26.5.07 ימי נחל עוז -
מתנדבים
סטיב פלנדר מטורנטו קנדה
היה מתנדב בנחל עוז ,1980 ושמר על זיקה
לנחל עוז וכך "עלה" על האתר שלנו.
מצורף מכתבו להלן. הקישור הוא אלבום קטן מתמונות ששלח לי. גייזי
התמונות של ג'וייס
נשלחו ע"י סטיב :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48773464@N00/sets/72157600267662068/
Hi Geyzi
Thank you for
responding to my message and sending me your email address. Your web site
is excellent! Your photography is beautiful - very artistic. I have spent hours
looking at the pictures and videos. You have documented your personal
history very well. I can read simple Hebrew so I was able to read
the names of the haverim that you printed on the Nahal Oz reunion pictures. Thanks!
I am 52 years
old. I was 25 when I was a volunteer on Nahal
Oz. It was a very sweet and joyful time in my life that I will never forget it.
I have tried to get in contact with some former volunteers and kibbutzniks mostly using the http://www.lostamigos.net/ site. I have
exchanged email with Joyce Schiffer who was on Nahal Oz from 1976 to 1980 as well as Ray Coe who was there
in 1980 during my stay.
From the Nahal youth, I remember Geyzu,
Bunya (Meir Kfir), Danny Rahamim,
Kessler and Lantzer and a few others but I can’t
remember their names. One of the youth was very friendly, spoke English well,
he looked Arab and he told me he was from a Jewish family from one of the Arab
countries. I wish I could remember his name.
I
remember that Lantzer found a wild dog with new born
puppies. He used to bring left-over scraps of chicken to the mother and
puppies. Later he adopted one of the puppies and would carry it all around the
kibbutz. It made him very popular with the girls.
Lantzer also taught me to drive a tractor - I worked for a few days pulling the
irrigation pipe wagon, and we took turns driving the tractor while the others
pulled the pipe to the ground. I remember going to the garage at lunch time.
One of the mechanics spoke to us in English and said how reckless the
kibbutz youth were with vehicles, and tractors, and complained that many
expensive repairs were needed because they drove too aggressively. I wonder if
that was you Geyzi?
I mostly worked
in the Ozat factory, cutting steel bars at the back
of the factory. There was a very nice kibbutz member named Moti
who was helpful and friendly to me while I worked there.I
remember a few American young kibbutz members – Ruel
from New Jersey and a young woman, Eve Handelman
whose parents have an art studio (silk screening) in Jaffa. There was also Don
in the cow sheds. Those are all the names I remember but I can remember so many
more faces!
I will send you
some pictures that I have received from Joyce as well as my kibbutz picture. I
wish I had more pictures but I didn't bring a camera on my visit to
I would
like to visit
Could you tell
me if any of the 1980 kibbutz youth (garim) are still
on Nahal Oz? I know that Danny Rahamim is still there as I saw this story in Haazetz
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/788995.html
I also saw another Haaretz article a few years ago
where Siobhan Rahamin said that there was serious
social upheaval in Nahal Oz around 1999 and that many
families left the kibbutz. I was very sad to read about it, I know that the
changes in kibbutz life are necessary but painful.
I never got to
go diving in Eilat, I am sorry I missed those trips
while on the kibbutz. I did get to go to many beaches along the Sinai and I
spent several days snorkelling in the Sharm el Sheikh area and
I hope
you remember some of the faces in these pictures that I am sending. Thanks
again for posting all the Nahal Oz pictures.
Best
Wishes Steve Plender