Americans Travel with Israelis from Sderot

Fifty Americans from Chicago and beyond joined the Shorashim/CCP High School program in it's 24th year! They were joined in Israel by thirty Israelis for the trip of a lifetime. 

As usual, the American participants - still with visions of the Majdanek - exited customs at Ben Gurion Airport into a sea of Israelis, dancing and singing and making them feel at home. The scene was simply amazing. This year - as in every year - the groups were joined by Israeli participants from Chicago's Partnership 2000 Region: Kiryat Gat - Lachish - Shafir and from the neighborhoods and high schools in Jerusalem that have traditionally been feeders to the program.

But unlike past years, this summer's group was joined by  participants from the towns and villages around Sderot. With generous support from our board, alumni, and friends, we were able to offer scholarships to eight high schools students who would have otherwise had to endure another summer of relentless rocket attacks from Gaza. While - for obvious reasons - they were not able to host American participants for a Shabbat, they were able to share their stories and themselves, while they participated in a summer of fun.  It is an experience that the participants - American and Israeli - will never forget.