By Judy Yuda, Partnership Director

Fifty-four 8th graders from the Epstein School in Atlanta led by their school principle Myrna Rubel joined their peers at Yokneam's Ort High School on the eve of Yom Hazikaron (Memorial Day).  This group of teens continues the school tradition of visiting Yokneam, Atlanta's Partnership 2000 city during this time of year.

Arriving in the late afternoon, the teens with their peers from the Ort school on a mural painting project – seven large canvases with Jewish and Israeli holiday themes were waiting to be painted.

In small groups, they put on aprons, rolled up their sleeves and together turned the canvases into works of art.  All but one of the canvases will be used by ORT for their annual ceremonies – the canvas celebrating Israel's Independence Day will be shipped to the Epstein school for use during their yearly celebration of this important day.

Later that evening the entire group of teens took part in Yokneam's official ceremony marking the beginning of Israel's Memorial Day.  Supplied with a translation of the ceremony, the teens united with Yokneam's residents in remembrance of the twenty-three  citizens of the city who have fallen while in IDF service or as victims of terror.