The largest group of American teen-agers ever to participate in a single Youth Aliyah program arrived in Israel on Monday night for a year of study.
The group of 60 youngsters, ranging in age from 15 to 17, will undertake an intensive study program. They will live in Youth Aliyah villages throughout Israel and will study Hebrew and Jewish and Israeli history. They also will tour the country extensively.
At the end of the year, the American youth will be eligible to receive a year’s academic credit in their home school systems.
Members of the group said upon their arrival that they are not concerned about being in Israel in the midst of the Palestinian unrest in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
John Hakimi of New York said that he was not sure about the situation in the West Bank, but he did not feel he had anything to worry about in the Haifa area, where he will be staying.
Sandra Harrison of San Diego said Israel is very exciting because “everything is so different and special here.”
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