PEACE LESSON: Back row: James Forbes (Leeds), Hannah Levitt (Liverpool), Melinda Bokor (from Hungary but studying in UK), Kevin Bates (Wirral, Liverpool) and Sandra Moss (Leeds). Front: Georgia Grantham (Hull), Chana Teeman (Leeds) and Josh Rubner (Manchester)

Jewish Telegraph correspondent Lydia Aisenberg, a staff member at the centre near Hadera, spent the day with the 40 member student group, most of whom were first time visitors to Israel.

The first part of the programme was to call into Kibbutz Mishmar HaEmek,where Lydia has resided since making aliya in 1979.

They were told about the Hashomer Hatzair movement pioneers and the students were surprised to learn that Mishmar HaEmek had a number of factories abroad, including one in Nottingham.

The second part of the programme dealt with the Arab citizens of Israel living in the nearby predominantly Muslim region of Wadi Ara.

Touring the Amir mountain range behind the Wadi Ara city of Umm al-Fahm, the students saw the 1949 Armistice Line (Green Line) and present day security fence.

"This seminar and tour has been so interesting for me - especially here up on the mountain with all that is possible to see from this point," Mancunian Josh Rubner said as he gazed over a large portion of the West Bank.

A slight turn of his head saw him looking over the Israeli city of Hadera and the Mediterranean coastline.

"To actually see and try and fathom what one normally only gets in a five-minute news bulletin back home is incredible," added Josh, who recently graduated from Leeds University.

"This is what I had hoped for - a better understanding of the situation."

Seven of the students were from northern Jewish communities although many of the southerners in the group study in Manchester, Leeds and other northern universities.

Accompanying the group was UJS southern development officer Richard Verber of Prestwich.

The son of Stephen and Deborah Verber, Richard graduated from Oxford University in