Freedom, Responsibility, and Rebuilding: Passover with Purpose

Every year, Passover is a time for freedom, reflection, and tradition. But this year, for tens of thousands of youth across the country, it was also a time for action.

Participants of all ages had fun in nature!

Thousands of NOAL (HaNoar HaOved VeHaLomed) youth movement members set out on Passover hikes, a beloved tradition that takes kids and teens into the heart of Israel’s natural beauty. They hiked through forests, up mountains, across desert trails—deepening friendships, overcoming challenges, and connecting with the land. But this year’s hikes had a special mission.

Many of the trails and parks in northern Israel had been neglected or left deserted for months due to evacuations. Youth groups took on the responsibility of cleaning up these areas - clearing garbage, maintaining trails, and helping restore the beauty of the places that so many Israelis call home. This focus turned the hikes into an act of healing and rebuilding.

Hikers cleaned up parks and trails across the north.

This Passover, our amazing participant have been stepping up to help wherever they can, not just on the hikes. A group of teen leaders from the Akko youth movement branch spent part of their holiday volunteering in Kibbutz Hanita, one of the many northern communities evacuated due to the war. Residents of Hanita are finally preparing to return home after over a year and a half away—and the teens wanted to make sure that return was as warm and welcoming as possible.

The teens spent several days cleaning, painting, and fixing things around the Kibbutz. They put in hard physical work and showed up with open hearts.

Ayala, 17, shared:“The work was hard, but it’s so exciting that they’re finally coming home after a year and a half, and I have the privilege of being part of it. It also feels like action and involvement after way too many months of just feeling like a victim of the war and thinking there was nothing I could do. I’m already looking forward to the next opportunity to come back here, help, and most of all—see them finally home.”

We continue to call for the immediate release of all hostages, even during Passover hikes.

This is what Passover looked like this year in Dror Israel—not just celebrating freedom, but putting it into action through responsibility, community, and hope for renewal.