"Amazing! It was non-stop fun" wrote one student. "It was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had" wrote another.

This two and a half week special program was run for a group of 14 Seniors from Kushner Yeshiva High School , New Jersey . The group went on a journey across Israel, packed with different experiences and highlights: from going deep underground at the Kotel tunnels, to taking the cable car up the Manara Cliff; from volunteering as painters for a morning, to sleeping the night in traditional Bedouin tents; from spending two days as soldiers in Gadna to a Kabbalistic concert in the Old City of Tzfat – it was an adventure every day.

 

One of the most special parts of the trip was five days spent in Ofakim (a town in the Negev and in the Partnership 2000 area of MetroWest). The group stayed with students their own age and spent the days getting to know them, their families and their culturally diverse city. " It was awesome. It made me feel like I was living in Israel . I had a home and friends, and we all hung out. My host made me feel really comfortable. We all learned things from each other, made friends and had a great time. "

 

The scheme was a successful experience and we look forward to seeing the Kushner students back in Israel soon.

 

As one student wrote to sum up his time on Leeylah: " This program changed my life for the better".