian society.” This award enforces and reminds us of our obligation to continue our important work – It is a challenging task for the benefit of all Israeli citizens.

It is an honor for Ma’ase to be recognized for its work and that of the volunteers we have the privilege to accompany – this award is theirs.

Thank you for your trust and partnership,
Miki Nevo – Ma’ase Director
Ma’ase staff and volunteers

• Mishmar Hasharon February 8, 2012- July 8, 2012
• Ramat Yochanan February 12, 2012- July 13, 2012
• Mishmar HaEmek March 1, 2012- July 30, 2012
• Sde Eliyahu March 4, 2012 – August 5, 2012 – Kibbutz Ulpan Dati
• Yavne March 12, 2012 – August 1, 2012 – Kibbutz Ulpan Dati
• Tzuba May 2, 2012 – September 21, 2012
• Ein Hashofet May 15, 2012 – September 26, 2012

Not to say that things have slowed down at all. The Ma’ase Olam Rehovot Madrich (guide), Lior Shoham, was gushing with praise this week in talking about what our group of North Americans has been doing over the past couple weeks.

At every level, our Teaching Fellows have exceeded what was required of them as teachers and mentors, both in and outside of the classroom. The principals at each of the schools where our participants are teaching have commended their work ethic and the quality of their work. The Rehovot English Language Education Supervisor commented that our Fellows teach like they’ve been English teachers for years after observing their work. That praise, we are proud to say, speaks volumes to the work that Ma’ase Olam participants are providing to the people of Rehovot. The participants themselves have observed how their students are progressing in their English, and their colleagues have confirmed that the students look forward to their English classes more than any others.

Click HERE to read on!