Good Things Stem from Doing Good Deeds

A month ago, the students in the Netanya Students Build a Neighborhood program joined the efforts of many people around the country and participated in the nationwide "Good Deeds Day" activities. A group of students helped to refurbish one of the neighborhoods in the city. They joined teams of volunteers equipped with paintbrushes, gardening equipment and trash bags, in an effort to give the neighborhood a "facelift" and thereby improve the quality of life for the residents.
During the course of the morning, the students discovered that they were working side-by-side with a group of American volunteers who were part of the Masa - Israel Pathways project. This group volunteers in schools around Netanya and its members are the same age as the participants in the Students Build a Neighborhood program. It was mutually decided that the two groups should perform an activity together.
The coordinators of both projects programmed an evening of discussions that revolved around Holocaust Memorial Day, Jewish identity and the significance that the State of Israel has for every individual. The group of participants was diverse, including Americans from all over the US, native Israelis, Israelis whose parents immigrated from Ethiopia and Russia, and others. The discussions were personal and interesting, flavored with amazing stories of aliyah, dedication and belief in the Jewish people.

It was a great success, and the participants are all looking forward to the next opportunity to meet up, share experiences and learn about each other.