Your Sister City Program is dedicated to building a future of peace and understanding between the United States and Israel. We realize that true peace in this world can only come through real and meaningful relationships and shared experiences. All of our programs are designed to build these critical life-long relationships. As mutual friends of democracy and freedom, Israel and the U.S. share many values and many dreams. One of these dreams reaches high above the earth as each of us seeks to learn new and better ways to use and share the SPACE above us.

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In December 2019, we invited 10 Israeli students to join 11 Brevard County students to attend a week of International Space Camp at Kennedy Space Center. The students' out-of-this-world experience included  training to live and work on Mars in two programs: Astronaut Training Experience® and Mars Base 1. There were also educator-led guided tours of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and the Apollo/Saturn V Center, as well as a private briefing with a real veteran NASA astronaut.The students also participated in horseback riding at Walk on Water Horses, airboat rides, putt putt golf and Grad Prix Go Cart racing, an up-close-and- personal Florida reptile show with Safari Todd, as well as an exciting Chanakah Music Festival at Cocoa Village Riverfront Park sponsored by Chabad of the Space and Treasure Coasts, featuring Hasidic rapper Nissim Black (who also hails from our sister city Beit Shemesh, Israel) These 21 students had a once-in-a-lifetime educational and cultural opportunity thanks to our many Sister City sponsors and supporters. 

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A thank you letter from one of our Sharing Space Together students Jordan Luiz

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There were so many things I got out of this program! One of my favorite exercises was constructing a prototype paper rocket that could fly farther than the other students rockets.
Another exercise consisted of selecting items that would ensure survival on Mars for three months. After choosing the items, we conducted a presentation in front of the Nasa camp workers, chaperones, and other groups explaining why we chose the items and what purpose they would serve on Mars.
Three of the Israeli students and I also had to build a paper structure that could accommodate four people to survive a storm on Mars. All these exercises required problem solving and helped me enhance my public speaking skills!
Every student was able to ride in simulators like a real astronaut. It was an experience a kid could only dream of! We also watched films of Nasa's major events and experienced what it was like to be in the NASA Control Center. This program was a great experience and I loved every moment. Meeting and developing friendships with the Israeli students was a real bonus! We exchanged numbers and will hopefully keep in touch. I would like to thank Sister City Program for giving me one of the best weeks of my life.
Sincerely,
Jordan Luiz

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