Student trips to Nazi camps increase

Due to reforms in the Education Ministry, subsidized visits to concentration camps are expected to rise fourfold this year

The tradition of high school students embarking on educational visits to European concentration camps has gotten a big boost, according to a report in Israel Hayom on Tuesday.

As a result of Education Ministry reforms, the number of students heading to Poland on subsidized visits is set to be around 11,000 this year, an increase of 423 percent.

Some 30,000 students are expected to make the pilgrimage, which is seen as a rite of passage and a way of reinforcing Jewish and Israeli identity.

According to statistics released by the Education Ministry, 92% of participating students said that the visits helped them better understand the importance of the Land of Israel and the Jewish nation, and 85% reported feeling pride in being Israeli.