Menachem Begin Heritage Center Bulletin 6, Vol. 5

Menachem Begin
Heritage Center, Jerusalem
Volume 5, Issue 6
November 27, 2008
Total Number of Visitors Since October 2004: 451,328

Launch of the IGF Website

One of the Begin Center's new successful programs, the Israel Government Fellows program, has launched its website this week. As mentioned in this bulletin previously, the Israel Government Fellows program, under the auspices of the Begin Center and MASA (a program of the government of Israel and the Jewish Agency), gathers together young Jewish leaders from countries around the world to live in Jerusalem, work in government offices, learn about Israel and reconfirm their commitment and connection to Israel.
Menachem Begin spoke often about the need for a responsible, dynamic government. In his May 15, 1948 speech, broadcast over the Irgun clandestine radio, he said:
"And within our Homeland, justice shall be the supreme ruler, the ruler over all rulers. There must be no tyranny. The Ministers and officials must be the servants of the nation and not their masters. There must be no exploitation…'Righteousness, righteousness shall you pursue' will be the guiding principle in our relations amongst ourselves. We will protect our state well, our Israel. It is for these goals and principles and in the framework of democracy that the Herut Movement will struggle…”
Thus, in the spirit of these elements of his heritage, the Begin Center launched the Israel Government Fellows initiative which is now in its third session. We invite you to visit and explore the new website, www.israelgovernmentfellows.org.il, view the short film and let us know what you think.

Ministry of Education Annual Conference

Once again, the Begin Center hosted to the annual conference of the Ministry of Education's Youth and Society Unit of the Jerusalem District this past week on Monday, Nov. 24. Some 250 educators, principals, teachers, youth workers and bureaucrats convened, making full use of the Center's convention facilities including six workshops. Special guests included mayor-elect Nir Barakat and panelists Prof. Oz Almog and Gen. (ret.) and former IDF Chief-of-Staff Moshe "Bogie" Ya'alon who addressed the conference's theme of Identity and Identification. The Jerusalem District, it should be noted, extends from the Shiloh area in the North to Hebron in the South and from Jericho in the East to Mevasseret Zion in the West.

Inaugural Course Starts at the Begin Center

A new initiative has been launched at the Begin Center consisting of lecture series on a variety of subjects. The first course met for its first meeting this week. Dr. Shelly Goldberg, a professor at Bar Ilan University, is presenting the course "Meeting on the Edge of Kabbalah" which will have five sessions. Fifty people registered and paid for the course and will continue through the rest of the series.
Dr. Goldberg is also one of the lecturers for the Parashat HaShavua lecture series. This year she will be the primary lecturer for the third book of the Torah, Leviticus.

Evening of Hebrew Songs at the Begin Center

The first of seven evenings of the History of Hebrew Songwriting was held at the Begin Center this week. 170 people attended the first performance featuring the work of Abraham Shlonsky and Alexander Penn. Nahum Heyman, a well-known Israeli composer, was the master of ceremonies at the event which utilized rare film clips of Jerusalem and the poets themselves as well as many pictures. The audience enjoyed joining in the singing—which was encouraged—and was treated to additional performances by Ofer Kalaf.
The next such evening will be on January 6, 2009 and will feature the work of Nathan Alterman. Tickets are 40NIS and reservations can be made at (02) 565-2020, ext. 0.

Seen and Heard at the Begin Center

Amnon Ben Ami, Deputy Director of the Prime Minister's Office, stopped by the Begin Center to meet with Herzl Makov, the Chairman of the Begin Center. Ben Ami and his staff also visited the museum.

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The Menachem Begin Heritage Center
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