HiBur: Boston-Haifa Exchange Program
“HiBur” is a full-year program that takes Grade 10 students on a physical and spiritual journey to deepen their Jewish identities through experiencing and sharing American Jewish culture with Israeli teens from Haifa, first in Boston and New York City, and then engaging in the land and people of Israel with our Haifa partners. The HiBur Program is a collaborative project between 5 metrowest congregations (Congregations Beth El of Sudbury, B’nai Torah of Sudbury, Or Atid of Wayland, Kerem Shalom of Concord and Beth Elohim of Acton), and is generously subsidized and sponsored by Boston’s Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP).
The Grade 10 experience spans the school-year and includes a series of classes with the metrowest student participants, videoconferences, and parallel curricula with our Haifa partners. The program consists of between 36-40 participants, divided evenly between those from Metrowest and those from the Huggim High School in Haifa, plus faculty on both the American and Israeli sides. The Israeli students and chaperones meet our students for an introductory weekend in the Fall in New York City, and then come back together to be hosted by our Grade 10 families. Israeli students spend one week touring Jewish Boston, site-seeing throughout the region, and spending time with their American partners in the evenings and on the weekend. Our American Metrowest students then travel to Israel for the second half of the exchange during the February school vacation week.
HiBur is a transformative program that is truly one-of-a-kind in its relational and personal nature. Life-long friendships are made between parents, students, families, and educational staff and faculty members.