June 12, 2008 / 9 Sivan 5768

Fireworks lit up the sky, music filled the air and Israeli performers outdid themselves on a stage pulsing with bright lights and vibrant energy as 5,000 MASA Israel Journey participants celebrated the end of their year in Israel and the 60th anniversary of the State of Israel at a huge mega event at the historic Latrun Armored Corps complex.

"We love you Israel," shouted a group of Habonim Dror Youth Movement activists, as a group of Latin American students loudly cheered them on and their Russian peers smiled broadly.

"Thank you MASA," yelled another group of blue-shirted youth from the other side of the amphitheater as those around them waved their flags back and forth and broke out in song.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert addressed the audience proclaiming, "Through spending time in Israel you got to know, to understand and to deeply feel the State of Israel. When you go back to your countries you will always know that Israel will never cease to be the land of the Jewish people – your land."

Since MASA's inception four years ago as a joint partnership between the Jewish Agency for Israel and the Israeli government, 27,000 Jewish young people the world over have participated in exciting, stimulating semester to one-year programs in Israel. They have studied, learned, engaged with Israelis, traveled and volunteered in different projects throughout the country. MASA's goal is to bring 20,000 young people to Israel each year to participate in long-term programs.

"More than 8,000 people from 50 countries participated in over 150 MASA affiliated programs this year," said Ayelet Shilo-Tamir, CEO MASA. "The power of MASA participants to bring about change and strengthen the relationship between Jews around the world and Israel is enormous."

Ovad Yehezkel, Cabinet Secretary and the government's representative to MASA is an ardent supporter of the program, and an advocate for allocating more funds to MASA. He is also working with Alan Hoffman, director-general of the Jewish Agency's Department for Jewish Zionist Education on a new government strategy to redefine ties with the Diaspora that will be presented at the upcoming Jewish Agency Board of Governors meeting.

"The State of Israel is 60 years old – a true miracle," said Yehezkel. "But we must work together not only for Israel but for the continuation of the Jewish people." He stressed the Jewish Agency's central role in bringing the Jewish world together and investing in the next generation.

Throughout the event, video clips were projected on large plasma screens showing MASA's incredible impact: young people learning at Israel's universities, studying Jewish texts, interacting with Israelis, volunteering in social action programs and traveling to schools in underprivileged neighborhoods to teach English.

"I feel that Israel is my home," said a young American woman smiling broadly. "Thanks to MASA I am able to volunteer and help Israeli society which is so important to me and my friends here."

"MASA gives scholarships to help people come to Israel and participate in a program of their choice," said Jared. "So many of us would not have been able to come on long-term programs without MASA."

(from right to left): Malka Leah Simmons, Louise Lallouz and Shari Feld

Amidst the cheering and singing, hundreds of people from the audience, including Israeli soldiers from the Jewish Agency's Nativ program, spontaneously broke out in dance in front of the stage. "This event is amazing," shouted Malka Leah Simmons from Toronto to her friends Louise Lallouz from New York and Shari Feld from Tampa. "We are so lucky that we came on MASA. This has been the best time of my life."

Israeli solder Noam Meier, one of the Israeli's participating in MASA's Building Future Leadership program said, "Through this program, it is the first time that I realized that so many people care about Israel."