Koom Vehitalech Ba’aretz

Providing a sense of home to the young people of the Naale program, who came to live in Israel while their parents are still abroad. Shetaltem Nigunim, a nonprofit association, is a human capital fund with an organizational structure in which everyone can experience a meaningful encounter with youth by volunteering according to a suitable framework, timing, and frequency. The name Shetaltem Nigunim comes from the first words of a poem by Fania Bergstein: “You, my mother and father, implanted tunes in me.” In the Koom Vehitalech Ba’aretz project (“Arise and walk the land”), one of the association’s flagship programs, the association sends volunteers out for weekend tours with the youth of Naale — young people who came to live and be educated in Israel without their nuclear family (mainly in boarding schools and youth villages). The Members of the Youth Group In this project, we meet youth group members during their first year in Israel. They confront difficulties of cultural acclimation, of language, and of loneliness, with no relatives to celebrate with them on holidays or to spend time with them on weekends. While other students leave to visit their families, the Naale youngsters are mostly left behind with nothing to do. For them, this project is a rare and vital opportunity to leave the youth village, to enjoy a change of atmosphere, to learn about the Land of Israel — its scenery, culture, flavors, and songs — and also to meet people who may become significant adult figures in their lives. The Cost The high cost of this activity (transportation, entrance fees to sites, food, safety, etc.) is funded by the Shetaltem Nigunim association, which operates the program in several youth villages, limited only by its financial resources. The only way to meet the great demand on a national scale, and broaden the scope of this activity to include other places, is by fundraising, and for that the purpose we are launching an ambassadors’ campaign. The money raised will enable us to reach thousands of Spanish-speaking, Russian-speaking, and French-speaking youngsters under the existing Naale frameworks, in fifty additional locations across Israel! Your Donation Your donation will allow more young people to encounter the beautiful face of Israel. It will ease the process of social acclimation for them and boost their hope of establishing a home here with us in an atmosphere of belonging and love. With your help, let us all arise and walk the Land of Israel! Thank you.