Ongoing improvement with the potential do even better next year would characterize the results of Youth Aliyah’s residential villages and their students over the past year. At Hadassah Neurim the introduction of a new program for the enhancement of learning and thinking skills designed by the Branco-Weiss Institute has had a tangible effect on scholastic performance.

"The average mark of each student participating in the program has risen by an average of 5%-7%," observed Nahum Katz, Director of Hadassah Neurim. "And the program was not fully operating throughout the year."

A similar program designed by Branco-Weisss, based on tuition in small groups, was also commenced this year at Ramat Hadassah Szold.

"It is too early to say we will have better exam results," explained Ramat Hadassah Szold Director Zvi Astrachan, "but I see a distinct improvement in the student’s approach to schoolwork. They have a much more serious attitude."

Not only is Ramat Hadassah Szold undergoing enormous physical change with new buildings being put up and old buildings being renovated, but next year class sizes will be reduced from an average of 20 students to 15.

At Ben Yakir it has been a difficult year. "We have had a lot of personal tragedies this year," recalled Ben Yakir Director Yossi Krothamer. "Students have lost close family members in terrorist incidents and one student had his older sister murdered, while another’s mother died of illness. These incidents are naturally very disruptive but we have come through them and the students have done well."

Hezi Panet, Director of Kiryat Yearim was also pleased with the progress made by his village over the past year. "We have streamlined operations and introduced new programs," he said. "We have about 30 students in the 10th – 12th grade external high school program and next year we will expand the number to 50. A new success for the junior high students has been the introduction of the a new scouting program (tzofim)."

Nitzana saw nearly 100 new immigrants from Ethiopia and the former Soviet Union graduate from its KEDMA and SELAH Science programs.

"Over the past year we have also had nearly 13,000 students," added Nitzana Director David Palmach, "attending our Negev seminars and 3,000 students in our Follow the Sun seminars." Nitzana is undergoing major expansion and working towards next year’s programs.

Tamuz 5763 - July 2003