ORT America Hosts 12 Israeli Students for Two-Week Respite Program in Chicago
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CHICAGO, Nov. 8, 2024 ~ ORT America Welcomes Israeli Teenagers for Transformative Respite Program in Chicago

Chicago, IL- ORT America, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing educational opportunities for students around the world, recently welcomed 12 Israeli teenagers to Chicago for a two-week Respite program. The program, titled "Journey to Renewal: Empowering Emotional and Educational Recovery for Israeli Youth," aims to provide transformative healing for "first circle" trauma victims.

The devastating attack on October 7, 2023 left many of these students facing loss and displacement. In an effort to support their emotional well-being and provide enriching cultural experiences, ORT America organized this Respite program.

"Our Respite program is designed to be a transformative journey," said Allison Weinger, CEO of ORT America. "ORT's mission is to equip students with the tools and skills they need to create successful futures for themselves, but our impact extends beyond education. The work and progress the children made over these two weeks – they'll take that home. Our goal is that they will be able to better process the trauma and speak more openly about their experiences."

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From October 16th to October 30th, the students, aged 15 to 18, participated in a variety of activities organized by ORT America's Chicago Region Director Hannah Wolod and the local Jewish community. These included a boat tour of downtown Chicago, attending a Chicago Bulls game, celebrating Sukkot, and spending a day at Six Flags. They also had the opportunity to visit a Jewish high school and attend Hebrew classes. In addition to these cultural experiences, the students engaged in restorative activities such as yoga, meditation, and hiking.

"We are so grateful to our host families for what they did for these brave and resilient kids, and to their dedicated staff," said Wolod. "The trip was beautiful and healing for everyone … and that is due in large part to these families and Chicago's North Shore Jewish community. Their flexibility, compassion, and willingness to treat this delegation like members of their own family was incredible and inspiring."

Dr. Moshe Leiba, Chief Pedagogical Officer and Deputy Director General of World ORT Kadima Mada, accompanied the students on their trip. For one member of the ORT staff who recently lost her son in Israel, this journey served as a crucial step in her healing process. "This gave her an outlet to talk with other people about her son," Dr. Leiba explained. "She really connected with her host, and they cried together. The day we left was very emotional for everyone. When I began planning this trip, this was exactly what I envisioned: bringing together kids, allowing them to be kids, and facilitating healing for both them and the adults. When you're helping one another, you're building your own resilience."

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Two students from the Respite program, Maor and Shaked, shared their heartfelt experiences from the trip. They both emphasized the strong bonds formed with Dr. Leiba and their host families. Maor even expressed his sorrow at leaving by shedding tears on his host's shoulder. Shaked noted that both students gained a renewed sense of community and support through this experience.

ORT America is planning additional Respite trips in London and Canada following successful initiatives in Los Angeles, Mexico City, and New York. For more information about ORT America or to get involved with their programs, visit ortamerica.org.

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Caryn McBride

Co-Communications Inc.

Phone: (555) 555-5555

Email: caryn@co-comm.com
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