KEDMA Students wave Nitzana's flag on the ascent to Masada.

During June the students at Nitzana from the former Soviet Union and Ethiopia completed the SELAH-Science and KEDMA programs. The newcomers celebrated with an impressive and festive end-of-term party as they looked back on a successful year, which was rich in endeavors. The marks received by the students were very high and almost all of them will start academic or vocational training studies in October, or volunteer for the IDF. The SELAH-Science program is supported by the Allied Jewish Federation of Colorado and Keren Hayesod Geneva, Switzerland.

The fact that nearly all the SELAH-Science students will undertake university or college studies, or the academic preparatory program bears testimony to the high level of the immigrants. The KEDMA students achieved impressive results and showed an enormous motivation. Many of the Ethiopian born newcomers will move on to the Sapir Negev Regional College and other academic institutions while the remainder will enroll in vocational training programs.

A highlight of the year was in May when the SELAH-Science and KEDMA students ascended Masada together with more than 1,000 other young new immigrants in Jewish Agency absorption centers.

Another highlight was on Independence Day when SELAH Science students devoted the holiday to entrepreneurial simulation games. The new immigrant students from the former Soviet Union were introduced to the entrepreneurial spirit in a series of games, which allowed them to take on functions carried out by government ministries, municipal departments and private businesses.

“In the process the campus got cleaned up,” said Nitzana Director David Palmach, “there were artistic appearances and the students learned about profit, loss and performance bonuses.”

Entrepreneurial jobs undertaken by Nitzana’s students ranged from setting up a radio station to cleaning windows, running café and even an alternative medicine clinic. The program was successfully introduced last year and looks like becoming a regular annual event on the Nitzana calendar.

Tamuz 5764 - July 2004