Science Comes Alive

The ORT America Next Gen Mission visited Mada Park and the Yitzhak Rabin Comprehensive High School while in Kiryat Yam along Haifa Bay in Israel.

Mada Park contains a planetarium, an oceanarium, an open-air science park, and Mada-Na, an interactive science exhibition. The facilities serve as learning platforms for the students and for the community throughout the year.

In the planetarium, the mission attendees watched a brief video and took a science quiz while making themselves comfortable in oversize bean bags. The open-air science park offered the opportunity to participate in outdoor science experiments.

The visiting Americans observed a medical training course in which students learned how to properly conduct an ultrasound.

According to World ORT Kadima Mada, Rabin High School serves over 1,300 students ages 12 to 18. Most are immigrants and live in poverty.

The school provides numerous opportunities and paths to earn diplomas in fields that fit students’ interests, including medical studies, theater, high-level robotics and graphics.

The school is recognized by the students and faculty as a place of excellence and fosters a high-level academic learning environment.

Photos by: Sarah Moosazadeh, Tony Gorkiewicz and Mike Amerikaner

: The planetarium at Mada Park is not necessarily unusual, but oversize pillows for the virtual trip through the universe are.

: A Rabin High School student demonstrates an ultrasound machine in the World ORT school’s medicine and science track.

: Students demonstrate a mobile physics exhibition at Mada-Na.

: Students from Rabin high school share a short presentation of programs they are involved in such as Meet at five (math program), social involvement (Magen David Adom) and collaborative problem solving.