On Monday 17th July, 120 year nine students from Yavneh College visited HaShomer HaChadash in Israel, thanks to their trip sponsored by JNF UK. The 13 and 14 year-old children had an exciting day volunteering with this unique organisation, learning about Zionism through a first-hand experience of connecting with the land of Israel.

During their activities the children met 21st Century Israeli pioneers as well as local young people who volunteer in the organisation. The students met Israeli pioneers as well as local young people who volunteer in the organisation. HaShomer HaChadash emphasises to Israelis the importance of agriculture and ecology withing the modern state.

HaShomer HaChadash started out as a grassroots volunteer organisation to protect farms and ranches and has expanded to include programmes that are revitalising the Zionist spirit on which the State of Israel was founded. This instils a sense of pride and civic duty among young Jewish people. The organisation also responded immediately following the fires in Israel last November, benefitting from JNF UK’s emergency appeal in which British donors assisted in the recovery efforts.

JNF UK has supported HaShomer HaChadash since 2011 by providing capital and operational costs as well as essential equipment such as all-terrain vehicles and fully-equipped caravans acting as mobile operations bases. Our support continues in the form of funding an array of volunteer and young leadership programmes in the Negev. Starting out with 40 volunteers at its foundation, HaShomer HaChadash has grown to become a force many thousands strong. The organisation could not have achieved this success without JNF UK.

Yavneh’s Israel trip helps the children to get to know Israel, connecting them with the land and learning about their Judaism. JNF UK is the main sponsor of the trip, and is proud to strengthen the connection between the students and the land of Israel, energising their pride in the Jewish homeland.

Samuel Hayek, JNF UK’s Chairman said, “JNF UK has been supporting this trip for the last three years because we believe in connecting Jewish youth to Israel, as well as supporting essential projects in Israel which advance Israeli society. By introducing young British Jews to organisations like HaShomer HaChadash, which are vital for Israel’s continued survival and spiritual and ideological growth, JNF UK is ensuring that the bond between the diaspora and the State of Israel remains strong and healthy for the future.”