MTA and Central students switch places with Israeli peers

By The Jewish Star Staff

Twenty students from Yeshiva University High Schools will be spending their winter break in school. But not in America.

Ten boys from MTA and ten girls from Central will spend six weeks as part of a student exchange program in two Israeli high schools. The program enrolls the boys in Yeshivat Makor Chaim in Kfar Etzion and the girls in Ulpanat Tzvia in Ma’aleh Adumim. The Americans will sleep in the school dormitories and take meals with their Israeli peers. Program Coordinator Tova Rosenberg, also the director of Hebrew language studies at both Yeshiva University high schools, stressed that the program was all about integration between the American high school students and their Israeli counterparts.

“It’s not another American program that they’re studying in English or with American teachers,” Rosenberg told the Jewish Star, “They’re together with their Israeli peers in all of the limudei kodesh subjects.”

The goal of the program is to develop leadership skills in the students, Rosenberg said.

“These are our future leaders and these [Israel and America] are the two largest communities,” said Rosenberg, “It’s very important for our Jewish leaders to know each other.”

The girls’ trip began on Sunday December 6th, and the boys departed this past Thursday. The second part of the program, where six Israeli high school girls and boys will spend six weeks in Yeshiva University High Schools, will begin in January.

“I can’t believe it’s only been in a week,” said Tamar Golubtchik of Woodmere in a telephone interview from Israel. “It feels like it’s been so much longer.”

Golubtchik said she has no regrets about missing her January vacation.