Last week, Derech Eretz staff welcomed 135 new participants at a gathering at Lahav Forest. Joined by program graduates from previous years and former counsellors, as well as new prospective counsellors, this pre-holiday outdoor trip was a momentous gathering that showed just how much Derech Eretz has grown in five years.

In 2011, we began with 23 students on one campus. Today, we have three campuses, over 350 graduates, and are welcoming our 2016-17 cohort of 135 new students that come from across the country – from big cities and small towns, moshavim, kibbutzim and youth villages; olim, veteran Israelis; religious and secular participants.

This is the first of a series of events where participants meet in advance of the program, giving them the chance to already form connections, hear from graduates about their experiences, talk to counsellors about their expectations, and sample what’s yet to come. Two more pre-program meet-ups are scheduled in addition to our “pioneer days” where they come help set up their campuses – assembling furniture, painting, getting their new home ready. There is even a meet up for parents prior to the program beginning – to make sure that they too get a taste of Derech Eretz!