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Israel tour teenagers start fire at youth hostel
It was the last night of a three-week Bnei Akiva trip
July 22, 2024 15:49
It was the last night of a three-week Bnei Akiva trip
July 22, 2024 15:49Parents of several 16-year-olds on an Israel tour are going to have to pay for damage at a youth hostel after the teenagers set fire to its football pitch.
In a message sent to an unspecified number of people, leaders of a Bnei Akiva Israel tour wrote that after lighting a fire on the pitch, the teenagers then added deodorant cans and other items, which caused “a number of explosions”.
The email added that the bangs were initially “believed to G-d forbid be a security situation, causing much distress and concern”.
The letter added that the fire and explosions caused “damage to the hostel”and that parents would be contacted regarding the costs. No injuries were reported.
Parents and carers were told that the final day’s activities on July 21 would be cancelled for those responsible for the fire, and instead, they would be “sitting out the rest of the day in our offices in Jerusalem”.
In a joint statement, UJIA Israel Experience and Bnei Akiva said: “UJIA Israel Experience and Bnei Akiva are aware of a behavioural incident that took place on the final night of an Israel Tour. All relevant disciplinary procedures were followed after the incident. We are proud that by the end of this summer, 500 young people from across our community, including 150 with Bnei Akiva, will have taken part in Israel Tour.”
The three-week trip was one of the many tours to Israel this summer, with some 500 16-year-olds travelling to Israel with Bnei Akiva, Ezra, FZY, Habonim Dror, Sinai and Tribe programmes.
But this year’s tours have seen 60 per cent fewer teenagers participating than last year, with parents citing safety concerns and feelings of discomfort about sending their children to Israel during wartime.
Adam Waters, director of UJIA Israel Experience, which is a partnership of the Jewish Agency and UJIA, said: “UJIA Israel Experience works closely with all youth movements to ensure that our young people have a safe and meaningful experience on Israel Tour, in spite of the challenges inherent in taking large numbers of young people to Israel for an extended period.
“The excellent work of the youth movements and their madrichim is vital in deepening our young people’s Jewish identity and connection to Israel.”
According to the brochure for the Bnei Akiva tour, which ran from July 1 to July 22, partipants of the 2024 programme focused on “volunteering initiatives, working with displaced families, [and] meeting and building connections with Israelis from across Israel”.