Shomeric Light: Shira Beery

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 7th night of Hanukkah, the spotlight goes to Shira Beery! Shira is an alum from a Shomria family, and even got married at Mosh!!

Shira and Yoni by the Ched

Hashomer Hatzair has played an outsized role in my life. It brought my grandparents to Israel to build the Hashomer Hatzair kibbutzim where my parents met and grew up. And when my parents came to the US, it remained a key part of my family's life. I joined my older brothers, Ariel and Tal, at Camp Shomria at Winter Camp in 1995. I met some of my oldest and closest friends that year and in my many years as a chanicha and madricha after. I even met my husband, Yoni (we're pictured here the summer we met - 2007), and there was only one place we could imagine getting married. In June 2017, our friends and family spent days doing ashpa, weeding, mowing, shirutim... the whole deal. Monica Byrne - a shomeret who used to make pies for chanichim who picked enough blueberries from the bushes - transformed mosh into the most amazing, magical wedding venue. Needless to say, where would I be without Hashomer Hatzair? My values, my choices, my community have all been shaped by this movement. Now, I'm excited for my own nieces, nephews, and son to go to mosh one day with my childhood friends' kids. Camp Shomria has a way of keeping its magic against all odds, but could always use some nurturing from those who love it.

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