Israeli Scouts Visiting U.S.

A group of 68 Israeli Boy and Girl Scouts, guests of the National Jewish Committee on Scouting, will spend the summer in various parts of the United States. The group began their stay recently in the U.S. with a visit to the national office of the Boy Scouts of America in North Brunswick, New Jersey. Harvey L. Price, chief scout executive, gave each scout a cloth patch depicting the national office as he welcomed them on behalf of U.S. scouting.

Most of the Israeli scouts are travelling in one of three caravans–Northeast, South and West–each visiting about 15 communities and scout camps. There are five girls and five boys in each caravan. When the scout camps. There are five girls and five boys in each caravan. When the scouts arrive in a city or town, they are received by the local Jewish community there and are guests at the homes of American scouts. There are more hosts than scouts because so many people want to host, according to Harry Lasker, national director of Jewish relationships for the Boy Scouts of America.

In each city or town they visit, the scouts perform Israeli songs and dances at the community center, a synagogue, or school. The next day the Israelis go to a scout camp in the area where they repeat their song and dance performance. Here they exchange ideas with American scouts, who are “very enthusiastic” about the program, according to Lasker. He said that some cities, such as Phoenix and Minneapolis want the scouts to return every year and that some communities contribute toward expenses. Israeli scouts have visited the U.S. for the past seven years, according to Lasker.

The scouts, 16 and 17 years old, were selected for “qualities of leadership, scout spirit and character,” according to the national office of the Boy Scouts of America. “They are ambassadors of good will, promoting friendship between American and Israeli scouts,” said Lasker.

REMINDER There will be no Daily News Bulletin dated July 4 due to legal holiday.