Dear Friends, December 2011
Around the middle of May 1981, three families entered the first houses of Kfar
Rafael, with their six children and a handful of co-workers. A few weeks later
17 villagers from Beit Eliahu moved in, and the earthly existence of our
life-community practically began. The office was in a room in one of the family
flats, the weavery and wood workshop in the two bomb-shelters, the bread was
baked at home, a room in one of the houses was dedicated to the therapeutic
class, and the laundry was washed in turns in the one commercial machine
installed in a room in the other house. A lot of work was invested in land work
around the houses as well as in orchard and garden, so as to create 'an oasis'
wherein we can take root and grow. Not less effort was required to establish
the right habits and rhythms needed for a therapeutic adults community and to
support the villagers on the transition from youth to maturity. And, as the
sail that carries it all forward with ever renewing and rejuvenation, the cultural life: the
daily 'morning song', the evening activities,
the Shabbat reception ('Kabalat Shabbat') and ending ('Havdala'), the
seasonal festivals and celebrations around the year, study groups and introduction
courses; not to mention the endless meetings about every detail of life…
The first decade may be characterized in intensive physical growth:
workshops – the laundry, the bakery and the weavery – were built, the orchard,
vegetable garden and the estate gardens and lawns established, the main circle
of 9 houses completed and, for a short period in 1991-2, fully populated (!). In
the second decade, more qualitative developments can be discerned: The
cultural activities, office facilities and medical clinic received a decent
home in the village hall, that offers additionally extra accommodation for
long-term co-workers as well as a meetings and seminar room; an elaborated and
fully equipped third workshop building for the food-processing, silk work and
candle-making as well as the gift-shop was built; service facilities such as
the garage and cool-room building, the wood workshop and the sports ground
added; wind-breaking and shade-offering trees were planted within existing
orchard and estate; home life as well as work and cultural activity received a
more solid, established and balanced pace, with 7 stable house-communities
housing around 50 villagers; and the 'Kfar Rafael' seminar for young co-workers
as well as external students made its initial steps. The third decade
brought the seeds of transformation, opening up, ending and renewal: a younger
generation of families began to step in; a neighborhood of six houses was built
for actively retired former houseparents; individual therapies – painting,
music, eurhythmy, horse riding, massage and physiotherapy – developed; the
'villagers seminar' began side by side with the already established co-workers
one. Older and frail villagers, partners for the road of many years, had sadly
to leave to more suitable facilities, thus paving the way for younger ones to
join in; and, last but not least: the Waldorf education initiative, 'Neta
Erez', sprang up and grew from one kindergarten 10 years ago to 7 school
classes and 4 kindergartens today!
So how was 2011 for us?
It began with the unique, heart-touching
being of 'The Little Prince' and its creator, the writer and pilot Antoine de
st. Exupery. For the first time we took a modern creation and creator as theme
for our 'winter activity', after many years of mythological, biblical and
legendary themes. The voyage of this heavenly child from his little star with
the moody Rose, through the various planets of imperfect one-sidednesses we all
share, to the present earth wherein he can learn the wisdom of the heart, and
can teach it to his friend before returning to his Rose, captured us all with
its universal truthfulness. The unusual life-story of its creator inspired
courage, steadfastness and solidarity for all humanity.
The spring brought us Alex, a new villager
in Spielmann house that speaks fluent Russian, who joined us in April and
quickly adjusted to the new way of life he met here. His warm and open person
is a true contribution to our community.
On the first of May we parted from Chava
(Eva) Levy, the widow of our first
association treasurer, the late Michael Levy, who had crossed the threshold 13
years ago. Chava and Michael stood at the cradle of 'Beit Eliahu' from the very
beginning, supported us faithfully throughout the early years of struggle in
the desert, and shall surely continue the work with renewed joint forces
henceforth!
In
the middle of May, exactly on our 30th anniversary, a group of
villagers - former pupils of the founder and matron of 'Beit Eliahu', Ms. Ruth
Mosimann - entered her house in Port, canton Bern, Switzerland. The visit was a
dream that came true for both sides, and the whole Swiss holiday of the group
was very successful!
In June, months of mountainous work came
to completion and the Be'er Sheva Waldorf school moved to its spacious new
site, wherein it can continue to grow and develop up to class 9. Parallel to
that, the work on the future secondary school continues, and the seminar for
Waldorf education matures in its second year. The Waldorf initiative is
still in need of substantial donations!
The
'tectonic' movements continued throughout the summer, when the former
co-workers flat of Mader house was renovated and became the home of family
Spielmann, the houseparents; Gal and Anva Levy, co-houseparents in Joel house,
moved (again!) to the new neighborhood, thus making space for Keren and Morvan
Shalem, former co-houseparents in Mader house, to move in and prepare to take
over the Talker house from Christine, who stepped down from houseparentship and
can dedicate now more time to workshop, therapy, seminar teaching and staff
correspondence.
The autumn saw us strengthening the new
connection with the large manufacturing company of 'Chemicals for Israel', who
foster us in direct project financing as well as in voluntary work of
professionals and in supporting our efforts to improve and 'engreen' our energy
system. We hope to tell you more about this long-term connection next year.
Finally, in mid-winter, we invited all our
voluntary professionals from outside – the carpenter, the maintenance man, the
horse-breaker, the Hebrew teacher, as well as the long-term employees - with
their families to a Hanukkah celebration in the village hall; several villagers
played Hanukkah tunes on their instruments, each volunteer was addressed and
thanked for his/her contribution, the carpenter - a religious man - blessed and
lighted the candles, and we sang. It was a heart-warming occasion, in which we
could extend our grattitude also to all those who support us from far and
beyond!
Warm greetings for
2012 from us all!
