World Jewish News

More than 7,500 Jewish students will visit Israel to participate in the "Taglit" project.

More than 7,500 Jewish students from 25 countries will fly to Israel in January to participate in the "Taglit" project. The Jewish agency co-founds the project. Nothing could have made students give up the ideas of coming over to Israel, even the country's difficult home security situation, the US State Department recommendations not to visit Israel, an increasing possibility of US military actions against Iraq. Three thousand students already in the country gathered for the "Taglit" assembly in Jerusalem Congress palace. The Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, the Head of the Jewish agency Salay Meridor, the Jewsih agency's treasurer Shay Hermesh participated in the opening ceremony.
The "Taglit" project was initiated three years ago. Its objective is to prevent the young generation of the Diaspora countries from being assimilated, the process regarded as a dangerous tendency. The "Taglit" project gives Jewish students of between 18 and 26 a possibility to visit Israel, make a field trip to the most important landmarks of the country's ancient and modern history, and meet their Israeli peers and prominent public figures. 32,000 students from 25 countries and 150 colleges and universities have already used this opportunity.
General Director of the Project, Shimshon Shoshani, has announced that this month 70 flights will bring the students to the country, 95% of those flights carried out by El Al. 175 buses with professional guide will be at the students' disposal, total number of the trips amounting to 4,400. Every field trip bus will carry experienced security and medical personnel. 45,000 tickets to enter museums, national parks, and other tourist sites have been purchased; hotels for total 67,500 nights (nine nights per person) have been reserved in different cities of the country; 135,000 dinners are to be cooked.
Thus, the projects not only aims at introducing foreign students to the present day Israel; it also contributes considerably to the maintaining of tourism, the branch of economy that, for the past three years, has been suffering greatly from the Palestine Intifada. The students' one month's stay is estimated to provide work for 3,000 Israelis. The students are predicted to buy US$ 1,800,000 worth of Israeli souvenirs. The "Taglit" project will contribute US$ 12,300,000 to the tourist industry of Israeli.
The students represent 25 countries, including the USA, Canada, Argentina, Uruguay, France, the CIS. In addition, 350 students (80% of the total number of the graduates) of the 12th (Senior) grade of the Jewish schools of South Africa will visit Israel this year. As of the present, the "Taglit" is the biggest and most important educational project of the Jewish agency.

Источник: Jewish.ru