Students’ exchange programs between the two communities began in the 2012-13 school year. Students from each community are hosted by the partner community . They study at the local school, get to know the students and the local culture, and are exposed to life in Israel and Rochester.
As part of the program, the students act as ambassadors for their country and their community, meaningful personal ties are formed, and the partner students are leading factors in the forming bonds.
Objectives:
• To strengthen the Jewish identity and sense of belonging to the Jewish people and to the State of Israel, in both communities
• To cultivate a reciprocal interpersonal connection, which leads to better mutual understanding, and also impact on the life of the community.
• Mutual enrichment, exchange of knowledge and generating relevance for studying language, Hebrew in Rochester and English in Modi’in.
Who is the program suitable for?
- 7th-8th grade graduates
What does the program include?
A delegation of students selected after a selection and preparation process and leaves for a period of two weeks in Rochester. During the two weeks, the students stay in the homes of the host students, study with them in the schools, live their lives, participate in all their activities throughout the day and also travel in the area.
A mutual delegation is coming later this year to Modiin for similar activities.
The students form an interpersonal relationship, which in many cases leads to long-term friendships.