Not Revolution Evolution but a Real Bocoup

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We have a tendency to downplay the success and effectiveness of our leadership training at Galil, mainly because we often forget that it's happening. We forget it's happening because of how naturally it all comes about. Leadership training, or hadracha as we call it, is not something that begins once you hit madatz, our CIT summer, it begins so much earlier than that. The Tzofim (post 7th grade) realize that the Chalutzim (Elementary school-age) will act more engaged if they act more engaged themselves. That's the first rule of hadracha: enthusiasm generates enthusiasm.

What comes later on is when we put our hadracha training to the test. Twice a summer the Madatz revolt against tzevet (staff) and run a day of special programming for the chanichim (campers), conveniently called "Revolution." The Bonim (post 8th grade) plan and run a reenactment of illegally transporting Eastern European Jews to what was then Palestine on the rise of antisemitism and persecution in the 1930-40's (a.k.a. Aliyah Bet). Though they run and plan the night they also heavily depend on help from the tzevet, the madatz, and most importantly, the Bogrim, (post 9th grade) our oldest campers.

The Bogrim get to test the waters of Hadracha as well. It happens twice a summer, once in planning a tochnit erev (evening program) and the second was getting to plan and run a half-day of programming in what they call the "Bogrim Coup" or really Bocoup. The Bogrim get to run the mitbach (kitchen), delegate the tasks, and most importantly make sure that all of the chanichim are having a fantastic time.

These leadership skills are hard to come by and it's not very common in the average high school life that a group of 9-10th graders embrace such an undertaking. One of the best things that we do

here is inspire the next generation of leaders in high school, college, and Jewish and local communities. We give our chanichim real, applicable skills that they can take into their home lives and make a real difference wherever they go. And yet, we manage to do this while supporting their creativity and letting them dream. If we don't let them dream here and now, how will they realize they can achieve great things. And to put that very special spin on, it was in fact Theodore Hertzl, the founder of modern-day zionism who said "If you will it, it is no dream"

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M.C. SHMOLLY