Returnees Seminar

November, 2007

The November Returnees Seminar got off to a good start last night in Tel Aviv with dinner at a restaurant called Lilit.  The Melton graduates and spouses, nearly all of them from Overland Park, Kansas,(one couple from Rochester too) together with their local director, Don Goldman, and  former Mini-School director, Rabbi Amy Wallk Katz, sat down to enjoy some fine dining as their first seminar experience together.  One couple had just completed a five week vacation in France, and there was great excitement as they reunited with their Kansas friends. 

Little did they know that this pleasant tasty meal was actually their first session, their first glimpse into the social issues facing Israelis today.The restaurant, Lilit, was chosen as the first course in the 10-day seminar because of what it represents.

Lilit is a teaching restaurant. It takes on 20 underprivileged young people and trains them in the culinary professions. In addition to mastering the field these young people are taught responsibility, the work ethic and team skills, and are provided with a safe and supportive environment. At the conclusion of dinner, the 29 year old manager, herself a shining graduate of the program, took questions and answers from the fascinated group, and was given a warm round of applause not only for her presentation, but for her fine commitment.

Rabbi Morey Schwartz, the FMAMS curriculum coordinator, and his wife Deena, formally of Overland Park Kansas, joined the group for dinner.  Morey drew a parallel between Abraham's journey to Canaan, only to find settling the land filled with challenges, and the contemporary challenges that face the Modern State of Israel.  He pointed out to the group that this would be the first of many issues they were going to be exposed to during their journey together, as they discover and consider the many concerns facing Israel today.

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