Hadassah Neurim, with a student body of 385, is often the "school of last resort" for students who have failed to succeed in other schools. By the time a student is admitted to Hadassah Neurim, they may have been through three or four previous schools, and have low self-esteem, a history of poor scholastic achievement and suffer from learning disabilities. The high school at Hadassah Neurim offers a wide range of tracks, from vocational to academic. The village staff includes social workers, school counselors and teachers.

To overcome these problems, Hadassah Neurim has established a support center where students are taught in small groups or individually. Social and emotional problems are addressed and attention is paid to each student's learning needs. The goal is to provide the students with positive strategies, emotional and academic support as well as role models who have the skills to integrate the students into regular classes and restore a sense of self and belief in their futures. Computers play a big part in the process.

Hadassah Neurim is also home to the Marlene Edith Post Athletic Center. Boasting an Olympic sized track, students at Neurim have the opportunity to hone their athletic prowess under the supervision of former Soviet Olympic personnel. Hadassah Neurim is known for its track and field specialization. Student athletes from Neurim have ranked among the top performers on the international circuit and are even slated to represent Israel in the next summer Olympic Games.

Danny came to Israel from the Soviet Union after both of his parents were murdered, just for being Jewish. His aging grandparents, living in Netanya, noted that Danny was not interested in school and would probably fail all his courses. They finally discovered Hadassah Neurim and had him enrolled. Read Danny's Story >>

FIVE MINUTES AFTER THE MATCH

Hadassah Neurim's Igor Besov, 16, had just won first place in the league competition for throwing the shot put, when we caught up with him, still breathing hard. Igor is from a single-parent family in the southern development town of Dimona. His mother works in an area factory. He has been in youth villages since he and his mother made aliyah from the Russian city Khabarovsk, 30km from the Sino-Russian border when he was ten. He's also second in throwing the disc, one behind his best friend Hadassah Neurim student Itamar Levy from Katzrin in the Golan. "The village is a great place for me," said Igor. "I was moved from one temporary home to another and now I've found my home here at Hadassah-Neurim. We're in our toughest season, with school exams and lots of outdoor competition. Wish me luck!"