photo: From left to right (standing behind children): Osnat Mordechai, director of Nazareth Illit community centers, Hava Bachar, acting mayor of Nazareth Illit.

Today, approximately 1,800 children and teens from Nazareth Illit traveled, for a second day, for summer activities in the Tel Aviv region-far away from the noise of the rocket alerts and from the fear of a Katyusha rocket landing in our region.  Just as they were leaving in the direction of Tel Aviv an alert was sounded in the Nazareth Illit area, making clear to everyone just how essential summer activities are outside the city.

The summer activities for the children of Nazareth Illit represent a portion of the generous contribution by the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit (within the framework of the Jewish Agency's Partnership 2000 program), which contributed $750,000 for children's and youth activities as well as the security of the municipalities of Migdal HaEmek and the Jezreel Valley Regional Council.

Acting mayor, Ms. Hava Bachar, said with obvious emotion: "The warm and close relationship we've had with the Detroit community for 12 years is only getting stronger these days.  The community is embracing us with a great deal of love and is enabling us to expand summer activities for the sake of the town's children.  Thanks to the community's generous contribution we'll be able to conduct children's activities in secured areas while at the same time bring children and teens to various activities outside of the town."