Hebrew Café in business again
Hagshama Melbourne have reopened their Hebrew Cafe in conjunction with the Israel Aliyah Centre, in partnership with Masa.
Hagshama Melbourne coordinator Adva Weinstein leads a Hebrew lesson during the relaunched Hagshama Melbourne Hebrew
The opening event, which took place in the new kosher cafe/restaurant Milk n’ Honey, on Glenhuntly Road in Caulfield South, was attended by 35 young adults of a variety of ages.
“We were all incredibly pleased with the number of attendees,” said Hagshama Melbourne coordinator Adva Weinstein. “The participants all commented on how eager they were to hear that the Hebrew Cafe is back on, and we are looking forward to making this a monthly event for young adults wanting to practice Hebrew with friends and new interesting acquaintances in Melbourne.”
After half-an-hour of drinking coffee, having some desserts and a bit of socialising, the participants were divided into three levels according to their knowledge of Hebrew.
“Many of the young adults in this community don’t have an opportunity to keep their Hebrew fresh because they’re not in secondary school anymore and they’re not in Israel. The Hebrew Cafe gives them a chance to maintain the language so that if and when they decide to travel there on holiday or to make Aliyah, they will feel confident and comfortable when they communicate,” Weinstein said. “Being able to communicate is one of the most important aspects in creating enjoyable and memorable experiences.”
Weinstein, along with Netzer shlichah Lior Argaman, Betar shaliach Yiftach Nenner and Aliyah shaliach Bezalel Gleiser led Hebrew lessons, activities and discussions for an hour. At the close of the evening, ZFA Israel Programs assistant coordinator Tania Shvarstman gave a brief summary of Masa activities and the many options for travelling in Israel.
“Many thanks go out to Lior, Yiftach and Bezalel for leading the lessons – their readiness to lend a hand, their enthusiasm and their skills were a major factor in the night’s success,” Weinstein said. “Moreover, our partnership with the Israel Aliyah Centre and Masa Israel Journey in this and in future events ensures that our efforts are that much more successful and fruitful. Needless to say, when community organisations cooperate in such a pleasant and productive manner, the services we are able to provide for the community improve tenfold.”
