Active Fridays in Mevo’ot HaHermon

In the regional council of Mevo’ot HaHermon, 200 children from thirteen towns, mostly Moshavim, meet monthly for a regional event that brings together their communities, parents and children alike, in a program that connects them to nature and to the region.

During this Passover holiday, the communities have come together with local soldiers, to join in the “Spring March”, a memorial march for the fallen soldiers of Moshav Dishon. 

However, this is just one event in a series of activities within the framework of Active Fridays. 

When the area changed to a five-day school week at the beginning of this school year, working parents were hard pressed to find solutions for their young children who suddenly would be without an educational framework on Fridays. Here in Mevo’ot HaHermon, with the support of BeYachad, a program was created to address that need.  The Active Fridays program was born out of a cooperation between the regional community centers and the Moshavim Children Youth Movement.

“The main goal is to connect these children with the environment and nature,” said Yekira Levi, the coordinator of the program.  “After that, it’s important that they come together as a group.”

Every Friday, young counselors from grades nine and ten take the elementary school children in each town and provide a youth movement structure where they learn about their natural environment.  Once a month, all thirteen communities get together for a regional event, where both parents and teachers participate.

“We are very proud of the parent’s involvement in the program,” Yekira adds. 

In addition to the monthly regional activities, the parents replace the young counselors and run the Active Friday activities following monthly all-night sessions where the young counselors plan the program for the month to come. 

Each month there is a different theme that culminates in the regional event.  Last month, “Tolerance” was the theme, and a ceremony for Yitzhak Rabin was held.  This month, with Holocaust Memorial Day, Israel’s Memorial Day, and Independence Day, the “Spring March” is the climax of the program. 

“Our goal is to keep these children interested in the region. Once they leave this program, we hope that they will join the local youth movement, become counselors themselves and return to the region when they are finished with the army,” Yakira said.