The Jewish Agency Nitzana Rural Educational Community is currently marking the tenth anniversary of the project of adopting children from the oncology ward at Soroka Hospital. As part of the project, 'National Service' instructors from Nitzana visit the hospital on a weekly basis and support the children during a very difficult period of their lives. The highlight of this activity with the children is a week long camp which took place at Nitzana, in May, during which the children benefited from a rich array of exciting experiences, including a visit to the planetarium and solar park at the educational center, and a flight in a hot air balloon. The camp program included trips around the country and was supported by numerous bodies which provided their services on a voluntary basis.

The Nitzana Rural Educational Community, in the southwest part of the Negev, has adopted children from the oncology ward at Soroka Hospital for the last ten years. National service leaders living at Nitzana go to the hospital each week to support the children during a most difficult period in their lives. Once a year, in May, the educational center closes its gates to outside visitors and exclusively hosts the children from the oncology ward for one week.

David Palmach, the director of the Nitzana Rural Educational Community, said that the camp, which took place last week with dozens of children and youths, took place thanks to the help of a large number of organizations which supported the endeavor. During the camp the children visited various locations around Israel and enjoyed all the attractions the educational center has to offer, such as a visit to the solar park and the solar pool, and observing the stars at the planetarium. "We allow each child to bring with them, to the camp, an older sibling or close friend so that, for a few days, they can forget about their serious ailment and have some wonderful experiences and, together with them, be invigorated," said Palmach.

The camp was conducted by the Nitzana staff, which includes 15 'National Service' instructors and the center's permanent staff. The camp activities were supported by professional staff from the Soroka educational center and were closely monitored by doctors and nurses from the Soroka Medical Center who know the children and are familiar with their health problems, in order to provide medical solutions, if needed.

The Nitzana Rural Educational Community serves as a training center providing educational programs for around 15,000 youths, from Israel and abroad each year. The programs incorporate trips in the Negev and seminars on leadership and Zionism, ecology, the environment, science, astronomy and alternative energy sources.

Photo credit: Soroka Hospital