Jewish teenagers from the Magen David Yeshiva in Flatbush, New York met with their Israeli counterparts living in Elon Moreh, as part of Israel Connect’s ‘school twinning’ program.
As part of the program’s ongoing efforts to connect Jews in the Diaspora to Jews living in Israel, Israel Connect, in conjunction with the Shomron Liaison Office, organized a “Sports Day” aimed at fostering deeper and more meaningful relationships between Jews worldwide.
8th grade boys from the Flatbush yeshiva travelled to Elon Moreh and together with their Israeli peers, with whom they have been developing ongoing virtual relationships, played basketball, went swimming and went on a tour of the area.
Professional Israeli basketball players joined the teenagers on the court in what became an exciting, moving and, altogether, unforgettable experience, Educational Director of Israel Connect, Amihai Bennett, told Arutz 7.
Throughout the year, the students have been communicating via e-mail, personal letters, and other means of communication and, over time, have established deep, personal bonds.
The virtual relationships became actual relationships on Sunday in the heartland of Israel, as the boys laughed together and shared a joint experience.
From its founding, six years ago, Israel Connect has been pairing over 25 Jewish schools from around the world, four of which are located in the Shomron. The program works with students and adults of all ages and religious backgrounds.
The basketball court in Elon Moreh, on which the students went from being virtual “pen pals” to real-life friends, may serve as a microcosm of the larger Jewish population, which continues to strive to unite through our joint national identity and heritage.