IN BRIEF

New Faces
Smiles All Round

Chattering in Amharic as they slipped on their identically embroided, ironed white shirts, the fifteen girls of the Pirchei Tsfat (Safed Flowers) choir prepared for their entrance onto the small stage of a nearby Retirement Home. The seconds of silence after each girl had taken her place was broken by the girls' voices rising in harmonious unison. The many expectant and some hesitant countenances in the audience broke into wide smiles as melodies filled the room. "See,See," nudged Rafi Trabelsi, Cultural Coordinator of the Tzahal Absorption Center. "Most of these girls haven't even been in Israel for more than a few months and they are already on stage, bringing joy to others."

Word gets around quickly as the immigrants arrive to Tzahal. Being selected for the choir is a prestigious attainment for any young immigrant. Performing in hospitals, retirement homes, special schools and on the main stage of Tsfat for city-wide celebrations, the girls soon feel empowered by the enthusiasm of their audiences. "This kind of exposure earns a lot of respect and appreciation for the Ethiopian community, the Absorption Center and the Jewish Agency as a whole," says Rafi.

Realizing that part of belonging to a community is contributing to it, Rafi loses no time in slotting the appropriate new immigrants into volunteer positions. "Not far from here is a warehouse for a large organization that collects items from people who no longer want them, and provides a distribution center to the needy. We have twenty adults from the Absorption Center volunteering there. They fold clothes, sort equipment, set things out for display. The work needs to be done and they are happy to give a little of their time."

As part of the Absorption Center's close relationship with the local police department, new immigrants regularly volunteer in the Civil Guard. "These are young men who can get by in Hebrew," explains Rafi. "After learning the basics and creating a relationship with the police, they have reached a stage where they can train and receive licenses for the use of weapons, giving them a higher standing within the Guard."

Alei Tzameret
The Next Generation

"It is truly an invigorating experience to sit with thirty individuals in the prime of their life, all with good, steady jobs, most with children, who all share the same goal - to better Israeli society by personal contribution." So describes the youngest of the current crop of Alei Tzameret, 24 year-old Sara Ghali-Douani of Kfar Saba, sharing her feelings about the program.

Developed by the Immigration and Absorption Department and the Zionist Council for Israel, the Alei Tzameret program develops a cadre of lay leaders who will conceive and/or implement projects for the absorption of new immigrants or the strengthening of Israel's relationship with Diaspora Jewry. Dr. Yosef Lang, the coordinator for Alei Tzameret, tries to bring only the best lecturers to the series. "We have highly motivated, intelligent, thoughtful and discerning groups. The topics discussed range from demography and separation of church and state, to the theories of volunteerism and leadership." Yosef sees projects eventually emerging based on each individual's interests and talents. "Babait Beyachad is the umbrella under which more and more initiatives can be realized," says Yosef.

"I found the theoretical part of the course fascinating," says Ronit Amsalem of Ofakim. "I feel I have a more holistic understanding and appreciation of Israeli society. I implement my heightened sensitivity in my work with marginal youth - many of them new immigrants, and in my private interactions. I don't hesitate when the subject of our national agenda arises, rather I assert my Zionism proudly."

Sagi Levi, originally from Kibbutz Ma'agan Michael, now lives in the nearby town of Or Akiva. A major player in the kibbutz's thriving aquaculture industry, 33-year-old Sagi volunteers with local youth in his spare time. "Our bi-monthly lecture series gave me the opportunity to meet diverse, yet in some ways, very like-minded individuals." Sagi looks forward to the practical component of the program, which imparts tools to advance on-the-ground projects.

Israelis are, on the whole, a very patriotic people, with a sharp social consciousness and a desire to better society as a whole. Alei Tzameret offers a conduit for transforming amorphous sentiments into flourishing projects.