The teachers from the USA began their day at the KKL-JNF House for Excellence in Nof HaGalil (Upper Nazareth), which provides extra-curricular tuition and enrichment activities for high-school students, with the emphasis on mathematics, science, technology and English. These activities reveal students’ hidden talents and help them to realize their potential.
The impressive building includes classrooms, a computer laboratory, an auditorium and a space for social activities. The design is fresh and innovative with colorful walls and murals and an advanced multimedia system.
“Our aim is to help narrow the gaps between central Israel and its periphery,” explained Ayal Cohen, who coordinates KKL-JNF Houses countrywide. “We help the children to believe in themselves, to dare to dream on a large scale and to set themselves goals in life.”
This House is the first of ten that KKL-JNF plans to establish in Israel’s northern and southern periphery to encourage excellence precisely in those areas of the country where youngsters generally have fewer opportunities.
“It’s amazing that the kids can simply come along for free and enjoy everything this place has to offer them,” said Tammie de Vera, who teaches at a primary school in Los Angeles. “The building is wonderfully well designed, and it’s clear that the planner had young people in mind.”
The American teachers connected with the atmosphere of excellence when they took part in a special activity on life in Israel, developed by KKL-JNF’s Overseas Education Department. The participants learned about the significant contribution Israel has made to the world by innovative inventions such as drip irrigation, cherry tomatoes, SodaStream, Iron Dome, the computer flash drive, Waze, etc., etc.
The delegates watched videos, searched for information on the Internet and even created interesting designs with the help of cherry tomatoes. Those who succeeded in their tasks each received a large wooden letter, and when all the letters were combined at the end of the activity they spelt out “Israel, startup nation".
After four days in northern Israel, the teachers turned southwards towards Jerusalem. At the Yad VaShem World Holocaust Remembrance Center they toured the museum, watched films and scrutinized testimony and other items from the destruction of European Jewry. They walked down the Avenue of The Righteous Among the Nations, each of whom has a tree planted in his or her memory as a symbol of life, and at the Children’s Memorial they communed with the memory of the million and a half Jewish children who perished in the Holocaust.
Goldi Steiner of Canada was expelled from Hungary to Austria during the Second World War, when she was just five years old, and she and her family survived the Holocaust only by a miracle. “Visiting here is a very emotional experience and revives painful memories,” she said with feeling.
The educators attended an especially interesting and relevant lecture on teaching the Holocaust to children. “How can we as teachers even begin to teach our pupils about the Holocaust?” Lori Gerstein of Yad VaShem’s School for Holocaust Studies asked her listeners.
She enumerated Yad VaShem’s principles for teaching about the Holocaust, which include conveying the complexity of the subject in ways appropriate to the age of the students; refraining from judgementalism; creating empathy; and using interdisciplinary techniques. “We don’t focus on death, but on the way the Jews lived,” she explained.
Gary Horowitz of Arizona in the USA is a history teacher, but until recently, he had no idea that family members on his mother’s side had died in the Holocaust. “This visit here is very significant for me on a personal and family level, too, as well as professionally, and, of course, as a Jew.”
The day concluded with a festive and impressive gala night at Mini Israel, which displays small-scale models of Israeli sites. “KKL-JNF has come a long way over the years and we’ve added the vision of getting in touch with Israel and strengthening the connection with it,” said KKL-JNF Director of Education and Community Sar-Shalom Jerbi. “The roots we have grown over the years are the roots of Zionism and of the beautiful Land of Israel.”
The evening was enlivened by a host of enjoyable performances, including those by the talented children’s ensemble Sharonit, mentalist Dudi Shemer and renowned singer David D’Or. Delegates Gail Abundandelou and Ceal Garara moved their listeners with an original rendition of Hineh Ma Tov in Hebrew and English. Hani Dassa, director of KKL-JNF's Overseas Education Department, presented the winners of the seminar participants’ Israel knowledge quiz with a prize.
Then there were speeches by representatives of the various different countries. Dale Gold of Canada said: “During the trip I saw a lot of new things that gave me ideas I can use in the classroom.” Janice Schechtman of the USA added: “I’ve visited Israel before, but this time I’ve seen it with new eyes.” Alexandra Akon spoke on behalf of the French-speakers and thanked everyone warmly: “Thank you KKL-JNF and thank you one and all,” she concluded.