Today Kliptown, Tomorrow the World

Posted by Gareth Hall on July 28, 2011

Today Kliptown, Tomorrow the World.

By: Kathryn Henning

Over the past few months, the Netzer Madrichim have been volunteering in Kliptown, Soweto, as a part of Netzers Ideology of Tikkun Olam (Repairing the world). Continue reading →

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Understanding the Journey – Shnat Netzer

Posted by Gareth Hall on July 28, 2011

“Let me walk oh let me walk, to the place that my heart loves. Open my heart to love the place that my feet take me to.” For the past year, these words have been my anthem. I have used them to guide me in the decisions that I have made. I think that on some level, I am in Israel because of this song. I never thought that I would ever be on a gap year in Israel, yet here I am and I honestly could not imagine doing anything else. I like to use this song as a perfect example to express what this Shnat year means to me. I think that I am following my heart and at the same time accepting wherever it takes me. Continue reading →

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The Social Network

Posted by Gareth Hall on July 28, 2011

The Social Network

‘Facebook’; ‘Twitter’ ;  ‘google +’;‘bbm’ and the like. It doesn’t take a Hollywood blockbuster to dictate the social milieu today’s youth generation is networking in. Young people today are steadily interacting on a virtual level. The desire for exclusivity, intimacy and keeping the personal, personal  are replaced by a need to get one’s individual ‘status’  or thoughts out there, increasing contacts and ‘friends’ groups and generally striving to be connected and in tune with the rest of the world. Continue reading →

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A World Without Collisions  - Ideology and Counter culture

Posted by Gareth Hall on June 2, 2011

A youth movement is more than a social gathering of young people. It is more than wearing matching shirts, (chultzot) and more than the popular conception of a ‘summer camp’. To be in a youth movement is to play party to an ideology that is collectively espoused. But this ideology is not merely envisioned, quite the contrary , to be a movement is to be dynamic. Youth movements aim to live out their ideals  - to be a counter culture. Continue reading →

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Netzer Gauteng – Hadsem

Posted by Gareth Hall on May 16, 2011

Netzer’s Hadsem was a weekend spent at Beit Emanual where the Gauteng madrichim got to explore the various styles of leadership, as well as identify with which leadership style suited each person. It was a weekend full of laughs, coffee breaks and complaining about the cold, but when we all had our coffee we were all prepared to focus on how to be the best madrichim we could personally be and ensure that all the channichim that attend any Netzer event would have an unforgettable experience! Continue reading →

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Netzer News February/March 2011

Posted by Gareth Hall on March 6, 2011

Much has been going on in Netzer since our summer camp. Lauren Kessler and Jarred Durbach attended Netzer Veida, the international conference in progressive Judaism’s headquarters – Bet Shmuel in Jerusalem – where Netzer leaders from our 13 different countries got together to share knowledge and discuss the future of Netzer as a world movement. We also welcomed Brazil as the newest snif (branch) of out movement. Continue reading →

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So what is Progressive Zionism. Part 2

Posted by Gareth Hall on March 6, 2011

To follow on from last month’s article; the Progressive movement begins to align itself with the sentiment of Jews needing a homeland, and furthermore, that homeland being Israel. Continue reading →

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So what is progressive Zionism? Part 1

Posted by Gareth Hall on March 6, 2011

As one of Netzer’s five ideological pillars, Progressive Zionism is by far the most confusing and conflictual, whether you are a leader in Netzer or just an inquiring mind.
When the head of the Israel centre in South Africa, asked the question; ‘So what is Progressive Zionism? Continue reading →

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Netzer Israel Tour – Exploring the land of hummus and kippot

Posted by Gareth Hall on October 25, 2010

Hearts fill of anticipation, 12 young Netzerniks set off for Israel. The journey began
with an 8 hour marathon overnight in Addis Ababa’ s “ enormous” airport. Tired,
drained and rather smelly, we arrived in Jerusalem just in time to witness our first
sunset over the Holy Land. Continue reading →

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Shnat Netzer – A Netzernik goes abroad

Posted by Gareth Hall on September 29, 2010

November is an exciting time for matrics, the prospects of the big wide world are almost in their grasp with exams being the final hurdle. For Netzerniks it becomes the time to prepare for the upcoming year unanimously agreed as the most amazing year of your life – Shnat, Shnat Netzer. Continue reading →

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