Travel

SHARP RISE IN ISRAEL TRAVEL

Despite the ongoing Intifada, the two Conservative Movement youth programs that sponsor teen summer trips to Israel, United Synagogue Youth (USY) and Camp Ramah, have seen a dramatic increase to nearly 720 in the number of youths this summer participating in Israel programs, the largest group since the outbreak of violence nearly five years ago.

Mazal tov to USYs NATIV Program which has a record number of 80 participants on its year-long program. The success of NATIV shows that the Conservative Movement, with its NATIV, Conservative Yeshiva, USY High and Ramah TRY Programs, is uniquely positioned to take immediate advantage of the funds, $10 million per year for five years, that the Office of the Prime Minister of Israel, together with the Jewish Agencys Education Department, have set aside to establish long-term post-high school Israel programs as the norm within the Jewish world.