Having already visited Nitzana, Kiryat Yearim and Ramat Hadassah Szold, General (Res.) Giora Romm, Jewish Agency Director-General toured Ben Yakir and Hadassah Neurim in recent weeks.

At Hadassah Neurim he observed. "Maj. Gen. (ret.) Yair and the others, working methodically and conscientiously, have brought the administration and management of the village back on track. We also had an extremely enjoyable meeting with the young people that are the beneficiaries of the great work being done at Hadassah Neurim. Their future and ours is quite promising."

At Ben Yakir the visit coincided with the donation of goats and sheep to replace the animals stolen from the village several months ago. The donors were Hadassah-WIZO Canada and Mr. B. Rappaport through the Israel Education Fund. A Hadassah-WIZO Canada delegation had visited Ben Yakir the morning after the theft and had seen the disappointment and sense of loss in the children's eyes. The students wrote a poem to the Director General.

To the guest in our home the Director-General of the Jewish Agency,
It doesn't happen every day and it's not so simple, In the end the Jewish Agency means aliyah and Zionism,
And general concern for Diaspora Jews, that’s also the Jewish Agency,
But somewhere in the Israel Department,
When somebody is interested, checks or asks,
They'll find an enterprise that goes under the name,
Youth Aliyah Institutions,
Education in the most basic sense,
Education for our youth – that we won't give up on,
Given a second home that won't be destroyed,
A home giving warmth, love and open arms drawing in those who draw close.
As a former Director-General of the Ministry of National Infrastructures,
You've reached the real infrastructure – the infrastructure of future youth,
And as an air force man who has seen the country's diverse landscapes,
It's good to see you out in the field, for an encounter with its sons.

Tamuz 5763 - June 2003