Page 64 - issue
P. 64
Journey to Ma’ale Amos
laughs Shoshana. Both the cheder and girls elementary ferent, such as the appropriate styles of
The Weinberg’s son, Yisrael, when he school on the yishuv are Chinuch Atzmai dress, leisure activities, goals for your chil-
schools, which are partially financed by dren, what you talk about and don’t talk
was already a young adult, spent a few the government. Most children stay in the about, and the social life.” In the absorp-
Shabbosim in Gush Katif, the enclave of yishuv for school, but some children trav- tion center, Shoshana remembers being
yishuvim in the Gaza Strip. He once el 30 minutes to Beitar or an hour by car, a little jealous of her dati leumi neigh-
took the family to visit the settlement bus, or free school buses to Yerushalayim bors because “they could stay who they
Neve Dekalim and meet his host family. to attend schools that better suit their were and their kids would be fine. They
The hostess insisted to Shoshana that needs, such as a Yiddish-speaking cha- didn’t have to make changes, so it was
the evacuation would never happen. sidish cheder. Although the local schools easier for the kids. Of course, you still
That summer, the evacuation sadly did have a remedial teacher, children who have to adjust to the culture and lan-
take place. Shoshana describes how this have more severe special needs also guage, but because of the chareidi com-
tragic event affected her family as yishuv leave the yishuv and receive free door-to- munity’s long history of having to fight for
residents: “You identify very strongly with door transportation in vans. Some par- Torah in a secular State, it turns out that,
the people being forced out, and you ents from surrounding yishuvim who in the chareidi world, you are always
imagine it could happen here also.” want a chareidi school experience send bashing the government. And when
their kids to Ma’ale Amos for school. you’re busy bashing society and its cul-
There are no stores in Ma’ale Amos Teachers are either local or travel in from tural values, your kids start thinking,
aside from a few families that sell items Beitar or Yerushalayim. ‘Why did you bring us here if it’s so bad?’”
from their homes, such as fruits and
vegetables, snacks, baking supplies, and ◆◆◆ The Weinbergs tried to infuse their
cleaning supplies. Most people own cars children with the great value and signif-
and shop in Beitar or Yerushalayim. Shoshana shares one of their biggest icance of being in Eretz Yisrael, which
Children who study in Yerushalayim as challenges they encountered in their new they weren’t necessarily getting in the
well as adults who learn or work there Israeli life: “We went from American schools. For their part, the schools were
help by bringing groceries back to their yeshivish out-of- town community to an leery of the American Weinberg chil-
families by bus or car. Israeli chareidi one. Many things were dif-
60 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
laughs Shoshana. Both the cheder and girls elementary ferent, such as the appropriate styles of
The Weinberg’s son, Yisrael, when he school on the yishuv are Chinuch Atzmai dress, leisure activities, goals for your chil-
schools, which are partially financed by dren, what you talk about and don’t talk
was already a young adult, spent a few the government. Most children stay in the about, and the social life.” In the absorp-
Shabbosim in Gush Katif, the enclave of yishuv for school, but some children trav- tion center, Shoshana remembers being
yishuvim in the Gaza Strip. He once el 30 minutes to Beitar or an hour by car, a little jealous of her dati leumi neigh-
took the family to visit the settlement bus, or free school buses to Yerushalayim bors because “they could stay who they
Neve Dekalim and meet his host family. to attend schools that better suit their were and their kids would be fine. They
The hostess insisted to Shoshana that needs, such as a Yiddish-speaking cha- didn’t have to make changes, so it was
the evacuation would never happen. sidish cheder. Although the local schools easier for the kids. Of course, you still
That summer, the evacuation sadly did have a remedial teacher, children who have to adjust to the culture and lan-
take place. Shoshana describes how this have more severe special needs also guage, but because of the chareidi com-
tragic event affected her family as yishuv leave the yishuv and receive free door-to- munity’s long history of having to fight for
residents: “You identify very strongly with door transportation in vans. Some par- Torah in a secular State, it turns out that,
the people being forced out, and you ents from surrounding yishuvim who in the chareidi world, you are always
imagine it could happen here also.” want a chareidi school experience send bashing the government. And when
their kids to Ma’ale Amos for school. you’re busy bashing society and its cul-
There are no stores in Ma’ale Amos Teachers are either local or travel in from tural values, your kids start thinking,
aside from a few families that sell items Beitar or Yerushalayim. ‘Why did you bring us here if it’s so bad?’”
from their homes, such as fruits and
vegetables, snacks, baking supplies, and ◆◆◆ The Weinbergs tried to infuse their
cleaning supplies. Most people own cars children with the great value and signif-
and shop in Beitar or Yerushalayim. Shoshana shares one of their biggest icance of being in Eretz Yisrael, which
Children who study in Yerushalayim as challenges they encountered in their new they weren’t necessarily getting in the
well as adults who learn or work there Israeli life: “We went from American schools. For their part, the schools were
help by bringing groceries back to their yeshivish out-of- town community to an leery of the American Weinberg chil-
families by bus or car. Israeli chareidi one. Many things were dif-
60 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
