ECS Students Take Off

ECS Students Take Off on an Imaginary Adventure to Israel for Yom Ha’atzmaut

In honor of Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, students in the Twos, Threes, Fours, and Kindergarten classes at the Stroum Jewish Community Center’s Early Childhood School took part in an imaginative and immersive celebration: a pretend airplane trip to Israel!

Led by Pilot Moran and Co-Pilot Carrie, the children “boarded” a flight and, upon arrival, passed through customs, had their passports stamped, and received 200 shekels to use on their journey.

Their itinerary was full of adventure and discovery. In Tel Aviv, students joined a festive dance party and relaxed with juice at a lively sidewalk café. Next, they boarded a train to Eilat for an underwater scuba diving experience with Moran. The fun continued at a kibbutz, where they practiced milking a cow and got their hands dirty in the garden with Carrie.

In Jerusalem, each child wrote a personal wish and placed it in the Kotel (Western Wall), sharing hopes and dreams just like visitors do in Israel. Their final stop was Haifa, where a bustling shuk (market) awaited. There, students used their shekels to shop for fruit and enjoy the marketplace experience.

The pretend trip was a joyful and engaging way for our youngest learners to explore Israel’s culture, geography, and traditions. As one enthusiastic traveler, Margot from Caesarea, put it: “This was the funnest day ever!”