During the recent Passover vacation, a fun ball game brought kids from across the ocean closer to Israel in a very special way!

40 teenagers from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, came to visit Israel through their synagogue, M'kor Shalom. The teens are a part of a Confirmation and Post Confirmation program, grades 10-12. They attend religious school at the synagogue once a week, where they study values, ethics, current events and the Bible.

These 40 vibrant, young people, along with their Rabbi and several chaperones arrived in Arad to participate in a joint baseball game. The members of the Arad baseball team welcomed the visitors with open arms and warm smiles! Teams were formed (mixing the kids from New Jersey and Arad in joint groups) and the real fun began. The chaperones joined in the fun and there was a lot of cheering on the sidelines. A great time was had by all!!

This event symbolizes the true meaning behind the Partnership 2000 program, sponsored by the Jewish Agency. People to people connections, which enrich the lives of all who participate and create strong bonds between the partner communities.

Andrea Weisner, one of the Arad baseball coaches summed it up the best, "Its great to see kids connect. We're all the same all over the world; kids just want to have fun! It was great, I was glad to be a part of it." One of the teenagers from M'kor Shalom added: "Its amazing how little I knew about Israel before I came here. You (Israelis) have lives like ours, you work, you play, you live. This trip really opened my eyes and I will definitely be back!"

Iyyar 5764 - May 2004