About Na'aleh - נעלה

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Na’aleh is Camp Yavneh’s 6 weeks in Israel program. An exhilarating educational travel experience that enhances the Jewish personal growth of Jewish American teens.

You will:

  • Live and work on a kibbutz and on a moshav.
  • Explore archeological excavations, hike in the Judean Hills and through the canyons of Nahal Devora.
  • Float in the Dead Sea, swim through the Zaki river and play at the Luna Gal water park.
  • Hike and camp in the Negev for 3 days.
  • Share a group Kabbalat Shabbat at the Kotel and enjoy Jerusalem's cultural events on other evenings.
  • Develop Hebrew fluency while living the culture, religion, and politics of the Jewish homeland.
  • Develop deep and long lasting friendships with your American and Israeli peers.

And so much more!

Leadership

The program leaders have many years of experience with Jewish teens. This program was organized and developed by Debbie Sussman, director of Camp Yavneh, with the support of Rabbi Dov Lerea, Principal of the Abraham Joshua Heschel School. These individuals have worked with Yitzhak Sokolov, Director of Keshet in Israel, to establish a program that is exciting, fun, and educational, all at the same time. The institute was founded in 1985 by a group of Jewish educators. Together we have developed an exhilarating educational travel experience in Israel tailor-made to enhance the Jewish personal growth of our group of Jewish American teens.

"Na'aleh participants will experience a feeling of being at home in both ancient and modern Israel, visit the most famous sites in Israel and acquire lifelong memories of the Negev, Galilee and Mediterranean. Our goal is for our teens to learn to love the beauty of Eretz Yisrael and understand her history."

-Yitzhak Sokolov, Director of Keshet, Jerusalem

Orientation

The 2 day orientation will be at Camp Yavneh, in Northwood, New Hampshire. You will relax, begin to develop relationships with your fellow travelers, and you will receive Hebrew and educational background to prepare you for your trip.

For the following 6 weeks, from your home base in Jerusalem, you will immerse yourself in all the highlights of Israeli life, culture, people, geography and politics.

The final days of the program will return you to Boston for a home-hospitality Shabbat followed by a trip to Camp Yavneh to share your Na'aleh experience with the older campers of Yavneh.

Eligibility

Open to teens who have completed 11th grade. It is intended for teens who want to expand and deepen their Jewish identity and their knowledge of Israel and Hebrew language. Participants will observe Kashrut and Shabbat and pray and study daily. If you are interested in this very special program, please email Debbie Sussman, our Director at .