Shomeric Light: Or Paz Galin

As part of our Hanukkah celebration, we are highlighting different members of our community who have been beacons of light in the past year. 

On the 5th night of Hanukkah, we'd like to introduce you to Or, our educational shlicha!

Or, our shlicha

What is your role in Hashomer Hatzair?

• I'm the educational shlicha, which means I'm in charge of all our pedagogy, mentoring our hadracha and mazkirut, helping and enabling activities, educational process, and growing as a movement, partnerships, our shomeric ideology as a guiding base line for our content of our camp and so much more. I also bring my own special view as a kibbutz member in Israel (Gazit!), a woman, a mother and an Israeli citizen.

What makes you excited about your role here?

• First of all, is doing what I love most- which is working with youth and young adults. I believe Tikkun Olam is possible through education. Korchak said Tikkun Olam means making a Tikkun our education. Nothing can be more meaningful than witnessing and mentoring a process of growth. I know growing up is painful, so in order to grow up and find your own voice and identity you must have a meaning, which in my believe HH gives us all. We're all a part of something bigger than ourselves thriving to make our world a better place.

What do you connect to most in the movement?

• Our youth is our future. In many ways a movement stays relevant and alive by making youth and young adults its leaders. As far as our main pillars, I have a strong and meaningful connection to each and every one of them. Socialism - I grew up in a kibbutz and I chose to be a member of a HH kibbutz in Israel. I strongly believe we should hold responsibilities to our community, our state and the entire human lives. Judaism - I have strong roots considering judaism as a beautiful, meaningful culture, philosophy, tradition and stories. My values aren't just liberal but hold up much deeper roots within the judaism. Zionism - Israel has it's problems (lots of them) but the way to fix it is by being involved, being activists in this country and make it a better place for everybody. When my grandparents came to Israel as Holocaust survivors and movement activists (my grandpa was Dror member) their thought was to build חברת מופת and so i believe this is our mission.

How did growing up in a youth movement impact you?

• Growing up in a youth movement made me aware of my surroundings and the culture I live in. Social issues were a central theme, and growing up as part of a kvutza and community which made sure I was never alone. There is a safety net in knowing that we're all involved with each other, there for each other, and have very strong and deep roots together. 

What are your hopes for the movement? 

• My biggest hopes are that the hadracha and chanichimot will always want to continue learning, to broaden their passion and take responsibility, and that the movement will be a meaningful way of living for them. Meaning being part of the movement doesn't end in college, rather it's a life movement. Creating discourse and meeting, a just Jewish Zionist community that asks questions, brings meaning, home, and support to all of its members. That everyone in it works together to make the world a better place. And that every youth in the movement brings at least one friend so we can grow this movement in a major way! 

If you would like to submit a spotlight, click here.