Etgar!
Outdoor Adventure: Israel
USY’s new Etgar! Outdoor Adventure: Israel program is open to all current
10th-12th graders who wish to experience Israel through challenging nature hikes
in the Galilee, Golan, and the Negev.
The main goal of Etgar is to give the participants the opportunity to go beyond
the souvenir stands and discover the Israeli side of Israel. On Etgar, participants
will meet the challenge of study combined with volunteer work, hiking, daily
tefilot, exhilarating Shabbat experiences, and interaction with Israeli peers.
“Olim Le’Yerushalayim”- Getting to the Old city of Jerusalem in the footsteps of the ancient
Jewish Pilgrims.
During the Jerusalem component of the program you will spend time learning about and understanding
Jerusalem in a program specifically designed for Etgar. You will explore 3,000 years of Jerusalem’s
history. Your classroom will be actual battle sites, sacrifices, dedications, revelations and other
historical events that have molded the city we know today.
Through unique programming you will enter Jerusalem’s social, cultural, and religious life,
realize its problems today and analyze the challenges for the future of this most magnificent
multi-cultural city.
“Tikun Olam” – Volunteer projects and nature activities at the city of Yerucham in the
Negev.
Founded in the 1950’s by Moroccan Olim, Yerucham is a microcosm of many of Israel’s social issues
and challenges. Some of the relationships you will study are those between Ashkenazic and Sephardic,
religious and secular, new and old Olim, and Sabras (native born Israelis). Yerucham serves as a base
for nature hikes, field cooking, nature night activities and volunteer work.
During this time you will interact with local Madrichim (staff) and children of Yerucham’s Kaytana
(Day Camp). There you will prepare and present activities to the group to which you are assigned. You
will also experience a Shabbat in Yerucham while visiting an Israeli family.
“Yachad” – Interaction with NOAM teens.
NOAM is USY’s sister movement in Israel. During the summer, NOAM has a summer camp program for younger
children. You will spend several days at Camp NOAM with an Etgar-NOAM group comprised of Madrichim who
are 16–18 years old. During the course of the week you will have the opportunity to interact with Israeli
youth like never before. You will join Etgar-NOAM for tiyulim, hikes, and study, joint Jewish identity
programs where you will explore the true meaning of being Jewish, social programs, Shabbat with the entire
camp, and much more...
During the course of Etgar you will participate in special activities, which will enhance your
understanding of this beautiful land beyond your previous Israel experience.
Highlights include:
- “La midbar” – A seminar at Kibbutz Ketora at the Arava
- Building rafts with the Israeli Scouts and sailing on the Kinneret
- Hiking and rappelling at the beautiful canyons of the Golan Heights
- “Me-yam Le-yam” (From sea to sea). A four-day hike from the shore of the
Mediterranean Sea to the Kinneret with members of Noam
'
All Etgar participants will have a free weekend during which they will be able to visit relatives
and friends who reside in Israel.
What's a summer on Etgar like?
You can browse through the daily written and photo updates from past summers to see! (Note: schedule
subject to change.)
Want more information?
You can request more information about USY Summer
Programs, and we will send it you!
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