Full Lives –
Work, Community, Education, Creativity
As part of Beit Elisha, community members undergo vocational training and work in a variety of productive and creative workplaces on Kibbutz Harduf: the pottery and paper workshops, bakery, kitchen, horse stables, organic vegetable garden, and coffee shop. Operated by Beit Elisha members, the coffee shop is open to the public, and includes a gallery where various items created by community members are sold.
Along with their regular employment and the routine of house upkeep, Beit Elisha offers its members a wide spectrum of enriching classes and educational opportunities, social and cultural activities, ceremonies, and celebrations. Members participate in the cultural and spiritual activities of the wider Harduf community as well, where they play an active role in the life of the community.
Cultural / spiritual activities are an integral part in the rehabilitation and healing process of Beit Elisha members, with the goal of allowing them to experience themselves as whole human beings who belong to a community.
Ceremonies for welcoming the Sabbath and Sabbath morning rituals are held every weekend with a celebratory atmosphere. Throughout the year, we celebrate together Jewish holidays and festivals, as well as community events such as birthdays, parents’ day, and more.
Fridays are dedicated to educational activities and classes. The various courses present such topics as culture, science, religion, sports, nature, and art to the participants, allowing them to connect with the events taking place in the world around them. Course subjects include eurythmy, bicycle riding, ball playing, swimming, painting, Irish dance, wicker basket weaving, and more. Community members who study writing and communications publish a newspaper; other members who are musically inclined set up a rock band; and those members who study theater put on plays and performances for the public.
Beit Elisha also provides its members with a wide variety of therapeutic treatments, including eurythmy, physical therapy, reflexology, therapeutic horseback riding, music and singing, Feldenkrais, painting, and more.
