Magshimey Herut North America is open for all who are influenced by, and continually want to support Zionism. Our goal is to reach out to Jewish communities across North America and bring the purist form of Zionism to them, strengthening the bond between Jews and the Land of Israel. By working with communities, campuses, high schools, etc., we strive to create Zionist leaders to better represent Israel and combat the anti-Israel rhetoric widespread in North America today. Aside from community building, our representatives also focus on finding ambitious Jews who are looking for specified internships to help them further their career in their field of interest and strive to bridge these interests and career prospects together with a tailor-made, fulfilling experience living in Israel. These internships are not only for those who have never been to Israel, but also a great way for students who have previously visited Israel on an organized trip to come experience living in Israel, and truly immerse oneself within Israel’s culture.
*For more information about internship opportunities, please click here.
Magshimey Herut in Belarus and the Ukraine function as a classical youth movement. Activities are held weekly where the Madrich will present an ideological subject to the group through games, stories and many other Hadracha methods. The movement leaders and madrichim work with a preplanned educational curriculum beginning from the history of Zionism, Jewish leaders and heroes through subjects that relate to modern Israel , the Israeli society , culture and politics.
In small Jewish communities help from a Zionist Youth movement can really make a difference. Holidays and Memorial days are typically planned and carried out together with the Jewish Community and Magshimey Herut leaders take pride in their contribution to these many events.
The movement in Belarus participates in two local festivals:
1) Purimshpiel: which takes place in the city of Vitebsk – in this festival every movement is requested to prepare a skit on Purim and present before an audience. The best skit is chosen by a number of judges and is given a prize.
2) Hannukah: which takes place in the Capital city of Belarus Minsk -In this festival all the participants are asked to prepare a short film on the Holiday. The best film, actor, actress etc. are chosen and it is held in an “Oscar awards fashion”
Educational Seminars: Most of the Chanichim are either in high school or college and look forward to the two traditional seminars held yearly. These seminars are a chance for our key activists to meet their colleagues from other countries, to exchange stories, experiences and participate in important workshops and lectures.
In addition to these events they are active in combating antisemitism, the movement is active in helping in the restoration of desecrated Jewish Cemeteries.
Promoting Aliyah: From the establishment of our branch in Belarus, the movement has been blessed with serious madrichim (counselors) who served the movement and at the end of their term made Aliyah. It is not a common thing that a movement branch has to replace all of their local leaders due to their making Aliyah – We are very proud to have undergone this process three times. We are training a new group of young leaders who will carry the torch and continue the tradition of making Aliyah at the end of their term. MH Belarus boasts the highest Aliyah rate of all of our branches across the globe.
Magshimey Herut Russia (Saint-Petersburg), in cooperation with Israel’s Ministry of Education the World Zionist Organization, is currently working on a project called “Zorim Tziyonut” – Zionist Outreach.
MH Herut Russia illuminates Israel in a different light through projecting Israel’s cultural fruits to the world. Therefore “Zorim Tziyonut” – Zionist Outreach doesn’t compete with the work of other Jewish organizations, rather, the project creates something new entirely. We organize activities in the interest of Jewish youth – a group often far removed from Jewish tradition and Jewish organizations.
The following ideas and programs – with help from Jewish informal organizations such as: the Jewish Community Center, the CREAM (Club of Fun of Jewish youth), and The Jewish Agency’s Center of Youth Initiatives – have been implemented:
1. Mad Tea Party – Movies + cocktails that show Israel from the perspective of film.
The project gives a glimpse into the life of Israelis through cinema. The host is Konstantin Uchitel – a well known musical critic in St. Petersburg and a lecturer at the St. Petersburg State Academy of Theatrical Art. His presence serves to promote attendance.
2. Israeli Documentary Club – Participants view and discuss documentary films from and about Israel.
3. Israeli Music Fan Club – Participants listen to music with those who like Mizrahi and other Mediterranean music.
4. The project’s site and social media – The site and group are in the most popular social network in Russia: “Vkontakte”.
It has been created to involve and keep young Jews socially connected. On this site there is interesting and non-traditional information about Israel, news about Israeli science, culture, high-tech achievements, medicine and other aspects of Israeli society. We regularly add photos and videos about Israel.
We are currently working on the following projects:
1. “A Zionist history of Saint-Petersburg” – The goal is to have participants tour “Zionist Petersburg” and learn about Herzel, Montefiore, and a cadre of other Zionist thinkers and organizations. It is the first such project anywhere in the former USSR.
2. A new pro-Israel book in which local celebrities of the Jewish origin tell their thoughts about Israel – with each celebrity focusing on the area of Israeli life in which he/she knows most. This book will pique the interest of both the Jewish and non-Jewish public.
3. Exhibition – Display photos of Israel. We’ve already reached a preliminary arrangement with several photographers from Israel, Russia and Germany.
Magshimey Herut Europe holds educational seminars and helps in the organization of rallies confronting anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism in British society.
The seminars were a great success, and we hope our movement keeps progressing and coming up with new innovative methods of combining pleasure with educational ideological quality
– Yahgozie Immanuel, MH U.K.