In all, one thousand participants will participate in Mekorot, a program run by Chabad-Lubavitch that will bring one thousand Jewish youth from the Former Soviet Union to Israel at no charge over the course of the next two weeks.
The students are scheduled to take jeep rides through the Judean Desert, ride camels, go kayaking on the Jordan River, and climb up Massada and down to the Dead Sea. The tour gives young people - free of charge - the opportunity to connect more deeply with their Jewish heritage.
Mekorot was established to give youth from the FSU their first exposure to Jewish life in Israel. In addition to touring the Land if Israel, “the youths will spend 10 days with Chabad representatives from their home towns, and visit many of the Chabad institutions,” says Rabbi Levi Shmotkin, director of the program.
”The intention,” he explained, “is to strengthen their Jewish connection, and enrich their Jewish identity with the hopes that they will enroll in any of the numerous Chabad educational institutions in the FSU upon their return.”
The students are scheduled to take jeep rides through the Judean Desert, ride camels, go kayaking on the Jordan River, and climb up Massada and down to the Dead Sea. The tour gives young people - free of charge - the opportunity to connect more deeply with their Jewish heritage.
Mekorot was established to give youth from the FSU their first exposure to Jewish life in Israel. In addition to touring the Land if Israel, “the youths will spend 10 days with Chabad representatives from their home towns, and visit many of the Chabad institutions,” says Rabbi Levi Shmotkin, director of the program.
”The intention,” he explained, “is to strengthen their Jewish connection, and enrich their Jewish identity with the hopes that they will enroll in any of the numerous Chabad educational institutions in the FSU upon their return.”