Celebrating the “Chag HaMa'alot” Tradition in the Upper Galilee

This weekend, youth members and counselors from HaNoar HaOved VeHaLomed (NOAL), Dror Israel’s associated youth movement, gathered across the Upper Galilee Regional Council to celebrate the traditional Chag HaMa'alot. This year’s ceremony was especially meaningful, as it marked the first time in two years that the event could take place in its full form, after a long period in which communities were displaced, evacuated, and deeply affected by the ongoing Iron Swords War.

After two long years, these kids can finally dance and perform at home again, with their whole community together.

The celebration brought together the NOAL branches from six Upper Galilee kibbutzim: Kadarim, Amiad, Mahanaim, Gadot, Yiftach, and Kfar Giladi. Activity in the region is now growing once again, with new branches opening this year in Neot Mordechai and Ma'ayan Baruch. All children from grades 4 through 9 take part in NOAL activities in the region, supported by an impressive team of 35 youth counselors (madatzim) who lead with commitment, care, and a deep sense of responsibility.

Written out in fire, “Ken Galil Elyon,” the Upper Galilee Branch.

For these communities, the return of Chag HaMa'alot carried special weight. Many children, teens, families, and educators had spent long months away from home, scattered across the country and unsure when they would return. Coming together again in their own fields and community spaces transformed this year’s celebration into a powerful moment of healing and homecoming.

Blue youth movement shirts, red strings, and a whole lot of smiles.

Chag HaMa'alot is one of NOAL’s most meaningful traditions. It is a kind of annual “graduation” ceremony that the children and teens prepare for weeks in advance. Each age group marks its transition and moves up to the next stage in the branch, celebrating growth and increasing responsibility. The ceremony is rooted in long-standing movement customs. Older age groups prepare heartfelt blessings and words of welcome for the younger groups who follow in their path, and the evening is filled with songs, performances, and excitement.

The moment everyone eagerly anticipates is the Ktovat Esh, the fire writing. Under careful supervision, the oldest group constructs a glowing display of letters that form a message, a slogan, or the name of their branch. Once lit, the fire writing illuminates the night sky, creating a magical and unifying moment cherished by children and parents alike.

Dror Israel educator and branch coordinator speaks with pride about the commitment and responsibility that the community’s children and teens demonstrate every day.

Chag HaMa'alot is always a celebration for the entire community. Parents, teachers, grandparents, and local residents gather to cheer on the youth and to share in the sense of renewal and continuity that the movement brings each year. After two disrupted years, seeing everyone standing together again felt especially emotional.

Throughout this month, NOAL branches around the country have been holding their own Chag HaMa'alot ceremonies, each one unique but all grounded in the movement’s values of responsibility, leadership, and community building.

During the Upper Galilee celebration, Shira and Shaked, junior counsellors at the local branch, shared a message that resonated deeply:

“This is proof of the power of community, of people who stand up and choose to take part in something greater than themselves. In these past months, filled with uncertainty, as we begin rebuilding our lives as a society following the return of the hostages, our youth movement has served as an anchor in turbulent waters.

Being a counselor is so much more than activities and games. It is a true calling. We choose to take responsibility for the way children in the kibbutzim grow up, how they learn to feel connected to their community, to care for one another, and to believe in goodness.

This is our purpose. We help build our community with our own hands, in every possible way, ensuring that no child ever feels invisible.

We are excited for the coming year, for the hikes, the camps, the white nights, the special events, and everything ahead. But above all, we look forward to a full year of meaningful activity, filled with action and purpose, a year that will leave a lasting impact on every participant and every counselor.”

A night for the entire community.

This year’s celebration in the Upper Galilee was not only a return to tradition. It was a testament to resilience, to the strength of community, and to the essential role that young people and educators play in rebuilding hope during challenging times.