Scanning the tables through the buzz of animated conversations overlaid by Israeli music, it was impossible to tell which 12 of the 109 Jewish teens participating in the second JCC Maccabi ArtsFest were from Kiryat Bialik - Boca Raton's Jewish Agency Partnership 2000 area.

Halfway through their recent week of learning and preparing to perform and exhibit together, at lunch in Florida Atlantic University Center the Israeli youth had completely commingled with their counterparts from South Palm Beach County, throughout the U.S., and South America. 

"At first, it was easy to tell the Israeli teens apart, because they clung together," remembered ArtsFest Chair Stephanie Owitz Greenberg, "but right now we are looking through every conversation group to gather them to lead the after-lunch activities. We've infused this week with Israeli culture."

Yuval Dotan, 14-year-old musician from Kiryat Bialik, concurred, "I was shy at first but the American kids really reached out to us, and the activities helped us get to know new people.

Then it was too much fun and too interesting not to be with them.

Some of them know Hebrew and help us with anything we don't understand. Some want help with their Hebrew. And they want to know everything about us."

The teens' journey from Israel to ArtsFest began a full year ago, when the local Adolph and Rose Levis Jewish Community Center learned it would be one of two national host sites for this second year of JCC Maccabi ArtsFest.

Built on the successful model of the JCC Maccabi Games ®, which have grown to draw thousands of Jewish teens from around the world each summer for sports competition, ArtsFest was developed "to inspire Jewish teens (entering grades 8-12) through a dynamic combination of workshop, performance, exhibition, community service, social activities, and fun to develop their individuality through the medium of artistic expression while strengthening their bonds to their Jewish heritage, community, and Israel."

"When we learned that ArtsFest would be taking place here, our Partnership 2000 (P2K) Committee thought it was a wonderful opportunity to strengthen the bonds with Israeli partner community, Kiryat Bialik, by enabling some of their talented teens to participate," explained Elise Dolgow, Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County Israel and Overseas (IOC) Director.

Through its P2K program, the Federation proceeded to bring ten teens from Kiryat Bialik, a suburb of Haifa, to ArtsFest.

This is one in a series of many varied P2K exchanges that have included educators, business leaders, law enforcement and security officers, and government officials, as well as cultural artists and youth.

In addition, two Israeli teens originally from Ethiopia were able to participate in ArtsFest via the North American Conference on Ethiopian Jewry (NACOEJ), through the generosity of Margie and Maurice Plough, Jr., Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center president.

Like all participants, the Israeli teens were required to audition in their chosen disciplines, Multi-Media or Digital Art, Dance, Vocal Music, Theater, Orchestra, or Rock/Pop Bands.

They learned about ArtsFest in different ways. Carmit Gilad, Jewish Agency staff member from Kiryat Bialik who led the Israeli delegation, indicated that coordinated, intensive recruitment efforts began a year before ArtsFest.

Yuval was encouraged to apply by the music conservatory where he takes master classes.

Gali Yehiam, 15, was thrilled to be approached after appearing in the Kiryat Bialik's annual play.

Recommended by her high school dance instructor, Ethiopian-born Ester Araro, 16, traveled several hours by train each way between Yavneh to Kiryat Bialik for meetings to be part of the group.

For most of the Israeli contingent, heading to ArtsFest was their first trip out of the country or on an airplane. Gali and Ester shared their awe at looking down from above the clouds, and how huge, beautiful, and very green they have found the U.S.

The teens' awe extended to their ArtsFest workshops.

"Is it what I expected? Even better!" waxed Yuval, a Fusion Ensemble/Orchestra participant.

"It's amazing to spend so many hours every day doing what you love best.

"Gali concurred, "We get to follow our passion, and the artists we learn from are absolute professionals. My Musical Theater teacher Avi Hoffman is amazing.

Ester also found her artist-in-residence, Carolyn Dorfman, outstanding in creating a collaborative artistic environment,"At first in the dance workshop I felt afraid and alone because I was the only Israeli.

But the teacher is so good and the kids so supportive of each other, now I feel like I am in my own class in Israel."

Along with other out-of-town ArtsFest participants, the Israeli teens were placed with local host families - whose welcome provided another source of amazement.

"It was weird just at first to be with a strange family, but they do everything they can to make us feel their home is our home," shared Gali.

"For my birthday, they asked me what I wanted to eat and made Spaghetti Bolognese and a cake.

For Shabbat, I got to go to Temple Beth El where my host Lori Shapiro is the cantor, and it was beautiful.

"While Gali still missed her usual foods, Ester's family had prepared falafel and hummus to make her feel at home.

The teens also appreciated their hosts showing them local sights and giving them a window into American teen life. They were delighted to visit Town Center Mall and the beach, and looked forward to the trip to Disney World that would follow ArtsFest.

But forging personal relationships with other teens across barriers of language and geography seemed the most outstanding feature of the Israeli youths' experience.

"For arts, you don't need language to communicate," discovered Gali.

"Arts break down boundaries between people," continued Yuval, "not just in the workshops but through the music we listen to.

Some of it is the same music, but people here need a lot of help to sing the right Hebrew words."

The Israeli teens also found more solemn aspects of their lives of interest to the Americans.

"They wanted to know how it was for us to live during the war last summer, what it's like to be in a bomb shelter," reported Yuval.

"I knew Israel's dangers," continued Ester, "but last summer was the first time I really felt the impact. People came from unsafe areas to stay in Yavneh.

"Gali added, "It was very frightening.

I went with my mother to stay with friends in Tel Aviv but my father and grandfather stayed in Kiryat Bialik and commuted to Haifa so we were always worried about them.

"We'll never forget that time when we were in and out of the bomb shelters but now things seem back to normal, but until we talked about it here, the American kids thought Israel was all terror, a war zone.

Now they know we have a regular life," concluded Yuval.

Some of the Israeli teens were building on relationships that started through earlier P2K activities.

Among these, Donna Klein Jewish Academy's 8th grade had stayed in Kiryat Bialik last spring. 

Yuval's host family includes one of these students he got to know there.

Some teens knew each other from March of the Living or other trips that have brought the two communities together.

Ester, Gali and Yuval were all sure they were forming friendships that would last a long time, with the internet to sustain them on a continual basis between visits.

"We have email, My Space, and instant messaging that was invented in Israel.

We'll send each other music and photos." explained Yuval.

These relationships across 6,500 miles fulfill some of ArtsFest Chair Stephanie Owitz Greenberg's greatest hopes for the week, "It's the beginning of a lifetime of connections and relationships, from email pen pals to cultural and business collaborations and support of our homeland.

Person to person, we build and strengthen our young people's bonds to Israel."

Local teens can build these bonds through the Jewish Roots Initiative P2K project.

In its fourth year, this joint venture of the Jewish Education Commission with Donna Klein Jewish Academy and Weinbaum Yeshiva High School involves 40 teens from these as well as other area public and private high schools.

Teens engage on varied levels, from local discussion groups and activities to "Gesher Chai," a living bridge in which students from South Palm Beach County and Kiryat Bialik live in each other's communities and sustain lasting relationships through email, instant messaging, and video conferences.

To learn more about the Jewish Roots Initiative and other opportunities for local teens to engage with Judaism and Israel, contact Justin B. Pollack, Teen Education Coordinator & March of the Living SPBC Community Coordinator for the Jewish Education Commission at 561-852-3308 or justinp@bocafed.org.

For more information about the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County's Partnership 2000 or other projects in, contact Elise Dolgow, Director of the Israel and Overseas Committee (IOC) at 561-852-6080 or elised@bocafed.org.