More than 1,000 high school seniors from 25 Jewish schools across France will light the Hanukkah menorah together on Thursday in Jerusalem.
Jewish Agency chairman Natan Sharansky who said that the French Jewish students’ arrival in Israel is “a massive expression of solidarity that reflects the warm and unique connection between the French Jewish community and the State of Israel.”
Bac Bleu Blanc—”High School Seniors in Blue and White”—is the broadest effort by the Jewish Agency to bring young French Jews on educational experiences in Israel.
Since Bac Bleu Blanc’s creation eleven years ago, some 10,000 French students have come to Israel as part of the program.
French Jewish immigration to Israel is at an all-time high, with more than 6,200 immigrants arriving so far this year, up from 3,288 in all of 2013 and 1,917 in all of 2012. The high schoolers’ visit serves as an initial pilot trip, and many participants will return to Israel for lengthier stays.
