25 January 2008 Israeli students arrive in Atlanta for ORT Lipson Programme Students from four Israeli schools participating in World ORTs Kadima Mada (Science Journey) programme have arrived in Atlanta for this years month-long ORT Lipson cultural exchange programme. The 16 students from Kiryat Yam, Nesher, Meggido and Shaar HaNegev high schools are being hosted by local families while they attend classes at the citys four Jewish day schools: the Davis Academy, the Epstein School, Greenfield Hebrew Academy (GHA) and the Weber School. GHA teacher Miriam Saul said: This ORT programme brings real Israel and real Israelis to life. The children that host these Israeli students are day school students; they study Israel, its history, its language, its politics, but are still removed from real Israel. We bring Israel to them and make it real. They learn that the two cultures are more alike than they are different and that we are all one family. For both the Americans and the Israelis this is a life changing experience. The Israelis will make friendships that will last for ever; they study in a Jewish school and see what it takes to be a Jew in the Diaspora, and they find out that they are not alone in Israel. ORT makes the most important connection that can be experienced the personal one. ORT Atlanta has arranged special field trips for the Israeli kids, who are accompanied by one teacher from each of the four Kadima Mada schools, to help them gain a better understanding of, and appreciation for, Atlanta. The day trips include visits to Stone Mountain Park, the CNN Centre, the World of Coca-Cola Museum, Cyclorama and Civil War Museum and Atlanta Zoo. While in Atlanta, each group of four Israeli teenagers will give a PowerPoint presentation on their school and tell the local community how World ORT is helping them. During the spring, students from the Atlanta Jewish day schools will have the chance to reunite with their new friends during a trip to Israel. The ORT Lipson International Studies Programme was conceived by Rabbi Steven Ballaban together with former American ORT National Vice President Nathan Lipson. The programme began in 2003 with funding from the ORT Lipson International Studies Programme Fund, which was established by Atlantas Lipson family and has attracted generous donations from ORT America supporters.