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AN AMERICAN BOY'S DREAM: "TO MAKE ALIYAH AND LIVE IN THE GALILEE" Noah Alon, a 17-year old American youth leader at the Sprout Lake summer camp of the Young Judaea Zionist youth movement, wants to make aliyah and live in the Galilee together with his family.
For years Noah has received a Jewish-Zionist education at home, and he has visited Israel many times. However, camp and meetings with Israeli shlichim have strengthened his resolve and desire to come to Israel. "When I sit with my friends from Israel we talk about Israel, nature, politics and Israeli culture - I feel closer to Israel than ever before", he said.
Five hundred youth ages 8-14 are at Camp Young Judaea Sprout Lake, together with 17 Israeli shlichim. Over the two month-long camp sessions, American youngsters enjoy a Jewish-Zionist experience with sports activities, art workshops, music and Israeli folk dancing. Thus Israel is studied not formally from textbooks, but through a live, daily experience. While Maccabiah games are underway in Israel this week, kids at Camp Young Judaea Sprout Lake celebrated their own Maccabiah, competing in a variety of sports events, including soccer, basketball, swimming, rowing, etc. Danny Gildin, Jewish Agency shaliach to the Young Judaea Zionist youth movement, says Israeli shlichim brings a Zionist experience and ideology to the summer camps, that Israel is the homeland of the Jewish people. Thus, Israel becomes a real place, where youngsters live and study, have fun and undergo the experiences of adolescence just like any typical American youngster. |
