Hadassah National Board member and Youth Aliyah Chair, Leah Reicin presented a paper entitled “Youth Aliyah:  Empowerment Through Education: A Multi Cultural Approach,” as a plenary speaker at the 2nd Annual United Nations Youth Assembly, “Young People Making a Difference.” Speaking at the August meeting Reicin told the dramatic story of Youth Aliyah’s 70 years of Jewish rescue.

Reicin presented moving portraits of Youth Aliyah’s array of successful efforts to integrate disadvantaged youth into Israeli society, including programs that teach children literacy, social customs, and nurturing skills. In addition Ms. Reicin mentioned the importance of communal history in Youth Aliyah education. The annual Hadassah-funded trip to Poland typifies this key element, when Israeli youth from diverse communities including Ethiopian and Russian Jewish populations come into close contact with the history of Europe’s murdered Jews during World War II.

“The great dream of Youth Aliyah is integrating its young people into the mainstream,” she  explained.  “The results are seen in the tens of thousands of ordinary people who live normal, thriving lives and then go forward and contribute their own special magic to the world.”