"This is a growing phenomenon," said Hillel Hillman, the principal at the Kadoorie youth village in the Lower Galilee. During the last Passover break, said Hillman, he was invited to Germany to meet with the parents of Jewish children wishing to come to Israel.
"Families traveled hundreds of miles to meet us and get more details about the education system in Israel. They spoke of their disappointment with the German education system. All the families talked about the education to Zionist values we provide," he said.
Some of the teens are the children of German-born Jews, others were born to Israeli expatriates and another part are the children of Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet Union.
Katya Gordon, 17, from Koln, who already studies at Kadoorie, said: "At first it was hard for me to be away from my friends and family, but I have found a home for myself here."
Irina Sharapova, 17, learned of the possibility to study in Israel from her mother, who works at the local community's synagogue. "I started inquiring about the project, told my mother I wanted to make aliyah, and so I did." She plans to join the Border Guard unit once she graduates.
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