Twelve representatives from Johannesburg and Cape Town formed the largest contingent from South Africa to visit Beit Shemesh-Adulam together with Jewish Agency and Keren Hayesod representatives, and met with Beit Shemesh-Adulam dignitaries. This event was organized as a result of the very successful visit of the Beit Shemesh-Adulam Mayoral group to South Africa in April/May this year.

The Delegates were addressed by two Mayors, namely, Daniel Vaknin of Beit Shemesh, and Meir Viezel of the Regional Council.

The trip started with a visit to Kibbutz Tzora, one of the major wineries on the newly developing wine route. Mayor Viezel explained the importance of the wine route and the importance of the visit to the wine route in Cape Town for ideas in developing this industry. Everyone enjoyed the wine tasting.

We moved to the ecological bubble at one of the primary schools in Beit Shemesh. This is a total innovation in exploratory education in science subjects. Daniel Vaknin addressed the group and explained how important education was and proposed doing a joint project and development with an ecological bubble in South Africa. Daniel Vaknin said that he will provide us with more material and costing for the project. The group showed a lot of interest in this project and will look into its viability once the material, etc., is received from the Mayor.

Next, we visited the Treatment Center in Beit Shemesh which is supported by Partnership 2000. Attempts will be made to arrange exchange visits of professionals for a seminar later this year such as occupational therapists, music therapy specialists, diagnosticians, teachers, etc.

We toured the area of Beit Shemesh and saw how quickly the development of new areas was being completed. We met with residents of Moshav Aderet and were given explanations of the expansion program of moshavim and the introduction of new young moshavniks into the system.

At lunch, we met with three students who went to Washington on an Ambassadors for Tolerance program. We were also addressed by Leon Singer of Cape Town and discussed new and future projects with all present.

The trip to Beit Shemesh-Adulam was very important because it revealed to many participants for the first time the importance of Partnership 2000 and South Africa's involvement. It broke the negativity experienced in the past for many of the participants in Partnership 2000 and this augurs well for a better working relationship between South Africa and Partnership 2000.

I want to thank Mickey Blumberg for putting together this educational itinerary and for all her efforts in promoting and developing Partnership 2000 for South Africa.