After three cancelled trips in the last two years, the Ann Arbor/Nahalal Student Exchange trip is once again on the calendar, this time for December 2022. The tentative travel dates are December 21-29; exact timing of the trip will be finalized this fall.
Before spring 2020, this highly esteemed program from the Israel & Overseas Department of the Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor was offered only to high schoolers in 9th grade. However, because the trip has not been able to move forward in the last few years due to pandemic-related travel restrictions, this year’s Student Exchange program will be open to rising 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students. To account for the differing experiences of high schoolers of different ages, this year’s program will include opportunities for students to spend dedicated time with peers in their own grade.
The main draw of this program is for participants to spend part of their Winter Break in Israel, specifically in Ann Arbor’s partner community of Moshav Nahalal in the north of the country. As in years past, students will be hosted in the homes of Israeli teens and their families during their visit. They will spend their week in Israel touring the Central Galilee, exploring Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, experiencing an Israeli high school, and creating lasting and meaningful relationships with their new Israeli friends.
A beloved feature of the Student Exchange program is that, later in 2023, the Ann Arbor teens have the opportunity to reciprocate the visit and host their Israeli peers here in Michigan. Past students have loved reconnecting with their Israeli friends after months apart, making this a trip that leaves a long-lasting impression on all participants.
The Ann Arbor/Moshav Nahalal relationship is an integral part of the broader Michigan/Central Galilee Partnership2Gether project, facilitated by the Jewish Agency for Israel. Over the years, the Ann Arbor and Nahalal communities have developed a deep connection based on mutual values and shared interests, such as environmental and ecological conservation, social justice, and diverse and creative religious expression.
Federation invites any interested students and their families to an informational meeting about this year’s Student Exchange program on Sunday, September 11th to learn more.
Please contact Federation’s Israel & Overseas Manager Liora Rosen at liora@jewishannarbor.org with any questions or to express interest in the program.