Project Mitnadvim (cont...) (BACK
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"The program is designed to give our boys a
meaningful
appreciation of the life in Israel," says Rabbi
Yotav Eliach. "I have no doubt that many
people in the Orthodox community will
be traveling to Israel in order to support the country's
flagging tourist
industry. But this is very different. This is a hands-on
education
program, part of our effort to impart true Ahavat Eretz
Yisrael to our
boys."
This year, the boys will be working at the Hospital
for about 6 hours each
day. The Applebaum family has suggested that some of
the boys also work at
Zichron Menachem, a facility that caters to children
with cancer, which is
right near Shaare Zedek Hospital. Nava Applebaum spent
many hours
volunteering there.
The program also involves
special shiurim as well as an opportunity for the
boys to visit the various yeshivot gedolot to help
plan their post-high
school studies in Israel. Many of the boys would otherwise
have had to
select their post-high school yeshivot site unseen.
"The feedback from the program has been simply overwhelming," says
Rabbi
Eliach. "The kids came back with a tremendous
sense of pride and
accomplishment. The fact that boys give up their
vacation to serve on army
basis left a powerful impression with the soldiers.
We expect that the same
will be true at Shaare Zedek this year. We understand
that the Hospital's
staff is very excited about this as is the Applebaum
family."
Rabbi Eliach believes other schools should embrace
the program. "We've
talked to a lot of other schools about doing this
and have offered our help
to get them started. We think that spending winter
break in Israel is
great, but this is a way for American Jewish kids
to get involved in Israel
in a truly meaningful way." |
