Kylie Huberman, originally from Montreal, is a current participant on Tikkun Olam's joint M.A. track in Nonprofit Management with Hebrew University. During her time on the program Kylie is interning at BINA: Center for Jewish identity and Hebrew Culture.
At 22 years old, I’ve found myself in
Israel for the sixth time. I try looking for opportunities to see other parts
of the world but for some reason, I always end up back here. I came to Israel
this time, to see the country in a way that I have yet to experience. I wanted
to learn what it was like to live here and I wanted to learn how to not only experience
more of the country that I’ve grown to love so much, but to struggle with it,
defend it, stand up for it and criticize it all at the same time. In my fourth
out of twelve months here (for now), I’ve accumulated a tremendous amount of
information that has sent my emotions on a wild rollercoaster. My mind is
expanding and my heart is too.
I am studying my Masters at the Hebrew
University of Jerusalem in Nonprofit Management and Leadership. My previous
experience and involvement within the Montreal Jewish Community has definitely
prepared me for this field of study. With every concept I learn, I think about
how it applies to all of the organizations I have been involved with. I also
think about how I can utilize all of this new knowledge and implement these new
skills back into society. Sometimes people don’t understand what I am doing.
The reactions, rather confusion that I get from others comes in an assortment
of questions: “Nonprofit? Oh.” “Why aren’t you studying for-profit management?”
and my favourite “So is that what you want to do for the rest of your life?”
The answer to the last question is absolutely yes. There is a stigma behind the
term “non-profit”, and I have chosen to devote my life to changing it. The more
my career path is questioned, the more determined I become. I have never been
so sure about anything in my life. I have found my calling at a young age, and
I am proud of that.
While I study, I am also taking part in a
Masa program called Tikkun Olam. Tikkun Olam is a five or ten month program
where participants intern and volunteer in an array of welfare-educational
assignments throughout the city of Tel Aviv-Jaffa. At the same time, they
participate in a diversity of Jewish learning sessions covering topics such as:
social justice, the history of the conflict, Jewish Identity and Jewish culture.
A part of the program is to engage in day trips and overnight trips all over
Israel. One of the most recent trips featured a visit to the Gaza border where
a woman shared her personal experiences of what it is like to live in a
neighbourhood where running to bomb shelters is a part of their routine. Tikkun
Olam is a program created by BINA and the Daniel Centers for Progressive
Judaism in Tel Aviv. I am doing my internship at BINA, an organization that
advocates and educates towards Jewish pluralism and social action by uniting
Jewish people from all over the world. What I am enjoying most about this
program is the endless amount of intricate conversations we have. The participants
in the program (my very close friends) come from all different walks of life
and each person brings something very unique to our ongoing discussions. We
question the society in which we live and the way we can improve it. This is
proof that my generation is full of people who want to understand the world and
change it, for the better.
The more time I spend in the country under
this learning capacity, the harder it gets to process my emotions. I am
excited, confused, in love, frustrated, happy and curious – often at the same
time. There is so much to understand about this beautiful place. One thing that
I have learnt in my time here is that in terms of advocacy, the Diaspora has an
even bigger role to play than the country of Israel itself. When I found out
that Sarah, a woman whose brother and father were killed in a terrorist attack,
invited the entire country to dance at her wedding, I felt inspired. I felt a
real connection to the Jewish people of Israel. When my Rabbi decided he would
fly in all the way from Montreal with 12 members of the congregation to attend
the wedding, I was overwhelmed with happiness. I felt an even stronger
connection to the Jewish people of Montreal. The reaction they received from
the media, the locals and people from around the world was riveting. They were
stopped in the streets and interviewed by many different newspapers. Because of
this, I know that I have a duty to return and work at home. The Montreal Jewish
community is a powerful one, and I know that I need to spread my love for
Israel within it.
It has been an emotional few months, but I
am enjoying every second of it.
Tel Aviv, where I live, is an
up-and-coming, exciting city, which I might even see myself living in for a
period of my life, but Montreal and my Jewish community will always be my home.
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