Over the past few months, we have had the joy of leading the Israeli Youth Movement, Israeli Eagles, in Tidewater. Each month, kids from across the community gather to learn about Israel, build friendships, and grow as confident, curious, and caring young leaders.
We both grew up in Israeli youth movements, where values such as teamwork, responsibility, and caring for others are a big part of everyday life. Bringing that same spirit to Tidewater has been incredibly meaningful for us.
One of our recent sessions focused on Israeli leadership. The kids learned about Israeli figures such as David Ben-Gurion, Golda Meir, Yitzhak Rabin, Rona Ramon, Hannah Senesh, and Theodor Herzl, and explored what made each of them a leader. Through games, projects, debates, and creative activities, they discovered that leadership is not just about being famous; it’s about taking initiative, listening to others, and working together.
Another favorite session was our Israeli inventions day, where we explored how Israel has influenced the world through creativity and innovation. The kids learned about inventions such as Waze, voicemail, cherry tomatoes, USB flash drives, Power Rangers, Rummikub, and drip irrigation, and then got hands-on time building models, playing games, and even designing their own inventions.
For us, the Israeli Eagles is about more than activities. It’s about creating a place where kids feel welcome, proud of their ideas, and connected to Israel and to each other. We are proud of this group and can’t wait to keep growing and learning together.
To join the Israeli Eagles and share in the excitement, contact Nofar Trem at NTrem@UJFT.org.
Noga Yaniv and Yarden Lahan are Tidewater’s Shinshinim.
