מפגש 70

Class Reunion 2012

Dear Classmates,

It was a great reunion and seeing all of you after so many years was so special and it will leave me with a lifetime of memories. Our looks might have changed, our sight may have been somewhat out of focus, and our hearing not so clear, but our core personalities and behavior seemed to have remained the same. For one day in my life, nothing in the past 50 years of my life had changed.

When I received the news from Hagai that there will be a reunion, I was so excited and promised myself and Hagai that I would do everything in my power to attend this important milestone of my life. As the time got closer many emotions and thoughts, along with butterflies in my stomach waiting to see the unknown, were my daily fears and joys.

I was given the assignment to think about what the Kibbutz gave to me and how it effected my life -- how did it contributed to and influence who I am today. How did I adjust from living in a socialist society to living in New York City and American capitalism? The values and morals that we received in our everyday life as well as our schooling, gave me the basic foundation to survive and doing the ‘right thing’ when the challenges of fatherhood, work, studies and social obligations had to be met. Even today people ask me, how was it to grow up on a Kibbutz and my answer is always the same: I had the best education and the environment I grew up was one to be envied. Our teachers taught us subjects with love and dedication, without seeking economical gains. It was a pure commitment on their part. The teachers prepared us to continue and grow as human beings and as good citizens of Israel and the world. The values we learned and the pure love we got from our teachers simply does not exist in today’s world. Just because we don’t live on the Kibbutz and just because we don’t live in Israel, believe me, the Kibbutz is still very much part of who we are and how we behave. I know that in my interaction with friends and in business I reflect in my behavior the best of Israel because of the education I received on the Kibbutz. People still ask me, “are you really Israeli” and my answer is always the same, yes, I am! And I’m the way I am because of my up bringing and my education on the Kibbutz. And then I continue and explain about the way of life and growing up on Beit Hashita.

It was a weekend that will be remembered as one of the highlights of my life. Stories I will tell to my children and grandchildren, family and friends. And it was all made possible with Hagai’s dedication to the project and by his commitment to stay in touch with each of us these last 50 years. I want to give Hagai a heartfelt thank you for always keeping me informed about the people and home I love. Many thanks to everyone including Yitzhak for the many hour of work on putting together an informative website. Dorit, for your beautiful songs that have been part of the music of our life -- and for all the wonderful food, too. Lets hope that we will meet again soon and share stories, laugh and reminisce about the past, tell stories about the present, and have dreams for the future.

With love,

Mordechai Dougatz

כנס "יחדיו"

בתאריך 24.3.2012

במרח"ב – בית השיטה