A group of teenage girls from Hadassah Neurim Youth Aliyah Village in Israel are riding their way into a brighter future.
As part of a new cycling team, the 9th- to 12th-grade students challenge themselves, all while boosting their confidence, coping with physical and emotional struggles and bonding with their peers. The group serves as a therapeutic vehicle and a means for personal development and female empowerment, the essential elements of becoming productive and happy members of Israeli society — the mission of Hadassah’s Youth Aliyah villages.
The determination of these girls has captured the attention of DocuYoung, a hands-on documentary workshop for teenagers supported by Docaviv, which provides a unique stage for documentary filmmakers throughout Israel. The documentary, Riders Forward, chronicles their journey, from the group’s launch to its initial trials and tribulations to its formalization as a village program.
Hadassah’s Meir Shfeyah and Neurim Youth Aliyah villages help put vulnerable teens and immigrants on a path to success. They receive a full spectrum of help — shelter, food, counseling, education and other supportive services. Since 1934, over 300,000 students from 80 lands have graduated from Youth Aliyah.
