The "Front Stage" project of Partnership 2000 started its second year of cultural and volunteer activity with a bang by enabling 1200 high school students from Beit Shemesh and the surrounding area to attend the musical "He who dreamed" at the Culture Hall in Tel Aviv.

The musical, which was inspired by the life story of Yitzhak Rabin, took the audience on a Zionist/historical journey which combined the history of the State of Israel with the story of one of its most important leaders. This very emotional and very enjoyable musical has some of the best actors in Israel, including both rookies and veterans. The play looks at the values and personal dilemmas of the contemporary Israeli experience.   

"This was a very meaningful experience for our youth. The play emphasizes some important educational themes, such as parent-child relationships, adolescence and military service and deep experiential/emotional learning. For many of the students, just being in the Culture Hall, during the evening, watching alongside adults, was an experience in itself" - Udi Kedem, Vice Principal of the Branco Weiss A Junior High.

The "Front Stage" project seeks to expose local high school students to Israel's art and culture scene with the goal of enriching their life experiences and expanding their horizons. The project gives each high school student in the city an opportunity to visit the best of Israel's cultural events. The project puts the youth of Beit Shemesh-Yehuda Plains on "front stage", not far from the youth living in the large urban centers.

  
During the 2005-6 school year, some 2100 students in grades 8-10 from ten different high schools in the region will attend five quality cultural performances of various types: art, dance, theater, film, movement and music.

Apart from the cultural value of the program, it also instills the values of volunteerism and social activity on behalf of the community. The participants in the project, under the guidance of the project administrators and the school staff, have recently begun to put together a program of volunteer activities in the region. The youth have committed themselves to an annual program of volunteer activity on the school level.

Last year, the following projects were implemented: adoption of a day center for the elderly, the rehabilitation of an archaeological site in the Eshtaol forest and of a nearby spring, the painting of garbage containers and the sprucing up of parks throughout the city. The Branco Weiss A High School, together with Keren Kayemet and Partnership 2000, held a leadership seminar which included adventure/leadership activities. At the end of the seminar, the participating youth put together three proposals for volunteer projects which would be implemented by the school's students. During the coming month, other high schools will be deciding on their program of activity for the coming year.