As part of the Jewish Agency's Partnership 2000 program, a group of ten Pittsburgh high school students from grades 10-12 came for a 10-day visit to the Misgav Regional High School where they were guests of their local counterparts.

The group arrived on Friday December 21, 2007. They were met at the airport by a group of 14 young people from the region and after becoming acquainted with one another headed northward for a weekend of home hospitality.

Throughout the following week, the morning hours were dedicated to joint study and discussion sessions on a variety of issues relating to Israeli Jewish Identity. Achik and Tami, both teachers from the school's Advanced Biblical Studies program, led these sessions.

The afternoon hours were dedicated to volunteering that the Karmiel Children Village. There the young people from Pittsburgh joined a family care unit; played with the children and renovated the village's editing studio. At the week's end, the village's housemothers received a well-deserved day off and replaced by the volunteers from Pittsburgh.

The 10-day visit ended with a joint trip to the Golan Heights, where they conducted as discussion concerning the problems of the country's northern borders while they looked north and eastward from the observation post atop Mount Bental, above the Syrian border. At Kibbutz El Rom in the northern Golan, they viewed the Israeli film "Oz 77" that reflects the unique comradery that exists between IDF soldiers on the frontlines. They met with soldiers who had served with Arbel Raich (z"l), from Yuvalim who fell during fighting in Gaza this past July and presented them with a gift of thermal clothing that had been donated by the South Hills congregation of Temple Emanuel.
Throughout the week wonderful friendships developed between the Israeli and American young people and the separation was mixed with much joy and sadness. The program was planned and implemented literally "from A to Z" by Ruthi Givati from Yuvalim, a homeroom teacher at the Misgav Regional High School and Arbel's teacher during his three years of Sr. high school.

following is a summary that was written by Jay Louik, one of the participants from Pittsburgh:

Thank you Mom, Dad, Dr. Tsippy Gur, and AJL for sending me a wonderful trip to Israel, and thank you Rabbi Mahler for letting me speak about my trip.   This December, I, along with 9 other Pittsburghers and 14 Israeli students, participated in the Shoulder-to-Shoulder teen delegation program.  First of all, if any of you ever have the opportunity to take the trip to Israel, do it.  I was there just 6 months prior to this trip but both felt like entirely different experience.  Despite what you may hear or what is covered in the media, it certainly is a safe country.  Even when I was walking through the center of an Arab village to get to the best Shwarama place around, I felt safe.  The people are nice, the landscape, especially in the Karmiel region where I stayed, is beautiful, and it’s rarely cold like Pittsburgh. Karmiel in the Northern Galilee, is the Pittsburgh United Jewish Federation’s Sister region. Parents, I hope you’re listening, because if I had the opportunity, I would definitely go back in a heartbeat.
Unlike my last trip where we mostly stayed in hotels, this time I had the privilege of living with the most amazing Israeli family.  Each day my alarm clock, which was really their cat, woke me up bright and early.  I would walk into the kitchen and have fresh chumus on toast and tea picked right from their garden.  At around 7 my host and I would leave for the Misgav Region High school.  Here all the Americans and Israelis participated in an intense bible study course.  In Israel, everyone in high school must choose a core Major Study, weather it be Music, Art, Dance, Hebrew, or Bible.  In most Israeli high schools, bible is the least popular choice for students, but in the Misgav Region, bible is the most popular major, and for good reason.  Lead by outstanding teachers, Misgav is spearheading exciting new curriculum for Bible in which the students see first hand how bible impacts their life everyday.  Two incredible teachers, Tami and Achik led us through discussions and activities about identity, culture, and values.  It wasn’t until the last day where we actually looked at the bible and realized how a 3000-year-old book is still relevant to what we discussed all week.  Here, I understood that despite the Israeli’s living halfway around the world, we’re incredibly alike in both merits and faults. 
Everyday after the workshops the Americans would then volunteer at the Kfar Yeladim, also known as the Children’s village.  This was personally the most valuable part of my trip.  Here I learned how blessed I truly am.  The Children’s Village provides a home to over 270 children who can no longer live at own home, weather they’re now orphans, their parents are drug addicts, they suffer from abuse, the list goes on.  How the village works is a mother and father decide to move in for a period of 6 to 10 years where their raise their own biological children as well as up to eleven other children.  Here the adopted children are taught important life skills such as table manners, doing schoolwork on time, how to properly raise a family, etc.  The Children’s village provides these kids with a home, food, means for education, but little more.  The kids can only receive an allowance of a few dollars a months, not nearly enough to have a normal Israeli teen social life.  This is what the children’s village is about, trying to provide a normal life for these harmed children.  This is where Pittsburgh community can help.  The Americans delivered 8 suitcases full of toys and gifts for the children donated by the Jewish community, and I believe or own temple held a drive for makeup and video games.  At first it was awkward volunteering at the Kfar, but eventually I got into the flow of things. I helped them with their English homework, played with the younger kid’s, helped in the kitchen, and I played a lot of soccer.  In fact, one kid in my mischpachton was the MVP for the Karmiel soccer championship.  The Kfar’s team won the Championship without ever practicing on a real soccer field. I just spoke this last Sunday to a group of b’nei mitzvoth who have their own foundation for charitable purposes.  I lobbied for them to consider donating their funds to build a full sized soccer field, which would enable the kids to practice their favorite sport just like any other kid. Yet, the true heroes of the Kfar are the mothers and fathers who so selflessly raise over 11 children.  The last day at the village all the mothers were sent to a relaxing day at the spa, and the village was left to the Americans to be run.   Though one the most stressful days of my life, this abruptly put my life into perspective.  I cannot imagine raising all of those children or being a child in their situation.  I just want to say thank you to everyone who has helped with the Children’s Village, you really are doing the work of God.  Opportunities are available for temple families to help support a child in the children’s village, I’d be happy to speak with any of you about this.
My last day in Israel, we somehow got access to the military base in the Golan Heights.  This was the only time where I was freezing in Israel.  It is really surprising how cold it can get in the Golan.  Here, we met with soldiers who showed us a private exhibition of all their weapons they use to defend their country and whom we had lunch with. Our Temple’s 6th graders, along with many other temple members, collected warm clothing and hats for these soldiers, and trust me, they were very appreciative. Again, Thank you all for your help. 
Overall, I would have to say this trip was one of the greatest experiences of my life.  Sure, touring a country is great, but living with the people, going to their school, and volunteering is much greater.  Though stressful at times, watching a child score a goal on me in the Kfar Yeladim with a smile on his face was a priceless moment I’ll never forget".