This poem was read at the conclusion of the Modi'in educators' trip to Rochester, Fall 2008. The poem was written by Ruti Ben Hur, Regional Inspector Elementary Schools, Modi'in, and translated by Anat Levy, Elementary English Teacher in Modi'in.

We came to you in small plane.
Which most of us don't want to see again.
Embarrassed and nervous to meet you all.
And you took us to Temple Sinai hall.

There our excitement really went high.
When, we saw your kids praying in Hebrew,
And we started to cry.

First we met Jan.
Who is wonderful and a real trooper.
When it comes to schedule.
She's like the morning rooster.

We went from place to place.
Which the first one was our host's house.
With shy eyes and nervous laughter.
We sat with you at your family supper.

We saw the special Brighton school.
We heard from Larry about the Federation activities,
No doubt he is cool.
We spoke in English our teeth were broken,
But our hosts said we were nice spoken.

And then, oh dear, we wanted to shop.
We changed the plan and Jan was shocked.
We went to the pub at the town's end,
To have a drink with our new friends.

We wanted to save water,
This is our role.
So we went showering,
In the Niagara Falls.

Another school and more activities.
Shabat dinner with the families.
And lets not forget and remember,
Our shopping tours with the Federation members.

Havdala night, and teachers workshop.
We couldn't feel how the days just hopped.
And a very special main event.
A show trip, a visit in school, a lecture.
We did all that without even seeing straight.

And then to find out what is Sunday school,
conservative, reform and other streams.
All these amazing ways we could not even dream.

The people we met here were so wonderful and sweet.
They treated us so right, they never left our sight.
Lets just say, that the true Jewish heart,
Really reviled to us, with all of its might.

We just wanted to thank you,
From all of our hearts.
For the loving hosting.
To you Jane, to the hosts,
To the principals and the teachers,
Who worked so hard all of these past days.

And we pledge to you Rochester community,
We take from you your values, your hopes and your Jewish dream,
To bring to the children of Israel, and together we'll build a bridge for a better future.