HDNA Joins Protests Over Judicial Reform in Israel
As the threats to democracy in Israel continue, HDNA maapilimot in North America, HDNA alumni in Israel and HDNA Workshop 72 chanichimot all came out to make their voices heard.
Erica Kushner, HDNA Mazkirol, spoke at protests in DC and NYC.
Reflection on How Israelis and Americans Protest
By Erica Kushner, Mazkirol HDNA and member of Garin Tzur
Over the past four months, Jews all over the world have been watching Israel and the process of judicial reforms. We in HDNA have been no exception. Since attending my first protest in January in Israel, I have attended and spoken at protests in DC and NYC. As we are based in Philadelphia, we are working to get the Philly area movement members more involved in the weekly protests happening in our city. The Workshoppers have been attending some of the protests in Israel and gaining a lot of hands-on experience with Israeli democracy. Over the past two weeks, we have hosted online events for Maapilimot and Nachshonimot to learn about what has been going on and give them space to process with their peers. It has been an interesting experience, to be a part of these protests and I’ve been thinking about how activism looks in Israel as compared to in the US:
While my Mazkirut was on Seminar Yeud Emtza in Tel Aviv in January, we attended one of the first few protests in Tel Aviv. As someone who doesn’t speak Hebrew fluently, most of the speeches and signs were lost on me, but even beyond that, I didn’t understand how there could be so many people carrying an Israeli flag. It was a little shocking to me. I have never gone to a progressive American protest and seen American flags. In general, I have grown up associating a nation’s flag at a protest with a sign of more conservative nationalistic views about what a country should or shouldn’t be. Back in the US, I have since attended two more protests (and aim to start attending the weekly protests happening in Philly). Again, at both of these protests, Israeli flags swim above the crowd, waving as people speak about politicians who abuse their power, about occupation, and, of course, about the judicial reforms. I have continued to be surprised by what the flag represents to Israelis: a place of which they can make demands, a place they are willing to fight for, a place that they are unwilling to turn their back on.
In America, the left-wing social justice activism that surrounded me as I grew up is heavily based on fighting the system, taking down what exists, constantly questioning any and all leadership. Put simply, it is destructive activism. I believe that there are many things about America that are deeply, deeply flawed, things that cannot be changed from the outside and do need to be destroyed and built into something different. However, in that work I so often feel that the vision is lacking, the connection to the place that you are doing this for is missing. Social justice in America commonly can be boiled down to “this nation is rotten to the core and there is nothing worth saving.” The leftwing of America doesn’t care about keeping the country. This is incredibly different from the messages I have seen coming out of Israel: that they are protesting because they care so deeply about their country, that they believe it can be better, that they will show up even when it seems things are only getting worse. This is what the Israeli flag symbolizes to me: a belief and conviction that you have the right to demand more of the land you call home, that the home of the Jewish people is not just a place to merely inhabit, but one that its people must continuously build.
The program began on Thursday November 17th with the Executive Directors of all 6 machanot, Erica Kushner, Mazkirol of HDNA, and Tamar Levi, HDNA shlicha. On Friday afternoon the rest of mazkirut artzit joined us for more important conversations as well as some fun making lip balms from essential oils and herbs grown at Pearlstone’s organic farm.
We are all operating as HDNA, but what are our responsibilities to each other? We divided into 6 groups to focus on 6 topics and discuss our partnerships.
Wow! MBI was such a blast – we can’t believe it has been over a month since we got back!
us. The discussions were a good mixture of meaningful (exploring the concept of shivyon erech ha’adam) and silly (trying to find our “soulmates” based on this-or-that questions). Even though our buses are made up of two different kvutzot, everyone has gotten a healthy dose of bonding, especially through bus cheers and the now infamous seatbelt song! Although we have our classic Habo traditions, we still have fun seeing the differences between machanot.
We couldn’t finish this without mentioning the food! There is nothing like it! Israeli breakfast with shakshuka, cucumbers (but different – better – then in North America), and burekas is the perfect start to each day, and getting real Israeli falafel and pita or shawarma during pizza lunches are highlights of our days. What is also so incredible to see and part of what has made us realize that we are not in North America anymore, is the kashrut certification front and center in most shops and restaurants. A bunch of us even went to a kosher McDonald’s – crazy! It really emphasizes the fact we are in a Jewish state, which is really cool and validating.
On September 13th, the Workshoppers flew to Israel to begin Workshop 72. 
now busy with their second seminar, Shorashim Seminar. This is an introduction to Shorashim, the first part of Workshop, where they will be living on Kibbutz Ein HaShofet, doing 
We opened our NEW ropes course and played on a NEW water toy.
Kupah trips! 
This summer at 
Camp Miriam
Of course, I did get around to remembering both the longstanding customs and everyday activities that take place at camp. But I didn’t do it alone. This summer, I worked as a madatz madrichol, one of four Madatz Madrichimot, meaning I spent a lot of time with youth aged 16 to 17. As the future leaders of Camp Miriam, the madatz were grateful to have the chance to take part in their leadership development program. After having lost valuable experiences to the pandemic, they latched onto the madatz program, hungry for the opportunities it would provide them. Throughout the summer, I watched them grow, face challenges, and become people who will be important guides in the lives of Camp Miriam’s chanichimot for years to come. I was impressed and humbled by all the madatz accomplished this summer, and it is largely through them that I was able to remember what it means to be at Camp Miriam.
quite compares to being back in the old stomping grounds of Gabriola Island. Sure, maybe madrichimot had to explain basic elements of camp to kids more times than usual this summer, but the synapses of the Camp Miriam community were firing, and together, we remembered. It is not a far cry to consider the summer of 2022 as a triumph—both in recovering the institutional memory of Camp Miriam, and in providing campers with meaningful summers. I, for one, know that more than one madatz went home with stories they’ll be telling to their own children.
summer at 
Tzevet and chanichimot from Habonim Dror Mexico joined our community and integrated well. The kids and tzevet all loved each other and the Mexican madatz helped the Galil madatz understand taking responsibility for the ken.
Camp Tavor
The theme this summer was roots and fruits. Roots looking into the why and what we do at Tavor and Fruits, the how we put our roots into practice. The theme naturally weaved its way into so many aspects of the summer and was felt in our everyday activities, from our tikkun olam projects to our asepha klalit (community meeting) discussions for the whole machaneh.
Dear HDCA Readers,
Machaneh Gesher: Gesher’s mazkirut reports 
Machaneh Miriam: 
Machaneh Moshava: Chanichimot (campers) spend time with their shikvah (age group) each day to have a fun educational activity and discussion. Each day kids talk about different things such as consent, collectivism, labor and more. The youngest Mosh campers (Nitzanimot) have arrived as well!
Machaneh Tavor: Kids working in the Chava (farm) at Tavor get to spend some time around the goats, and typically help out with weeding and maintenance. It’s a peaceful and meaningful avodah where our campers learn to grow vegetables, understand composting, and get an overall education about environmental justice and Jewish roots in working the land.
Summer 2022 has begun! Every session, the chuggim change depending on what madrichimot (counselors) are excited to lead. We always make sure there are a variety of chuggim that speak to different kids’ needs, energy levels, and interests. This session, the chuggim include messy fun, animal sports, girl band, murals and more!
The MBI-ers left North America for Israel on Thursday, June 30th. MBI this summer has 79 participants representing every machaneh, with over 10 participants from each of 5 of the 6 machanot. Some highlights from MBI this summer include the classics, such as going to Masada and the Old City, but also meeting with Druze members of Habonim Dror’s sister movement Hanoar Haoved veHalomed. MBIers will also join Israeli Jewish teens for a week of joint travel and programming.
After several years of successful leadership, having survived COVID and expanded both camp and year-round enrollment, Julie Macht Beenhouwer has turned over the chairmanship of the Camp Gilboa Board of Directors to Tyson Roberts. Thank you, Julie and Baruch Haba, Tyson!
Economy, and Authoritarian Institutions. He has long experience in Africa: between 1995 and 1997 he served in the Peace Corps as a Rural Community Development Volunteer in Benin where he worked with local partners to fund a goat-raising cooperative, establish a girls’ vocational training center, and organize a microcredit program, among other efforts. Back home in L.A. he’s been active in refugee assistance work. For example, he co-chaired the Los Angeles Jews for Refugees Assembly (
In March, we had our first in-person movement seminars in 2 years! We decided to combine Moetzet Madatz and Moetzet Mazkirut, which are the (usually separate) training seminars that the Mazkirut Artzit runs for the youth leadership of the machanot. Due to COVID guidelines, we unfortunately had to host the seminar in two separate locations. For the Canadian machanot, we had a three day seminar in Toronto, and for the American machanot, we had a three day seminar in Philadelphia. We had a total of 40 people at both seminars, and have since gathered all together on Zoom to give the leadership a chance to meet each other and share updates about summer preparations. The content of the seminar was generally well-received by the participants, and we had a lot of fun together in both locations. 
Here are some highlights of the seminar:
