A couple things, plus a letter from recent oleh!

[Maya Lamm]

Hi friendsssss!

Okay! So! A few things to share.

1) I got three AWESOME cookbooks as presents for graduation, and now I am totally prepared to transform into the culinary genius I always knew I could be. Our future communal kitchen is going to be the site for some mind-blowing shit, I tell ya. Get puuuuumped.

2) For those who do not know -- our pre-maapilim seminar kvutzah time IS happening! Whoever can come will be hanging at Sarah Adams' house for two days before maap sem. I am really happy to plan a lil sumpin-sumpin for us to do while we hang out and enjoy each others company... does anyone want to plan it with me? Even people who aren't going to seminar can/should have input! It's very low-key! Let me know!

3) We have received an email from Adam Braitberg, who is an Aussie from our shnat year. You might remember him as "lip ring Aussie Adam", who made out with Elissa once. Anyways he recently arrived in the Yiz and is living in an Aussie garin. Here is his super nice email he sent to me, for all of us: 

From: Adam Braitberg <a.bra...@gmail.com>

Greetings guys, my names Adam and I'm in the new kvutzah from Australia that arrived a couple months ago... Some of you guys probably remember me from your second group of Aussies from workshop...

Pretty much I am just here to introduce myself, talk a but about how our process is working and how I felt about my integration here. Coz sometimes this whole movement concept can seem overwhelming...

So I am apart of a garin (garin nonam) of 14 people from my schivah that in our third year as bogrim back home went through a pretty extensive shlav bet process.... Now at the moment there is four of us living together here forming the kvutza while the rest of our garin is still on the process back home, but our process of shlav gimel is still very connected to their shlav bet.... By the time u guys come there will be another four from the garin already here living with us as well. So it's getting bigger.

So I came here almost two months ago and spent a good time integrating into the bogrim body, developing relationships. And establishing our house. 3 weeks ago I started ulpan and I am currently in the process of looking for movement messimot that are relevant to me..

So I'm writing to you guys coz, hearing that theirs another new kvutza coming is such an exciting feeling. What the movement has created here is such a beautiful thing,  and contributing to it is something incredible. But also I know integrating into a new bogrim environment while trying to build up a kvutza and establish a life in a new country isn't easy...

So hey! Wassap

I just wanted to introduce myself. The processes we have been on are quite unique, and I wanted to make myself contactable to you guys a many people in the other kvutzot made to me before I came. As a member of the youngest kvutza of the movement I realised I had a lot to learn, and I know the others helped me realise not just what this movement is, but as partners in this process are helping me find the movements relevance to me.

So ye I'm here for you guys if you have any questions. Or want to chat. I may not have all the answers yet as I think we are all still figuring stuff out. But if be happy to help you guys with anything. So ye skype.. Facebook..email

I'm here for you :)

See you guys soon

Love Adam

I think it's awesome that he sent this! I wrote him back saying thanks and everything, but it'd be nice if there was a slightly longer, more communal response from us I think. We could draft it here, or at maap sem, or something else. Thoughts?

love and a v' h, or whatever

[Elissa Katz]

Yayyy coockbooks! I really want to bring my crockpot.... thoughts? Adam's email is very nice! thats so great that they are reaching out to us.  I agree- we should definitely write something up for them/and for the movement. 

In other news- my parents booked a flight to israel at the end of february... hope were not busy... and maybe they will cook us dinner again?
should we all talk again soon? i know maapilim sem is coming up but i dont remember how many of us are going to that. 

im leaving for israel on may 25th and im back on june 8. 

great. miss yall