Earlier this month, high school students from across Europe and Israel gathered in Sofia, Bulgaria for World ORT’s Digital Skills Academy (DSA): an immersive weeklong program that equips participants with hands-on training in digital photography, audio and video production, and media literacy. From exclusive visits to Nu Boyana Film Studios and Disney’s regional headquarters to expert-led workshops and vibrant cultural exchanges, the DSA offers students a transformative experience that blends cutting-edge skills with global connection. This incredible opportunity is made possible thanks to the generosity of ORT supporters.

To give you a real sense of what the program is like for students, we’d like to share this daily recap of the week’s activities and highlights:

SUNDAY 6^th JULY

On Sunday, each arrival was met at the airport and accompanied back to the City Avenue Hotel, our home in Sofia for the week, for check-in.

Our wonderful Madrichim, Kiril and Shira, organized some ice-breaking activities. Our group is made up of high school students from Bulgaria, Estonia, France, Israel, Italy, Lithuania, Moldova, Spain and Ukraine. We learned that some students had travelled for more than 24 hours to reach the DSA while others had come from homes that were 15 minutes away.

The hotel is comfortable, with two students in each room. Buffet breakfast is taken before leaving the hotel at around 9am to get to the school which is just 2-3 minutes’ walk. We have security guards with us at all times and the local police are keeping watch over us too.

Our medical professional (super) Mario is with us 24/7 and is caring for any student who isn’t feeling 100%, and our logistical director Tsveta is taking care to make sure that the program runs smoothly and that everyone is comfortable and happy.

Lunches and dinners are taken at the Hamsa kosher restaurant, also 2-3 minutes’ walk from the school.

MONDAY 7^th JULY

On Monday, we began the day with a formal opening session where we were welcomed with inspiring words from the principal of ORT school #134 in Sofia, the Chair of ORT Bulgaria, the national director Plamen Petrov who is also the Coordinator of the Digital Skills Academy, the Chief Program Officer of World ORT and other special guests.

We then went straight to our workshops for introductions to the digital skills courses. Half the group is learning digital photography with professional photographer Sophia (supported by her assistant Stoyan) and the other half are learning digital audio and video production with our experts Petar and Marin. Both courses began with a theoretical introduction before moving quickly to practical activities and projects.

In the evening, we offered an optional visit to the local shopping mall, so that students could change currency and buy some snacks in the supermarket. Our madrichim concluded the day with a Sikkum (feedback) session where students shared their highlights of the day (‘roses’) and what could be improved (‘thorns’) before going to bed.

TUESDAY 8^th JULY

On Tuesday, we began the day with an exclusive visit to Bulgaria’s world-class film studios at Nu Boyana close to Sofia.

We were given a guided tour and offered an amazing opportunity to shoot video footage and take photos on their film sets including Ancient Rome, New York, London and Baghdad. We were allowed to wander around (and get inside) their massive vehicle collection of classic and modern cars and shown their impressive underwater filming facilities. It was an incredible and rare insight into what goes on behind the scenes of blockbuster movies.

After lunch we came back to school for three hours of workshops and then in the evening we were treated to a talk by ladies from the Jewish community group “Manos Bendichas” who shared some stories about their community and the social and therapeutic benefits of being part of an arts and handicraft group, before giving each student a handmade gift.

After that we started the first set of country presentations (the second set will be this evening), where students presented their countries to each other and shared some delicious local snacks.

WEDNESDAY 9^th JULY

On Wednesday morning we took a coach to the offices of The Walt Disney Company’s offices in Sofia, where they coordinate Disney, STAR and National Geographic channels for the region.

We were welcomed with a huge buffet breakfast and given a quick tour of their office before settling in for some presentations, explaining the different roles that are needed in the headquarters of a multinational media and entertainment company.

Each department showed us what they do and how it fits in the larger picture. We heard from representatives from legal, marketing, business, HR, and others, but the highlight was hearing from the creatives on how they work together with everyone else in the company. We had a Q&A session before taking a group photo and receiving some Disney merchandise as gifts.

The afternoon was spent in classes, and in the evening, we were treated to a special performance by a local music star, who sang well-known hits accompanying himself on the keyboard. We followed the show with a fun karaoke experience with students singing together on the stage and concluded with a Sikkum led by our Madrichim to share feedback on the day’s experiences.

THURSDAY 10^th JULY

This morning, we began immediately after breakfast with classes and then boarded the coach for a special visit to the offices and studios of one of Bulgaria’s national television networks, NOVA TV.

On arrival we were ushered up to the morning news studios and took our seats while the news anchor presented live national news in front of our group. Once she’d finished her work, she gave us a guided tour around the studios and editing suites, the newsroom and production rooms, before bringing us back to the studios where students took photos behind the news desks.

Before leaving, we were introduced to Bulgaria’s most popular weatherman, and both presenters answered the students’ questions on their work, careers and experiences. It was a unique educational opportunity, giving DSA participants insights into many types of careers in the media industry and explaining what it takes to make it to the top of their fields.

We ate lunch at the Hamsa restaurant once again before returning to classes and a special demonstration of lighting techniques in portrait photography, during which a few brave students took the opportunity to model for the camera and get some professional portraits taken.

Yesterday evening was laundry night, and students filled their bags with clothes to be washed for the weekend. We finished with some team-building games, then dinner and the six remaining country presentations.

The group, which was part of a wider Israeli delegation of 60 students and 20 teachers who had been taking part in an international science accelerator competition in Prague, landed back in Israel on Friday morning [June 20]. They had been due to return to Israel a week earlier, but their plane had been turned back due to the closure of Israeli airspace on June 13.

Half an hour after arriving at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport, the students and staff had to run to an airport bomb shelter because of emergency alerts during an Iranian missile bombardment.

Dr. Moshe Leiba, Chief Pedagogy and R&D Officer for World ORT Kadima Mada, said: “They landed 30 minutes before an attack – other planes were in the air so were turned back. Our group landed and had to run back to the shelter, and then they finally got home after driving more than an hour.”

Speaking before the group returned, he had said: “These are very challenging times. Our students, who are aged 13 and 14 and in Grade 8, are staying in an apartment we rented for them. We have arranged a full array of activities for them. All the groups are connected and there are meetings on a daily basis.

“We are also taking care of their mental health needs with our professionals (including me) and locals. I meet with staff and students on Zoom daily.”

The students and staff were looked after by World ORT Kadima Mada colleagues as well as staff and students from the ORT-affiliated Lauder School in Prague. Dr. Leiba added: “The Jewish community in Prague was amazing and gave its full support for every need.”

Lior Barzilay, vice-principal of the Junior High School at World ORT’s Kfar Silver Youth Village at Ashkelon, said: “It was a very stressful situation. We were shocked because we didn’t know what was happening in Israel, and we didn’t know how or when we were going to come back.

“But World ORT Kadima Mada, Dr. Moshe Leiba, Kfar Silver CEO Amos Gofer, and the program’s CEO Vered Cohen Barzilay, took care of everything behind the scenes so we could focus most of our attention on the children.”

The Israeli students on the plane home

ORT America supporter Margie Green, of Florida, who has a long-standing connection to Kfar Silver, made a significant donation to help cover the costs of the students’ time in Prague and travel back to Israel.

The parents of these students wrote in a letter to Ms. Green of their “heartfelt appreciation”, adding: “Thanks to your help, our children had a safe and welcoming place to stay in Prague during uncertain and stressful times.

“Your care, generosity, and quiet strength made all the difference. You gave us not only practical help, but real peace of mind — and for that, we are truly grateful.”

Tzippi Becker, a teacher at Kfar Silver, said: “The Jewish community in Prague were very welcoming and students made us feel comfortable and showed us places in the city. They gave us kosher food, which, for a lot of people, was important.”

Lucie Hall, World ORT’s representative in Prague and a teacher at the Lauder School, said: “The school normally has around 400 students but needed to accommodate and feed an extra 80 people. Our school paid for their food, and Czech parents sent us contributions.”

English and Hebrew teachers at the Prague school prepared a program for the students. During the week, students visited the school and attended lessons, played sport including football and table tennis, made pancakes and chatted to their Czech counterparts.

Kfar Silver students back in Israel

“Emotionally, they seemed to be fine when in school, but their teachers said they were up and down,” Ms. Hall said. “Sometimes it was emotionally exhausting for them – they were happy for two hours, then they were sad, possibly when they received news from their families.

“They were talking with the Czech students a lot about our school, about their situation, about their school in Israel,” said Ms. Hall.

Student Yonatan, who is 13 and studies at Kfar Silver , said: “It was a very good trip – I had a lot of fun and enjoyed meeting new people. The community treated us very well. Two of the older students showed us around Prague.”

Students attended the competition from all over the world, including Turkey, Ukraine, and Nigeria.

For Sviatoslav, Michael and Maria, the attacks on October 7 were an unimaginable development – but for them the implications carried a different resonance than for their peers at the Kfar Silver Youth Village near Ashkelon.

The trio are part of a group of students who fled the war in Ukraine in March 2022 and came to Israel to study at the village, owned by the World ORT educational network, in what they hoped would be more peaceful surroundings. 

After leaving behind their war-torn home country they immediately set about acclimating to a completely different culture, learning Hebrew and navigating their high-school studies. 

Monique Zahavi, International Relations Coordinator at World ORT Kadima Mada, the network’s operational arm in Israel, describes the students as “incredibly resilient and inspirational”.

She says their challenges have not stopped them from striving to reach their potential. “They contribute to school life at every opportunity. The depth of thought and engagement that they contribute to our young ambassadors sessions is heartwarming.” 

Sviatoslav, 17, described the shock of that fateful morning in October. “I was in Ashkelon with friends and was woken up at 6am by the rocket fire. There were reports that terrorists had infiltrated Israel. I saw pictures of Sderot. Ashkelon is extremely close to Sderot. We closed all the windows and doors and stayed in the safe room for two hours. Yeah, that was scary.” 

Due to its proximity to the Gaza border, Kfar Silver students were among the first to be evacuated, under the watchful eyes of Amos Gofer, the village’s CEO, and other staff.

Sviatoslav moved into his grandmother’s house in Holon, while Michael, Maria and other dorm students were taken to Hadassah Neurim, a verdant youth campus with a view of the sea, just north of Netanya. Some six weeks later, they returned to Kfar Silver, amid frequent rocket fire that forced them to sleep on mattresses in the safety of the bomb shelter.  

In fluent English, the three share what it was like to flee the Russian onslaught on Ukraine. Sviatoslav asserts that the booms of the Iron Dome missile interceptions do not faze him after what he experienced in his hometown of Kharkiv. “I saw Russian soldiers invading my city, I saw dead people lying in the street. At least five times I thought, ‘I’m going to die right now’ because there was constant shelling right next to us and we didn’t have any bomb shelter.”

In the early days of that conflict, the teenager and his parents suffered severe hunger, unable to leave the house due to a curfew, and then forced to wait in line with thousands of other terrified civilians to buy bread. 

Michael, 18, a native of Kyiv, is also no stranger to deadly rocket attacks. The day after the war began in February 2022 he fled with his family to a village on the border of Belarus, where they stayed for six days. From there he made his way to the Polish border where it took 15 hours to cross over, waiting all night in a line with thousands of other people to board one bus that took only about 30 people at a time. Michael describes a scene he will never forget: people forced to leave their belongings behind in the snow, since all the extra space on the bus had to be used to transport people. 

Once in Poland, Michael had to wait for a week, but he had all his needs including food and accommodation taken care of before boarding his long-awaited flight to Israel. Two weeks after arriving he moved to Kfar Silver.

Maria lived with her mother in Kharkiv, close to the frontline, but fortunately was staying with her father in Kyiv. With her brother and father she fled westward to a village where the homes lacked indoor plumbing and she had to take a shower at the neighbors’ home. After a few weeks, they crossed the border to Moldova, and took a taxi to Kishinev. The next day they were already on a flight to Israel. “At 16 I was old enough to travel alone,” Maria relates, “but because my younger brother was underage, he needed a legal guardian to accompany him. Luckily, my father found a volunteer to cross with us and he accompanied us all the way Israel.”

Arriving in Israel with no way to return to Ukraine was not what any of the students had expected. The three had been in the midst of the application process to study at Kfar Silver for the school year of 2022-23 through the Naale program which welcomes students from the former Soviet Union to Israel ahead of their family members joining them in making aliyah. 

They had anticipated arriving in the summer of 2022. Eighteen-year-old Michael said he was “so happy to finally arrive in the land of Israel — and to Kfar Silver, one of the best schools in Israel, although it wasn’t exactly in the way I wanted”.

Maria was able to visit her parents and grandparents in Ukraine last summer, but Sviatoslav and Michael are in a different category. If they travelled home, they would be subject to Ukrainian law that prohibits males, even below conscription age, from leaving the country. 

Sviatoslav admits that he misses his home, his friends and his family. He met his mother and sister during the last two summers when they came to Israel to visit, but has not seen his father in the two years since he has been in Israel. “The situation in Ukraine isn’t any more dangerous now than Israel. Sometimes I dream about receiving an Israeli passport and visiting Ukraine as an Israeli.”

Despite the adversity they have faced, with the help and nurturing of Kfar Silver’s dedicated staff, these students have thrived. “They supported each other through their relocation to Israel, and now, during the war in Israel, they continue to support one another,” Monique Zahavi observes. “It’s a privilege to watch these young people grow in confidence and develop a sense of self-assuredness and self-awareness. They are true heroes.” 

This article was written in cooperation with World ORT.

Nan Ronis is a member of the Jewish Federation of Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania. She and her husband own a company called Suntex, which produces educational math games.  Nan has been in touch with ORT about her 24 Game product for years. These games teach elementary-age students math skills in a fun and engaging way. There are no words on the game cards – just the universal language of numbers. For her, donating hundreds of these games to our schools and students in Ukraine just made sense.

Nan said, “My 93-year old dad, Max Ronis, is from a family that emigrated to the US from Odesa. When the war broke out, he said to me ‘Nan, you have to help the children there – send your games to Ukraine.’” Nan explained that their approach to education is to create opportunities for “soulful interaction”, and to build confidence in students through joyful learning.

This donation was a way for her to bring some of that joy to students in Ukraine, a country close to her family’s heart, providing educational resources while giving a nod to her ancestors. The games and many more modules are available online in the company’s First in Math platform, but for these students a hands-on experience was so important – offering a unique educational opportunity, during a time of crisis.

This inspirational gift was facilitated by the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley, and their dedicated Executive Director, Jeri Zimmerman. Jeri was moved by Nan’s desire to share these resources with students in Ukraine who have faced unthinkable trauma over the past two years. She immediately got in touch with a local Ukraine relief agency, and was able to coordinate the shipment to six ORT schools across the country. ORT is grateful to her and the Lehigh Valley Federation, for making this possible, and for their ongoing support.

ORT Students at the Odesa ORT Zhabotinski Lyceum No. 94 open boxes of Math Kits sent from the United States

Mila Finkelshtein, the CEO of ORT Ukraine, was moved by this gift. She loves that the games go beyond math, and will help her students develop communication and English skills as they work in small groups. She says, “Usually, our schools are very limited in using unusual educational materials and books that don’t have a special state registration or recommendation. This time, it was like an immediate decision – YES! We want them, they are super! I believe these beautiful games will help our kids to improve their skills in English and Math.”

Perhaps even more importantly, as the situation in Ukraine remains volatile, Mila explained that the while the kits will be used in regular school lessons and after-school lessons, they will also be in shelters during air-raids as a welcome distraction.

“It is difficult to find here in Ukraine any person/kid/family/school who is not impacted by the war. Even in the safest city of Ukraine, Chernivtsi, kids are spending hours in shelters under raid attacks, a lot of parents are in the Defense Forces, they’ve lost their parents and relatives. We are trying to use any possible occasion to make the childhood of our “kids of war” as peaceful and joyful as possible. These games are part of this very difficult task.”

Exploring the new math kits at the ORT School Bila Tserkva Lyceum Mitsva 613 in Ukraine.

 Stay tuned for an update on ORT’s efforts in Ukraine over the last two years, and more information on our ongoing needs as we remain committed to providing the resources our students, teachers and their families need to thrive. You can support that work by donating to the Ukraine Emergency Fund.

This urgently needed opportunity for respite and cultural exchange not only gave 10 Israeli teens a chance to meet students from Colegio Olamí ORT in Mexico City and to learn about their country and culture, but also helped them begin to process the deep trauma they’ve experienced in a safe space with their peers.

The Israeli students, aged 15 to 18, came from World ORT Kadima Mada schools and projects throughout Israel, including from the Kfar Silver Youth Village, Siach School, Rabin School in Kiryat Yam, and the Ein Gedi boarding school. These brave and resilient young people were chosen because they have experienced unthinkable trauma, including the loss of close family members, parents, siblings, and friends. One student had previously left Ukraine, only to move to Israel to be faced once again with the terror of war.

Israeli students, with teachers and staff, visit ORT Olamí Mexico for a respite from the events of October 7.

The trip’s schedule was designed to not only be fun and educational, but to address the urgent emotional and mental health needs of these students, and included individual and group rehabilitation sessions. The team of consultants, social workers, and psychologists behind the trip was led by Dr. Moshe Leiba, World ORT Kadima Mada’s Chief Pedagogy and R&D Officer.

Olamí ORT families hosted the students for the two-week duration of the visit and ensured each child had a warm welcome. Emily, a 17-year-old student from Kfar Silver, was hosted by the family of Galia Capon, 17 years old, from Olamí ORT, who shared their experience.

Emily said: “I had so much fun getting to know the Mexican culture, to travel to Mexico City, to go with the family on their annual trip, to see nature and to breathe some clean air.”

Galia said: “I was so grateful to have Emily with us because I was very traumatized by October 7. We wanted to do something good to help Israel from here in Mexico. She’s now like my sister. Emily knows that she has a home here, and whenever she wants it, she can come and stay here and be with us.”

The trip was also a healing opportunity for the professionals. Dr. Leiba accompanied the students and said: “These two weeks were one of the most powerful experiences in my life: we laughed, cried, remembered, talked, planned.”

“I connected deeply with the students in different aspects; they connected to me and each other. I came back exhausted physically and emotionally but with powerful, exciting, and fulfilling experiences for the coming period. The experience taught me a lot about resilience.”

Each student had a different experience in Mexico City – visiting the Modern Art Museum, attending street parties, eating in typical restaurants, visiting the Xochimilco canals – the last remnants of a vast water transport system built by the Aztecs – and the pyramids of Teotihuacán. The group had a four-day trip to Huateca Potosina, a resort with waterfalls, rappelling and canoes. They had the opportunity to join local indigenous people, building and cleaning their houses as part of a Tikkun Olam project.

Staff member Esti Diamant, head counselor from Kfar Silver, and Amelie Esquenazi, the World ORT representative for Latin America, had the opportunity to learn and discuss critical contemporary educational topics relating to Israel and the Diaspora.

The Mexican students also had the opportunity to hear directly from the Israelis about their experiences since October 7 during a special panel session. Each child had a story to tell that was difficult to comprehend. The Israeli students worked hard to explain how they felt and their Mexican peers supported them, showing them how they and the diaspora care for the safety of the Israeli people and the country.

Dr. Moshe Leiba (with hat) and Israeli students on a river trip in Mexico.

On the last night, the group had a farewell party with their new Mexican friends and got ready to return home with renewed hope.

Dan Green, World ORT Director General and CEO, said: “It shows the strength and fantastic love within our global network. When doors can be opened from across the world to welcome a group of students who have been through such difficult times, and to give them an opportunity to forget about the troubles back home and have a unique experience, it’s a fantastic thing that we can do something like this for our students from Israel.”

“I look forward to many more great examples of cooperation in the future between these schools and these communities and many others from around the world.”

This experience was possible because of the effort of Dr. Leiba, Avi Meir, director of Olamí ORT, and because of the generosity of ORT donors. A second group of Israeli students is traveling to Los Angeles later this month, and more trips are being planned. Without the meaningful support that has flooded in since launching the Israel Emergency Fund, these brave and resilient students would not have these incredible opportunities.

View more photos from the trip here.

Bubba Urdan

As a lay leader of The Jewish Federation of Metro Detroit, I was able to travel to Israel for a 48-hour Solidarity mission in December. Since speaking with Amos Gopher and Nicole Miller on the morning of October 7^th, and hearing about what was happening, I was extremely anxious for the simple fact that I wasn’t there to help. Kfar Silver, being just 8 miles from the border, was in the Crosshairs of Hamas. Heroically, Amos and his team were able to get the few students, teachers, and staff left at the youth village bussed to safety later that afternoon.

My trip 3 months later was to bear witness and bring support from Federation and ORT America where I serve on the Board. With 19 other lay leaders and board members of the Jewish Federation of Detroit, a major donor to Kfar Silver, we had lunch with students and teachers and listened to their stories of the way their lives were forever changed on October 7th. It was very clear to my fellow participants that these children were smart, happy, and most important, they were safe.

But at any moment that could change. While these children were doing remarkably well, they described the anxiety that almost all of them were dealing with. There were a couple of children we met that were not as happy, those we were told had lost a family member. Counseling and mental health resources are needed for the whole State of Israel, and they will be for a long time.

But if I can leave you with something positive, while the Israeli People are hurting, they are the most resilient people I have ever met. Israel will persevere and with help from God, and the Jews, Muslims and Christians who make up the population, the people will continue to live together in peace for many years to come. Am Yisrael Chai!

Austin Center

This past month I had the opportunity to visit our World ORT Youth Village Kfar Silver and create an art project with the students there. We collaborated on a colorful and inspiring “Tree of Life” The inspiration and idea for this project can be traced back to a piece I was asked to create for a Kindertransport Chapel in Chattanooga Tennessee the spring of 2020, in honor of those who were saved by the Jewish Community and the Kindertransport before the Nazi’s took over.

I was given these words below by the donor family whose mother was saved by the Kindertransport to use for inspiration:

“Mothers’ and Fathers’, hearts heavy with the knowledge that their ‘kinder’ may one day be the only ‘seed’ to carry forward their memory and their families’ legacy. From those tiny seeds, have grown trees. Each generation giving life to roots, branches, and leaves honoring those that were lost but who never will be forgotten.”

As an artist, and working with ORT, I had the opportunity in 2022 to visit one of our International Cooperation Programs in partnership with the IRIDA Center in Thessaloniki Greece and create an art project.  Drawing from my “Tree of Life” inspiration, we created a project with the refugee women. We used our handprints as the leaves, writing our names and our families on cardboard strips in our native languages for the bark of the tree, and then our footprints as the roots.  Any women who came to the center could add their name and prints to our “Tree of Life.”

This past month I had the opportunity to join our Students at our World ORT Kfar Silver, Youth Village and create an art project.  In carrying on the inspiration of these “Tree of Life” projects, the students and I created a “Tree of Life” using our handprints for the leaves, fingerprints as the sky and grass, and our names in our native languages as the bark of the tree. We created an inspiring and colorful “Tree of Life”, and then hung in it the Cafeteria at Kfar Silver for all to see.

This article first appeared in CNN

Ashkelon, Israel — CNN  

It was supposed to be a safe haven – a new life for those seeking refuge from the turbulence of war.

But when tens of thousands of Ukrainians fled to Israel in the wake of Russia’s invasion, they had no idea of what the future would hold.

With men aged 18 to 60 forbidden to leave Ukraine, the refugees were mostly women, children and the elderly. Among them, four courageous teenagers who arrived alone in Israel to start a new life as a result of Moscow’s assault on their homeland on February 24, 2022.

Little more than a year and a half later, these young people found themselves immersed in another conflict, as they study at a boarding school just 8 miles from Gaza.

“The day before was very peaceful,” recalled Artem Karpin, 18, of Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7. “I remember thinking I wasn’t really ready with my homework and wondering how to postpone my deadlines.”

Karpin lives and studies at Kfar Silver, a youth village near Ashkelon, close to where Hamas militants infiltrated the border that Saturday morning. He is one of about 40 Ukrainian refugees to enrol there since Russia invaded his country.

Artem Karpin was visiting family in Israel when Russia invaded Ukraine. His family insisted he remain there.

Run by the global education charity World ORT, the “village” is effectively a sprawling complex for 1,090 children from challenging backgrounds – including 250 boarders.

Originally from the southwestern city of Odesa, Karpin had been visiting relatives in Israel when Russia invaded Ukraine. His father gave him no choice but to stay put.

“I started crying when I began to understand that I’m not going back,” he told CNN at Kfar Silver. “I felt betrayed. I didn’t think it was a wise decision to leave me here.”

Nearly 2,000 miles from his parents, Karpin, then 16, enrolled at Kfar Silver, where he soon began to learn the language, make friends and settle in. That was until life was upended again on October 7.

“That morning we all ran from the dorms to the shelter in the school,” he said. “I was scared but not terrified. I was trying to talk it all through rationally and it really helped.”

Karpin was one of 63 of pupils on site that day, as was 18-year-old Michael Reider.

These four teenagers all moved from wartorn Ukraine to Kfar Silver near Ashkelon in Israel. From left: Michael Reider, Artem Karpin, Maria and Sviatoslav Kulyk.

Originally from Kyiv, Reider arrived in Israel in March 2022 following a gruelling journey from his homeland to Poland, where he spent a week on his own before flying out.

On that “black Shabbat” of October 7, he said: “I woke up and there were a lot of sirens and rockets were flying.

“I had already experienced one invasion and now this was a second one. I don’t know how to explain it – I wasn’t really afraid. I felt kind of angry and like I had the energy to fight.”

Pupils and staff remained in the shelter for hours as the unprecedented terror raged around them.

Amos Gofer, who served in the IDF for 25 years before becoming chief executive of Kfar Silver, told CNN: “During my military service I spent time in Lebanon, Gaza, occupied territories. I saw some stuff but October 7 was the hardest day of my professional life.

“We were terrified. We knew very early that the situation was very bad, that there were a lot of terrorists.”

‘Thousands of rockets’

“I was sure the terrorists were going to come here to kill us,” said Gofer, who keeps the remains of a rocket which exploded on the school grounds on his desk.

“I had three people with personal pistols, which was nothing compared to the heavy ammunition the terrorists had.

Amos Gofer, CEO of the Kfar Silver youth village, poses with the gnarled remnants of a Hamas rocket which landed near to the school.

“We saw no helicopters, no police, no military – I still don’t understand why it took so long,” said Gofer, referring to widespread reports on October 7 that the army and security forces took hours to react to the incursions.

Amos Gofer, CEO of the Kfar Silver youth village, poses with the gnarled remnants of a Hamas rocket which landed near to the school.

Gofer told CNN that “thousands of rockets” flew over the village, while fires broke out everywhere around them.

With no response to his repeated calls to the army and emergency services, who were dealing with ongoing attacks in multiple locations, Gofer finally called a bus company manager he knew.

“He told me none of his bus drivers were willing to come… everyone was terrified.”

Two drivers from the bus company eventually volunteered to evacuate the children to another village further north, he added. “They told me if they’re not out of here in two, three minutes they would go without the students.”

Karpin recalled: “We had several minutes to pack our clothes and run for the buses. I got the most essential stuff and that’s it. In an hour or two we were in Netanya.”

Four days later, Karpin’s parents, back in Ukraine, insisted that he leave Israel with other relatives for Europe.

“After three weeks I started to feel that I wanted to return (to Israel),” he said of his time in Greece and Germany. “I missed my studies and my friends. It was getting a little safer in Israel, so I convinced my family I needed to get back.”

‘I was scared’

In common with some other foreign boarders, 17-year-old Maria, who asked not to give her surname for privacy reasons, was staying with a nearby “host family” because of the religious holiday when Hamas launched its assault on October 7.

“At six in the morning we were all running to the shelter and you could hear sirens,” she said.

Originally from the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, Maria and her younger brother had moved to their father’s home in Kyiv following the Russian invasion. Eventually the two siblings left the country via Moldova and flew to Israel.

“When war broke out in Ukraine it was like life fell apart and this time it was very similar – I had flashbacks,” she said. “I was scared but also thought if I tried to distance myself as much as possible everything would be OK.”

Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets launched from the Gaza Strip, as seen from Ashkelon in southern Israel October 8, 2023.

She remained with the family, who live in Ashkelon, for several days before heading north to join the evacuees, including her brother. There they remained until last month when they returned to the school.

“My mum was worried about us,” she said, adding that their mother suggested they return home to Ukraine.

“I told myself I could go back but that I’d be going back to war and I couldn’t possibly know if it’s safer. At the same time, I didn’t want to leave Israel. I thought ‘do I need to flee again to start life again once more?’”

After lengthy family discussions, the siblings decided to stay.

“In some ways I’d rather be here,” said Maria. “I just wish for my family to be brought together again in peace.”

Fellow Ukrainian Sviatoslave Kulyk, 17, told CNN he had “not been afraid at all” about leaving his family for Israel back in 2022.

“I understood that it was better to live in a country with no war,” he said.

That all changed when he woke up at his friend’s house in Ashkelon on October 7.

“I had flashbacks to Ukraine, especially when we watched TV about what was happening,” said Kulyk, who told CNN he had witnessed Russian forces roll into his street from his home in Kharkiv.

“My mum was really afraid of me being in Ashkelon but I was trying to explain that I had a bomb shelter here,” he said, adding that Ukrainian homes are not equipped with so-called safe rooms. All Israeli homes built after 1993 must have such a shelter, designed to protect residents from rocket attacks.

Colegio Olamí ORT in Mexico City has introduced a transformative program for 25 Israeli high school students who were evacuated from their communities near Gaza, in the wake of the war in Israel.  The initiative, the brainchild of Olamí school principal Avi Meir, is part of global Jewish education network World ORT’s broader mission to support Jewish students, providing stable educational environments during challenging times.

The month-long program at Colegio Olamí, geared for students aged 12-16, provided teens with plenty of opportunities for learning and socializing, in both formal classes as well as extracurricular activities and trips. None of the guests knew Spanish, but as Orly Picker, the academic director at Olami, explained, “Kids manage! Between Hebrew and English, they were able to communicate beautifully with their host families and the other students.”

The Israeli students were matched in advance with families with a boy or girl of a similar age, giving parents and teens from both sides of the globe the opportunity to become acquainted over the phone. The Israelis joined their Mexican peers for many of the classes and after-school activities. Spanish classes, activities at the local Jewish sports center, and Mexican cooking classes were big favorites.

Some programs, though, were geared to the Israeli guests only, such as the group sessions led by a Hebrew-speaking psychologist, designed to give the teens space to express themselves freely. “Sometimes they wanted to talk, and other times they sang or wanted to just hang out,” said Picker.

There were a few cases of children who were still traumatized by the events of Oct. 7. “We had one girl who had trouble sleeping; and she didn’t have much of an appetite. We arranged professional, one-on-one help with an Israeli psychologist. By the following week, she was feeling better.”

It wasn’t always easy for the teens, accustomed to the relative freedom they enjoyed as Israelis and as kibbutzniks, to adjust to the life in Mexico. “At first, they couldn’t believe that we wouldn’t allow them to go out alone.” said Picker. “We had to explain to them very clearly, ‘No, you cannot travel on your own. This is Mexico City, and you are our responsibility.’”

Students being welcomed in Mexico. Photo credit: World ORT.

One of the highlights was the visit to the synagogue on Friday night for Shabbat services, followed by a beautifully catered meal.  “They were especially moved by the prayer for the soldiers, and four students asked to stay overnight at the home of the rabbi so that they could attend services the following day.”

Picker points out the generosity of the Mexican community, who picked up the tab for all outings and meals, and particularly the host families, who treated the teens as if they were their own children. The entire program was free of charge.

In January, Colegio Olamí will be welcoming another delegation of students from World ORT Kadima Mada’sKfar Silver Youth Village near Ashkelon, Israel, for a two-week program.

Photo credit: World ORT

The school has also absorbed a group of 22 students from Israel on full scholarships. According to Amelie Esquenazi, the World ORT representative for Latin America, these are children of Mexican families who had previously made Aliyah, but have now fled war zones and who will be remaining indefinitely in Mexico.

Welcome to Sofia

Mirroring the efforts in Mexico, the ORT school in Sofia, Bulgaria, under the leadership of Director Plamen Petrov and Hebrew Coordinator Stella Dinkova, has also become a haven for children of Israeli families fleeing conflict. Following the outbreak of war, Bulgaria, long a popular destination for Israelis, has seen a significant influx of families, particularly from southern Israel.

“The local community in Sofia has provided families with an outpouring of essential support including food, clothing, toys, and housewares,” said Dinkova. As part of those efforts, ten children, aged 6-13, have been integrated into the ORT school, and have started to learn Bulgarian while continuing their Hebrew education and Jewish cultural studies.

Students enjoying an activity on horseback. Photo credit: World ORT.

This is a similar arrangement to one put in place by Dr. Petrov and his team after the outbreak of war in Ukraine last year. ORT students from that country were also absorbed into the Sofia school after being displaced by the violence.

Both the Mexican and Bulgarian schools highlight World ORT’s focus on education as a means of stability, growth, and healing for young individuals and families facing adversity. The network’s commitment to global solidarity and empathy across its schools, universities and extra-curricular programs in over 40 countries, stands as a beacon of hope and collaboration in challenging times.

The winning entry, a Menorah with a clock, surrounded by the Star of David.

Regarding the winning entry, the students write, “The recent period has stirred in all of us a sense of unrest, sadness, and helplessness. There is hope that these difficult times will end soon in our hearts. Even we, the 9th-grade Naale students, who have only recently come to Israel, have not remained indifferent to what is happening here. We have hope that light will overcome darkness and all the captives will return home in peace”.

“The Menorah we created symbolizes hope for us. A large Star of David symbolizes unity, hands supporting it adorned with toys symbolizing a peaceful childhood for the children in our country (also for those currently held hostage in Gaza), such as the Hungarian cube by 9-year-old Ohad Munder (one of the released children) loves so much.”

“In the middle of the Menorah, there is a clock showing the time of the beginning of the war 6:29, so that we do not forget that every moment our captives are in prison is like an eternity, and we must do everything to bring them back.”

During World ORT’s latest online briefing looking at our response to the aftermath of October 7, supporters worldwide heard how the focus has shifted to the long-term psychological needs of beneficiaries and the return to classroom learning where possible.

WATCH THE RECORDING

Dan Green, World ORT Director General and CEO, thanked international supporters for their financial and emotional backing since the deadly terror attacks seven weeks ago.

The ORT network has raised around $2 million to help our students, teachers and beneficiaries in Israel. He also referred to the solidarity and goodwill shown by colleagues worldwide.

Dan visited Israel to meet colleagues including Amos Gofer, CEO of our Kfar Silver Youth Village, and Dr. Moshe Leiba, Chief Pedagogy and R&D Officer of World ORT Kadima Mada, our operating arm in the country.

Dan Green, right, and Amos Gofer with students at Kfar Silver Youth Village.

Dan said: “It was an incredibly inspiring, uplifting and positive experience for me. I spent some time with Amos and Moshe in Kfar Silver. To see our students coming back to school was fantastic because there was so much joy in their faces. To have this opportunity finally, having been either stuck at home or relocated around the country or being on Zoom. That was wonderful.

“It was also tinged of course with lots of sadness. We paid a condolence visit to one of the staff members of Kfar Silver, who very sadly lost her son fighting for the IDF. That was a tremendously humbling experience, meeting her and seeing her resilience, sharing pictures and stories about her dear son was a moment that I won’t forget.”

He paid tribute to staff “for the incredible work they have been doing – picking up the pieces, showing love and support and care for all of our students. It’s really been very humbling to see how they have worked during this critical time and I can’t thank them enough”.

Dr. Leiba explained how World ORT Kadima Mada staff were now working to assist more than 4,000 students across 44 evacuation centers in the country, providing counselling, psychological assistance and a range of physical therapies including sport and krav maga sessions.

Kindergarteners in a Kadima Mada workshop.

He said the organization had switched from the immediate ‘first aid’ response of October to longer term services. Our extra-curricular YOUniversity courses have relaunched in Dimona and Kiryat Yam and more than 340 students will now be benefiting from dozens of permanent courses.

“We are regaining a sense of normality,” Moshe said.

Joining the call from Kfar Silver, Amos Gofer explained how students were returning to the village in limited numbers. Around 180 boarding students are now back living on site – around 75 per cent of the total regular number of boarders. Some overseas students returned to their home countries in the initial aftermath of October 7 but it is hoped almost everyone will be back in the village after Chanukah.

He said classes are being staggered so that day students can be in the village at least twice a week for their lessons.

Amos said: “The spirit is strong. Some staff lost dear family members so it is obvious they are not in a good emotional condition, but almost everyone else from the staff is back working in the village.”

Students planting crops.

Dana Dahan, Manager of the Western Galilee Center, who was evacuated seven weeks ago from her kibbutz on the northern border with Lebanon, described how she and colleagues are now providing robotics, animation and other activities for children in evacuation centers in the area.

“The students are really happy to see us when we go to the centers,” she said. “It gives them something aside from their schooling, which are not yet their regular courses. So our activities are really pleasing them.”

The briefing was completed with the moving testimony of two students. Uriyah, is from Kibbutz Zikim just a couple of kilometers from the Gaza border where terrorists infiltrated, Uriyah was evacuated from his home and described how in addition to resuming some classes at Kfar Silver, he has also been attending extra classes online in the evenings to ensure the war does not disrupt his education.

Uriyah added: “I know I am still part of the programs the school and World ORT offer me, like the Taub Young Entrepreneur Program (YEP) and the young ambassadors, so I will continue to represent the school wherever I am.”

And Sviatoslav, a Kfar Silver boarder, told viewers he had returned to Kfar Silver this week. He is able to work in his room during the day but sleeps in a classroom, with other students, next to a safe room at night. Between 15 and 20 students sleep in each classroom.

Sviatoslav, formally from Ukraine, now studying at Kfar Silver.

As an educational organization, ORT strives to provide our students with the strength and support to learn and grow. Now we must also help them process the trauma they are experiencing and build resistance to the horrors of terrorism and war.

Please help us to provide urgent educational and psychological support for students, teachers and their families across Israel.