Clockwise from left: Amanda Milstein, 15, of West Bloomfield - takes off on the Flying
Squirrel at the ropes course.
Amanda is airborne on the Flying Squirrel. The teens in the background pull her high
into the trees.
Maayan Shechor-i, 15, of Kibbutz Hasolelin watches as her fellow teens rise into the
trees.
Natan Bar-On, 15, of Nazareth Illit leads a group of teens pulling a student into the
air on the Flying Squirrel.

LISA FEIN
Special to the Jewish News

where I live. I am not afraid when going
out; but my parents worry more when
they don't know where I am. There is a
lot of tension going to crowded places."
He said he avoids large shopping
places and going out without reason.
"We are running our normal lives
except for that," he said.
He added, "I think it is sad that only
11 teens are visiting Israel this summer. I
understand worried parents and appreci-
ate kids and parents that are letting their
kids come. I think it is important for
them to have this
experience.
Staying in Israel
can be 100 per-
cent safe if
planned properly
and all will be
fine."

A

dreary, cold spring day in a
forest-like environment is a
far cry from the sunny, Warm
weather Israelis are used to.
But this is what 18 Israeli teens
encountered as they stepped off a tour
bus with teens from metro Detroit and
on to the grounds of the Boys and Girls
Republic in Farmington Hills. The
emphasis was team building and creating
trust.
The Israeli teens
were visiting for
mfgash (get-
acquainted) week
to meet the 11
Michigan teens
who plan to tour
the Jewish home-
land with them this
summer for the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit-sponsored 2002
Teen Mission to Israel. The visitors are
from the Central Galilee, Detroit
Jewry's Partnership 2000 region.
The Israeli and Michigan teens
encountered a true adventure on the
ropes course on March 20. One group
was instructed to hold on to each other
as they walked on a tightrope above the

LEARNING T13E ROPES

Israeli and mission-bound Detroit teens reflect on Mideast
tension while getting to know each other.

ground. If someone from their team fell,
they had to start the course over. Other
teens were wearing harnesses and were
performing the Flying Squirrel, being
raised up to 70 feet in the air.
Both the Israel and local teens
were smiling, laughing and enjoying
working together.
In baween these activities, the Israeli
teens explained how difficult life is in

Israel among the bombings and terrorist
attacks.
Nitzan Sarig, 16, a Reform Jew from
Moshav Merchavia, is visiting the
United States for the third time, but this
was his first visit to Michigan.
"The bombings and terrorist attacks
are close to everywhere," he said. "There
are about 1-2 attacks per week in Afula,
which is about five minutes by car to

Fear A Concern

Leran Korotkin, 16, a Reform Jew from
Nazareth Illit and a first-time visitor to
the U.S., said: "It is really hard to not be
free in our own country.,We have to
think twice when going out with friends.
We worry for family and those in the
army. People are going through hard
times. There is such bad spirit. The
morale is not very high. I live next to

4/12
2002

89