Date: July 17, 2016
Author: Hartley Gelkopf
Theme: Community Week, Partnership Day B


Today was the last and final day of Community Week. The group responsible for planning today was Partnership B, and as part of Partnership B, it was exciting to see my day come to life.
In the morning, we started off with a visit to a kibbutz called Grofit. This kibbutz is a home to one of the Eilat-Eilot fellows; Itay. This kibbutz specializes in therapeutic horse back riding for individuals with emotional, physical and mental disabilities. It was really meaningful for me to see the work that they do. 

The next stop was to another kibbutz is called Ketura. This kibbutz specializes in renewable energy and the development of third world country aid. It was really fascinating to see the cool projects that go on in this kibbutz. They have methods for farming in the desert, cooking with recyclable energy, keeping cool in the heat, and so many other innovative ideas. This kibbutz taught me to be more appreciative of what I have, and how easy I have it. I now have a deeper appreciation for Israel and other countries that provide technological innovations for clean drinking water worldwide. 

The last stop was to the city of Sderot, which is one of the cities bordering Gaza. This community has been torn apart and put back together. This city is often targeted by the terrorist organization known as Hamas. Most buildings are bomb shelters. For the people on the street when the alarm sounds, there shelters every 20 meters. Since operation Protective Edge, Hamas has not been as active and the threat is not as severe as it once was. Hamas has been acknowledging the cease-fire. One of the most impacting parts of the day was when we met with teens our age that live in Sderot. They shared their stories, experiences, and the reality that they live. They are incredibly normal, which was very unexpected because they live in a "war zone". They live a normal lifestyle. They are prepared for the worst with a positive attitude. We got to ask any questions we wanted, and they were happy to answer. Many people want to physically try and help this community, but really, this community just needs metnal support. They are stronger than any of us could imagine. I'd like to end this blog post by thanking the other members of Partnership B; Nitzan, Itay, and Sarah. This was definitely the best way to end Community Week. -Hartley Gelkopf