A Joyful Step Toward Home in Kiryat Shmona

During Passover, laughter and music returned to Kiryat Shmona’s parks and classrooms as 350 local children took part in a joyful day camp led by Dror Israel educators. Organized in partnership with the Kiryat Shmona Municipality and the Matnasim network, the camp offered much more than fun—it was a meaningful sign of the city’s slow but hopeful return to life after a year and a half of evacuation and uncertainty.

The camp featured sports, crafts, and tons of fun!

As part of Dror Israel's New Educators Communities initiative, dozens of young educators who will soon be moving to Kiryat Shmona and surrounding towns came north to run activities, build connections, and begin creating the educational community that will anchor the next chapter of rebuilding. They were joined by inspiring teen leaders from the local NOAL branch and 12th graders preparing for a year of pre-army national service in the region.

Local teen leaders had a chance to shine

For children, it was a chance to play, laugh, and simply be kids again. For parents, it was a glimpse into what a full return home could look like—and why it might be possible.

“We’re not just coming to work here—we’re coming to live here, build here, and help families feel that they have something to come back to,” shared Yaara, one of the educators preparing to move to Kiryat Shmona this summer. “The joy in the kids’ faces this week reminded me exactly why I’m making this move.”

Games gave kids a chance to bond with friends

Many families are still displaced, living far from the city, but plan to return in the summer before the new school year. These transitional programs, along with the emerging Educators’ Communities, will be essential in helping families navigate the challenges of returning home—and ensuring that their children have the emotional and social support they need to thrive.

While the Passover day camp was just a few days, it laid the groundwork for something much bigger: a renewed community, a resilient future, and a new generation of leaders helping to shape it.