The Russell Berrie Young Leadership Delegation visited Nahariya as part of their recent trip to Israel. The visit was a part of the cooperative connection between Nahariya and the Jewish population of Northern New Jersey, and as part of JAFI's Partnership 2000. This foundation is named for the late Russell Berrie and is directed by his wife, foundation president, Angelica Berrie, who contributes a great deal to projects in Israel in many fields, such as medicine, security and the arts.

Participants in the young leadership program, along with foundation trustees, were hosted on Friday and Saturday in the home of Mrs. Raya Strauss Ben Dror, Nahariya partnership chairperson and national chairperson of 45 partnerships in Israel. During this weekend, they studied together, met with public officials from Nahariya and were treated to a performance by  renown singer Dudu Fisher.

On Sunday, the group visited the Nahariya Fire Station, where they heard about the role the station played during wartime, helped update the firefighting kits, experienced using a new fire truck and were shown the more than NIS 400,000 worth of equipment that was donated by the foundation

The visit ended with a tour of the Western Galilee Hospital in Nahariya, where a tour was held of the fourth floor which was hit by a Katyusha during the war, as well as the underground structure which was used during the war to house and save the lives of hospital patients and staff members. The visitors brought along gifts which were gratefully accepted by the director of the pediatrics department, Dr. Even.