Last week, Partnership 2000's two-year Washington - Beit Shemesh - Mateh Yehuda project for pre-school educators, 2007-2008, ended.

The program aimed to generate professional and interpersonal links between kindergarten teachers in Israel and their counterparts in Diaspora Jewish communities, while achieving mutual enrichment and enhancing Zionist Jewish identification between the two parties. The program was based on two years of monthly advanced training courses on areas of education relevant to pre-school teachers, and on familiarization with the education system in the Diaspora. At the same time, a corresponding team in Washington studied the same material and subjects with a view to forging a connection between the two groups based on shared studies.

In addition to the monthly study sessions the program also included a visit by the Washington team to Israel, and a reciprocal visit by a Bet Shemesh-Mateh Yehuda group to Washington last December.

The project incorporated 14 teachers from kindergartens in Bet Shemesh and Mateh Yehuda: Ora Picali, Irit Ben Asulin, Miriam Cohen, Raheli Levy, Aliza Salma and Simha Hassis from Bet Shemesh kindergartens, and Dalia Avni from Tzalfon, Vered Rapaport from Tzora, Yael Avdar from Kiryat Anavim, Miriam Avrahami and Shoshi Zisk from Givat Ye'arim, Raheli Kiviti from Tzur Hadassah, Riki Natan from Kfar Uriah and Shirley Shitreet from Ness Harrim.

The end of project party was a lot of fun. There were lots of laughs, but also sadness at having to go their separate ways. The teachers also took their leave of the wonderful instructors who had supported the group throughout - Orly Kenet and Shira Ackerman Simhovitz - whom we wish to thank. The women, of course, also broke up a close knit group.

As some of the teachers said at the end: "I have no doubt that my participation in the project has given me a significant rewarding experience", and "A once in a lifetime experience, and the opportunity to learn about new things I had not previously encountered."

Partnership 2000 thanks all the wonderful teachers for dedicating their time to making the project a success, and hopes that the teachers will continue to be involved in such projects, and others, run by the Partnership in the future!