Sixty immigrant students from the Former Soviet Union have enrolled in the SELAH Science program while 48 young adult immigrants from Ethiopian will start the KEDMA program. During the 2003/04 year Nitzana will expand the social integration program, which was introduced so successfully last year and offered the two immigrant groups greater opportunities to get to know each other within the framework of cross-cultural social programs, informal education an extra-curricular activities.

SELAH (a Hebrew acronym for Students Without Parents) was introduced seven years ago at Nitzana. The program became SELAH Science the following year with an emphasis on desert science topics such as solar energy and desert ecology as well as Hebrew, Jewish studies, English and computers. Over 90% of the SELAH Science students have gone on to undertake university or college studies, or the mechina academic preparatory program bears testimony to the high level of the immigrants. This reflects the high standards of the program and the quality of students that it is able to attract because of its prestigious reputation.

This year sees the start of the third KEDMA program. The young Ethiopian newcomers are also taught Hebrew, Jewish studies, English, math and computers. In this program too, high standards are being set and last year 75% of the KEDMA participants newcomers graduated to the Sapir Negev Regional College and other academic institutions while the remainder have enrolled in vocational training programs.

Elul 5763 - September 2003