An offshoot of the Multi-Cultural Orienteering Program is Friends by Nature, which pairs mostly children of Ethiopian origin with visiting delegations of Jewish youth from abroad. Through Friends By Nature local and visiting participants gain a new perspective on their Jewish identity.

Friends by Nature begins with virtual meetings through the Internet, ultimately leading to a joint outdoor camping experience when the Diaspora group is on an Israel Experience tour. The flexible curriculum focuses on personal inquiry, ecology and social issues. A dialogue on Jewish unity and pluralism develops gradually, as participants find mutual interests.

The dialogue between Jewish youth from around the globe and Ethiopian Israelis, whose unique Jewish background raises extraordinary questions of Jewish identity and continuity, is an identity-building experience for both groups. Ongoing interactions between such diverse groups leave a profound impact on the Jewish identity of participants from both sides.

Participants discuss questions such as :

• How Jewish Ethiopian Israelis define themselves, and how are they perceived in Israel?
• How are Ethiopian Jewish youth different/similar to North American Jewish youth?
• How do we, either Israelis or Americans, commemorate Jewish holidays?

Yoseph is a 16 year old orphan Ethiopian Israeli, who lives with his adult brothers. He joined Friends by Nature in January 2005, and his English improved dramatically during the school year.

Yoseph was chosen to join Camp Tawonga in San Francisco for three weeks in the summer, together with four other Multicultural Program participants, who were invited by the Federation as a result of the successful connection Friends by Nature created.

Yoseph also joined SPNI's Volunteering is Our Nature program, and will lead younger participants in his town next year.