Bridging Distances: Unique English Projects Connect Israeli Teens with the World

At Dror Israel’s network of high schools, students don’t just learn subjects—they immerse themselves in semester-long, multidisciplinary projects that develop teamwork, project management skills, and real-world understanding. Their English projects are especially meaningful, allowing students to explore compelling topics while improving their language skills. This semester, students from our Kiryat Ata and Karmiel high schools took on two remarkable projects that connected them with Jewish communities abroad in profound ways.

Students in Karmiel setting up a display of their mid-term projects.

A Cross-Ocean Conversation – Dror Israel' s Kiryat Ata High School

In Kiryat Ata, students participated in a special project in partnership with a class of teens from California. The program largely focused on the war in Israel and how it has been felt by Jews around the world. Throughout the semester, Israeli students learned about the American Jewish community and exchanged letters and questions with their American peers.

As part of the project, students visited the Anu Museum of the Jewish People

Through these exchanges, they discovered that while their communities exist an ocean apart, the war has deeply impacted every Jew—albeit in different ways. They shared their personal experiences, dilemmas, and complicated emotions since October 7th, finding both mutual curiosity and a shared sense of connection. The project also introduced students to the history of Jews in North America and the challenges facing Jewish communities today.

Students in Israel and California exchanged pressing questions

Telling Their Story to the World – Dror Israel's Karmiel High School

At our high school in Karmiel, students took a different approach to engaging with global Jewish youth. Recognizing that teens abroad have strong feelings about what’s happening in Israel but often lack firsthand understanding, they created an English-language podcast to offer an intimate look into their daily lives.

Using their school’s recording studio, students interviewed one another on topics ranging from personal experiences to family and social life, weaving in discussions about living in Israel during this turbulent time. Their goal was to create relatable and accessible content for Jewish teens around the world, giving them a closer, more personal perspective on life in Israel.

These projects highlight the power of education to build bridges across borders. Whether through direct conversations with American Jewish peers or by producing content for international audiences, our students are learning to use English as a tool for meaningful engagement, connection, and storytelling.

At Dror Israel’s high schools, learning is never confined to textbooks. It’s about understanding the world, connecting with others, and making an impact—one project at a time.