Tel-Hai Magazine 2023-2024

Students at the forefront of war relief

spite the difficulties, to the strong sup port from her fellow students. Hodaya was recently honored for her outstanding social activism. Alongside her social work studies, Ho daya participated in the Rothschild Ambassadors scholarship program. Through this, she functioned as the coordinator of the public council of the Mashabim Center, which is re sponsible for the mental and commu nity resilience of residents in the East ern and Western Galilee. Through the scholarship, Hodaya volunteered and participated in promoting actions to preserve resilience and cohesion for the Galilean community dispersed throughout the country. In addition to her volunteering at the Mashabim Center, Hodaya takes part in various events and forums of civic organizations. Among other ac tivities, she went to speak at the Knes set Committee for Youth Affairs to raise awareness among committee members about the situation of dis placed young adults. She also initiat ed, along with a classmate and de partment lecturers, face-to-face meetings throughout the year for stu dents in the Policy-Changing Practic es track. “Even before the war, our area suf fered from significant gaps in employ ment and equal opportunities. Today, the north is not being prioritized by government agencies. The large num ber of local authorities and widely decentralized municipal structure poses a great challenge to our region. We need to create unity and greater Hodaya Karin Talker Second-Year Student, Department of Social Work

Hodaya (24) was raised and educated in Kiryat Shmona. She is currently evacuated to a hotel in Netanya, where other evacuated students are also being accommodated. “As a child growing up in Kiryat Shmona, I swore I’d never study at Tel-Hai, but my father convinced me to attend the open day. It was an amazing experi ence; my heart expanded, and it just felt right. Despite my initial reserva tions and preconceptions about the college, I’m so glad I chose to listen to my heart. For years, I dreamed of studying law, but when I was exposed to Tel-Hai’s Social Work department, I realized what a leading program it is in its field. The Policy-Changing Practices track seemed like a path through which I could continue the social activism I’ve been involved in for years, dating back to my youth as the chairperson of the youth council for Kiryat Shmona and the North,” says Hodaya. “I’m still happy with my choice of Tel-Hai. The atmosphere, the incred ible student solidarity, the quality of the lecturers, and the curriculum that was so connected to the field and to current events, has provided me with practical and real tools for the future.” Hodaya was called to serve in the reserves, starting October 7th and was mobilized in two different rota tions as an operations sergeant in the paratrooper brigade, posted in the south. In total, she served for over 200 days. The remote learning experience was very challenging for her, and she attributes her academic success, de

cooperation, if we want to become a stronger and more united northern region. I try to be present at every fo rum that attempts to create collabora tions and strengthen the north, to voice the plight of the young adults and residents of the area. The next generation will be responsible for the day after, and I believe Tel-Hai can be the key to unlocking opportunities and helping to build strong communi ties that will preserve the region’s ad vantages: the warm and welcoming atmosphere, the proximity to nature, and the exceptional human capital. The government must promote a val ue-based discourse emphasizing that today, in 2024, the north is where a new Zionism is taking root. We must preserve the existing populations that have been holding on by their teeth these past months, while we plan for the decades to come, asking ourselves how to increase the human capital in the region. Whether through develop ing better public transport, businesses, reducing wage-gaps, or investing in education. The current reality can serve as a springboard for correcting past injustices and developing the north for future generations.” “I miss home very much – the cam pus, and especially my city and family, which is not usually so geographically dispersed. But what gives me strength is focusing on what will happen after the war, even though I know the hard est times may still lie ahead of us.”

Tel-Hai Magazaine | 2023-2024 29