Nine kindergarten and preschool teachers from Kiryat Bialik, led by Education Dept. Director Ami Reuven, paid their reciprocal visit with their Boca Raton colleagues whom they hosted last June. The two encounters were part of the Educators Exchange program - one of the outstanding projects within the framework of the Jewish Agency's Partnership 2000. The reunion in December was an extremely happy one for all participants, who refer to one another not just as colleagues but as best friends or even family. The close bonds that were developed in June were well demonstrated during last summer's war; the Boca teachers constantly called and emailed their friends in the line of fire, and also collected contributions in their schools for the schools of their friends.

During their time in Boca the joint group visited several of the early childhood schools operated by the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County. They also had sessions and workshops dealing with themes such as Shabbat, holidays and the Jewish calendar, in an attempt to create joint programs that can be implicated on both sides. The American teachers related to their Israeli friends (one of which is Miriam Gal, regional supervisor for the Ministry of Education) that their acquaintance with the educational system in Kiryat Bialik had a great impact on them and that they actually made changes in their curriculum, implicating some of the unique methods they have learned here.

Ami Reuven pointed out the wonderful relationships, both personal and professional, that were created among the group members. He thanked Dr. Leon Weissberg, Director of the Jewish Education Commission, and Mrs. Marilyn Nachman, Director of Professional Development and Educational Resources, for making this visit yet another uplifting and meaningful stage in the ongoing relationship between the educational systems of Boca Raton and Kiryat Bialik. Reuven also said, "I commend all of the kindergarten teachers from Kiryat Bialik, who showed an extremely professional attitude and made excellent ambassadors for the city and for Israel."