Comments on: A Decade in Review

By: Mordechai

Mordechai — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 01:22:28 +0000

Dovid, I know I speak for a very large part of the Perth Jewish Community – we are very grateful to the Seed program and all the members who give of your time to come to Perth to share your wealth of knowledge with us….we love your program
I know that all my kids cant wait for you guys to come back this year…again Thank you

Chag Channukah Sameach

By: Dovid

Dovid — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:36:22 +0000

As one of the forces behind the SEED program I can say that we do try as hard as possible to cater to the entire community but our program does center around Carmel School. We would love to hear proposals from various groups in the community and would always be open to programming that suits each group best.

I’m not sure if the OP is referring to the AUJS events that we have hosted at the PHC, but it seems that each of the last 3 years we have seen an increase in attendance and many of the participants have requested further one-on-one or group learning.

By: Yisro

Yisro — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 11:16:24 +0000

Have to say… I don’t find SEED boring either. I know many people who also enjoy their visits. However they do really cater primarily to people who already have an interest in that kind of learning.

Frankly, the more we have here the better. However KEYBoys point about more local involvement remains valid.

By: Mordechai

Mordechai — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:00:24 +0000

While I appreciate Gedalia’s attempt to moderate,I as a member of this community am not going to ignore the attempt by any person posting to this blog to denegrate any program, and especially the Seed program..as stated in my previous posting this group gives of their time and funds the program themselves to give to our community ,so KEYboy it is not that I disagree with everything you say. And by the way to say that you have found the Seed program boring is not indicative of the whole community or the program….infact all my children are always excited when the Seed program arrives, and infact they love to learn with the Seed members, and yes they DO NOT find it boring

By: Gedalia

Gedalia — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 11:15:22 +0000

At the risk of resorting to moderation, can I please respectfully ask that we refocus on the post, and steer clear of personally directed comments? The points above have been made well, and are left standing. I would like to ask both Keyboy and Mordechai what they think the most significant acheivements and shortcomings are of our community over the past 10 years. There are plenty more examples of both that I have not included in my top 5.

By: KEYboy

KEYboy — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 11:08:41 +0000

You love to disagree with everything I say don’t you.

I don’t think I have ever written anything without your criticism.

All that I was really stating is that the religious youth in our community can do a far better job then SEED. And I stand by that. For the last 3 or 4 years I have had programs run for me by the SEED and I have found them boring and completely useless. But on the other hand I have been involved in programs run by Bnei Akiva, like their annual Tikkun Lel and they have been professional and informative. On top of that I have been over east and had programs run for my By Aaron Wilner and Joel Burnie both ex Bnei boys and thought they were incredible it was just a shame that these W.A boys were having to weave the craft over East.

By: Mordechai

Mordechai — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 06:19:07 +0000

It is worth pointing out that the YOUNG MEN AND COUPLES who come over from Seed year in a year out do so at their cost (100% funded by Seed) and in addition give up their summer vacation to assist our community
They are also very well received within the community and have a wealth of knowledge to give to our community…they are also fantastic role models for our youth

I think we should all think twice before we criticise and denegrate any group or people, and in particular young men, women and couples of the calibre of the Seed program

By: mel

mel — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 14:06:50 +0000

Advice from AJN Watch – get the Hamodia to Perth
http://ajnwatch.blogspot.com/2009/12/time-to-get-hamodia-to-perth.html

By: Gedalia

Gedalia — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 12:45:23 +0000

Keyboy, I followed a very similar “career path” through the Zionist Youth Groups. I involved myself with a higher level of representation in a community group when I left AUJS, but after a while left out of frustration. The people on the committee would not do anything except talk about how bad things were. When I suggested speaking out, being noticed, organising activity, raising resources, I was shut down. I don’t want to give too many details, but I do remember concluding that the community is its own worst enemy when it comes to succession planning.

There are so many talented people like yourself that should not be discouraged. At the end of the day community is not about institutionalism, but rather about people who care taking the initiative and making things happen. Within your own social group and age demographic there is much to be achevied without having to conform to the structures of formal committees.

With that said, I think it would be wonderful if the JCCWA sponsored a leadership development program. Both Bnei and Habo have great shlichim in Perth at the moment, who are already doing exactly this for Zionist youth madrichim. Something a little more advanced for graduating tertiary students would bridge a huge gap in the “professional development” of the community, and lead to greater involvement of people in the many organisations that struggle to attract new leaders.

By: KEYboy

KEYboy — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 07:59:18 +0000

Great post yet again.

Your point on leadership development to spot on. I have been bogger in Habo for 2 years and then moved on to AUJS president. But now my time in Youth leadership is coming to an end.

I personally want to stay involved but there is no avenue to do so. I don’t want to sit on a shul board and I most definitely don’t want to get involved with Maccabee.

Over East people like me are a prime asset and there aren’t just volunteering opportunities the are 100’s of job opportunities. Many of my Habo and AUJS friends from over east now work for their Sate Zionist Council the UIA and some for AIJAC. These opportunites need to be offered here.

On top of that our community has this fixation on spending money and getting people from America and the US to run Youth activities in our community. Year after Year this happens and I get so frustrated. The Youth in our community can do it and we are better trained and better then them.

When the Youth house at Noranda Shul was openned they payed a full time worker from America to come an run it. To be honest he was useless.

Then you have the Seed, these people come every year to run religious programs for the youth. These people don’t have any leadership training. The Bnei Bogrim could do a far better Job.

Then you have the Zionist seminars, Yes these guys are fun and bring something special from Israel but the Kids love the Australian Youth Movement Mudrichim Better. On top of that On these camps the Youth Movement mudrichim come a lead for free (They usually have to miss uni and work to do so), over east they are payed for this services.

For the last year I have slaved away as AUJS president, and will continue to do so next year. But after that there is nothing. If I want to continue to work for the community I will have to move east or to Israel.

The sad reality is the best leadership training comes from the West, 7 out of the last 10 national presidents for AUJS are from WA, (sadly only 2 have come home). The federal Muzkir and Federal Rosh Chinuch of Habo are from WA. The youth delicate from AIJAC is from WA and the 2010 Habo Shnat madrich is From WA. Out of 7 Madrichim sent by AUJS to Israel 2 of them are from Perth (Perth is only sending 10 kids on the short term programs and over all there are around 150 kids going nationally).