On the surface, Israeli teenagers lead markedly different lives to your average British 17-year-old. The desert heat, the imminent army stint, and the threat of rockets mean their daily experiences differ from A-level revision and nights out in Golders Green.
But an Israeli-based education programme, The Young Ambassador School, aims to challenge misconceptions. Run by the government, it works with more than 100 schools to educate future leaders and turn them into national ambassadors. After the two-year course, in which they develop skills in public speaking and volunteering, they travel abroad to show a different face of Israel - and learn about a different culture.
"The school was established five years ago to help children become leaders in their community," explained the programme's headmaster Yitzhak Eldan. "We empower them to make a difference."
With 20,000 high-school students taking part, groups are constantly travelling across the world - recent destinations included Russia, Italy and India.
Last Tuesday, one such troupe arrived in London - in Harrow, to be exact. There they met the mayor, Councillor Ajay Maru, viewed his royal coat of arms, and heard about the borough's "incredible diversity"- which amounts to 169 languages spoken by 240,000 people.
"We are proud to have you here as young ambassadors of Israel," the council's alderman Richard Romain told his 21 visitors, all from the town of Shoham in central Israel. "You should be proud of your country, and be able to travel freely.
"Here in Harrow, we don't only celebrate differences – we encourage them."
The group then headed to Edgware - where they were hosted by Yeshurun shul members Joy and Edwin Solomon, whose nephew attends the course - for pizza, and to meet pupils from Immanuel College in Bushey.
"I've had a great time. It is really nice to meet people from other places and Jews outside of Israel," said 17-year-old Hamar Asulin. "Even though we're from different countries, the bottom line is that we are the same.
"The media doesn't always give us a good image," he added. "But we are just normal teenagers looking for peace."
His classmate, Efrat Gan, 17, agreed: "We want to show we are just like everyone else. We came here to change minds, but also expand our own."
According to their teacher Koby Feinstein, the course is instrumental in their transition from children to adults: "I run 19 groups in total. Watching them develop, I am confident that the future will be alright.
"We give them the tools to lead, talk to people, deal with politics and accept each other. They become a unit, like the army, but also like a family."
He added how important it was for the students to give something back; this particular group chose to volunteer with the elderly at Jewish Care's Stepney Day Centre.
Immanuel pupil Oscar Koslover, from Edgware, said he had been keen to welcome the visiting Israelis. "It is really interesting for us to meet other people of our age," said the 17-year-old. "We immediately connected because we like the same subjects."
His classmate Debra Eder, 17, added: "It is always good to interact with people from other cultures."
The assorted group of students ended the evening singing Israeli songs and swapping numbers - promising to meet again over iced coffee on a Tel Aviv beach.
"This was what I have been looking forward to for the whole trip," revealed 17-year-old Yuval Adler. "I plan to be an ambassador for hasbara in the future, and the best way to start doing so is by making friends."
