This year's student delegation was the 13th consecutive student delegation from Shittim High School in the Arava to Sydney and Melbourne. The delegation of 14 students has recently returned from Down Under, and we look forward to hearing all about it very soon.

A newer tradition was initiated last year in October when a group of young people from Australia who came to Israel on the Netzer "Shnat" program spent a Shabbat in the Central Arava. The aim was to hold an "Australian Jewish" Shabbat experience for Arava youth, which would deepen their awareness to their Jewish identity, and also help to develop and reinforce strong, long-term connections between Israeli and Australian youth, based upon a meaningful experience.

The Netzer group ran various activities for the Arava youngsters, and were hosted by local families. All of the "Shnatties" remarked on the warmth and hospitality of the host families, and even said that the Shabbaton should take place every year with each Shnat group - at least once.

This recommendation was implemented in May of this year, and a second Shabbaton was held in the Arava with the participation of 35 Netzer youth counselors from Melbourne and Sydney and young people from the Arava in grades 10-12. We hope that the Netzer Shabbaton in the Arava is well on the way to becoming another wonderful Arava-Australia Partnership 2000 tradition.

 
AUJES group in the Arava

And we hope that another new tradition has been initiated: an AUJES (Australasian Union of Jewish Students) delegation from Australia came to stay in the Central Arava for a week in March, for the very first time.

Ten students, eight from Australia and two from New Zealand, aged 18-19, accompanied by an Australian counselor, came to volunteer in the community. The group came to Israel on a five-month plan (from January until June) called the Aviv Program under the auspices of AUJS.

The students were accommodated in guest units on Moshav Ein Yahav, where they prepared their own meals. Their program of volunteering in the community included working in a packing house for dates and in picking peppers, helping out in a pre-kindergarten nursery school, assisting in sports lessons at the Shittim Elementary School, helping one of the local group counselors run activities, and much, much more.

The group also toured the region and met with Partnership representatives to learn more about Partnership 2000 and the ongoing ties with the Australian community. All in all both sides were happy with the program, and hope to continue implementing and improving it in the coming years.