Meet Our Students
(True stories, with names changed)
ALEX
Alex´s family made Aliyah from the Ukraine when his mother was pregnant with him. His parents separated when he was 6, he has no contact with his father, and he has 3 brothers. His mother works at a supermarket, earning little, has other problems as well, and their financial situation is very difficult. She has other problems, as well. Now in his second year at Aloney Yitzchak, Alex has found his "place." He studies hard, loves his friends, plays guitar and saxophone in the Village orchestra, is athletic, and he leads his age group´s "Work Day", where they give back to the community.
DIKLA
The only child of a single, substance-abusing mother who refuses to get treatment and rarely works, Dikla was often beaten and moved houses often. Everything she has is provided by the Village. She is improving in her studies and loves working in the organic orchards at the Village.
MARIANNA
Marianna, her mother, and little brother made Aliyah this year, but their father stayed in Russia. The mother´s financial situation and adjustment has been difficult, and she has not yet found work partly due to lack of Hebrew. Despite this, Marianna dances, sings, is athletic, studies hard, and takes initiative.
NIKI
In his 11 year of study – his second at the Village, Niki finally is making progress on this learning and emotional disabilities. He arrived at the Village with huge learning gaps despite his high potential. In past schools a "loner", Niki now tries hard at almost everything, receives private tutoring and counseling, and has made good friends. He plays clarinet beautifully, and performs in most Village celebrations. During school breaks he works to contribute to his family of 4 siblings and divorced parents.
JULIA
In her 12th year of study, Julia is a "Naale Program" student – youth from the former Soviet Union in Israel with no parents. (99% remain in Israel permanently, and over half of their families join them in Israel.) Her parents are divorced; mother alcoholic, father unstable. She contributes much to the Village, serving as a Peer Mediator, tutoring younger children, and actively participating in Village celebrations. She volunteered for an extra year of voluntary service upon graduation, serving in a youth movement for a year before her Army service.
MEET SOME OF OUR RECENT GRADUATES
Meet Some of Our Graduates
Genia Khripunov, now age 32, was born in Khazakstan. He made Aliyah with his mother and step-father when he was two years old. In grade 6 he knew he wanted to live in a boarding school to get away from troubles at home and to be able to study well. He was attracted right away to Aloney Yitzhak Youth Village because of the thousands of beautiful oak trees and peaceful setting of the campus, which is set in the middle of a nature preserve.
He readily admits that the first years were not easy, as "kids are not always nice to each other." Lacking self-confidence, he didn´t know how to deal with some of the pressures of life and "didn´t always speak nicely, argued a lot, but Aloney Yitzhak didn´t give up on me.”
After two years at the Village Genia found himself wanting to help others as the village has helped him – an inner drive that continues through today. He started many initiatives: the Student Government, Book Night, Movie Night, Simulated Hostage Event, student study support sessions, and more. He was also very involved with the school’s volunteering in community projects. A young man who clearly focuses on his goals and goes after them, Genia promised his friends they would hear from a great director about some of the movies they were seeing, and after many emails Steven Spielberg called him!
In Tenth grade Genia was awarded "Outstanding Student" and received a grant. When asked what was so special about the Village, the first thing he says is "They never neglected me and they never stopped me. They kept letting me create initiatives, and encouraged me when they saw I worked hard and succeeded." When Genia became an officer in the Israel Defense Forces, his Madrich, Boarding School Director, favourite teacher, and a few other adults travelled to his induction ceremony (photo of this attached).
"I learned to love like a father at Aloney Yitzchak. I never had a father. I learned from my Madrich (counselor) how to do this. Now I have passed this skill on and I am like a father to my soldiers."
Genia served in the Israel Defense Forces as an officer with direct responsibility for dozens of combat soldiers. He is studying to work in Education, and possibly become a movie director.
