The Old Machon Campus

If you drop by Hezkiyahu Hamelech Street in Katamon, Number 15, you can see the location of the Mayanot educational institution.

But back in 1966-1967, it was the Machon L'Madrichei Chutz La'Aretz center (it moved there probably in 1949 as in 1948, it was held in Petah Tikva) where I lived for 5 months, ate and studied (there was a nearby secondary dorm building which, I understand, was more a lively place than ours). It used to be the Claridge Hotel during Mandate times, built by the Freij Family in the 193os. The Czech consul resided there in 1947-48.

From the Palestine Post October 27, 1947:

It was opposite Villa Regina where J.N. Stubbs, M.C., A/Commissioner for Lands & Surveys in the Mandate Palestine government (1921-1947), originally of the Legal Department, lived. In December 1948, the Palestine Post reported that its courtyards housed chicknes from the Girls' Training Farm formerly of North Talpiot.

Since one of my sons lives nearby with his wife and baby son, I've passed it more than I used to. And it brings back memories.

This was a lecture room, usually for arts & crafts, camping activities and games:

The complex behind that pre-fab lecture room:

The entrance to the inner courtyard, into which we once lifted up four steps a teacher's Volksvagen:

and where we danced

If you are unfamiliar with the area, the map location is #39 in David Kroyanker's book:

and today:

The main building of the administration offices, library, dining hall and some other learning rooms:

The Machon "provides leadership training for graduates of Zionist Youth Movements from around the world".

We were the 39th Session ('Machzor').

^

Stony Stony

I first came to Israel in September 1966 for my ear at the Machon L'Madrichei Chul program.  The mythic-beyond-reality program, I add.  The fiftieth anniversary coming up.

One of my very first impressions was --- rocks.

And now, I found what to quote:

Judea is one accumulation of stones -

Stony mountains & stony plains;

stony torrents and stony roads;

stony walls and stony fields;

stony houses and stony tombs;

stony eyes and stony hearts;

Before you, & behind you are stones.

Stones to the right & stones to the left.

Herman Melville, Journals, 90

^

Frank Stein, o"h

I just read that Frank Stein died and was buried yesterday.

The Jerusalem Post report is here and the Haaretz one is here.

I was Frank's madrich, youth movement leader, during the year he was in Israel as a student at the Machon L'Madrichei Chutz La'Aretz, a program of the Jewish Agency's Youth & Hechalutz Department. That was in the late 1970s.

Frank was from Australia, a member of Betar. He modified his views over the years but he was a fierce Zionist. For five months, once a week, I was there at the Machon, guiding them in the whys and wherefores of Betar. I just recently saw him a few months ago at an event at the Begin Center.

May his memory be for a blessing.

A Visitor from Australia

As my faithful readers know, between September 1966 and August 1967, I was on a year-long program sponsored by the Youth & Hechalutz Department of the Jewish Agency, called HaMachon L'Madrichei Chutz LaAretz, the Youth Leadership Program, or, for short, "The Machon". (Here's the Bogrim [Graduates] site). My Machzor was #39.

Well, someone I haven't seen in 41 years came to visit with Lucille and Annette (I'll just stick with first names), Gaby Krausz from Australia:



Just for fun, here's the Hebrew class, Vav, and Gaby is in the center, standing just behind our teacher, Yonah David:



Actually, the first thing I said to him was "where'd the mustache go?".

P.S. If you are searching for me, I'm in the back row, standing, third from left, in between Rivka and Debbie.


____________

Gaby died this past year of a heart attack.

Another Reminisce

This is a photo sent to me by Ben Rappaport.

It shows Moshav Amatziah probably around 1965-66.

I was there from January – August 1967 (and once or twice in the preceding months) and it looked just the same. I was there as part of my hachshara program of the Machon L'Madrichei Chutz La'Aretz of the Jewish Agency's Youth & Hechalutz Department. (some pics here)

The picture is taken from Dueima Hill looking north. The entrance to the moshav is to the right. The Machoniks lived in the last row of houses to the far left.

Jordan was further over to the left, the east, but not that far.