Last July more than 1,000 students in the Central Galilee-Michigan Partnership region benefited from the English summer program.  TALMA—the National Program for Excellence in English—which works in association with the JFMD and the Schusterman and Steinhardt foundations, brings some 60 American teachers to Israel during the summer to teach English at schools.

This is the second year in which TALMA has operated in Nazareth Illit and Migdal HaEmek.  This year the Jezreel Valley Regional Council has also joined the program.  The students benefited from a variety of activities including: a magic show, sign language workshop, a drumming activity and food workshops—all conducted in English!

Detroit schoolteacher Lauren Roberts says she decided to come back to Israel and teach in the TALMA program because of the students.

 "They're filled with curiosity and ask a lot of questions.  That curiosity turns the experience into a super enjoyable challenge."