Micha Simbalista is the director of the Youth Village “Nirim”, located in Bustan Hagalil, adjacent to the Western Galilee coastal town of Acco. There are many youth villages in Israel, all of them do their work faithfully on behalf of at-risk youth, but the Nirim youth village is quite unique. The village Director’s vision is to push the youths in this village in the direction of excellence and in achieving the high goals and objectives he challenges them with. Many of the youths who come to the village are at a court order as a last step, meet a dedicated team who is focused to maintain and utilize their last chance of a normal life. During the years, the youth at the village finish their education with a high-school diploma and substantial military service recruits. The need which occurred in the youth village is to provide graduates, soldiers and those who finished their service a home to return to. Galila chose to help Micha in his vision to establish an alumni home which will enable the graduates to have a bridge to full integration into society as citizens. The alumni home is the last step in a long journey for the youth from a life crime to a normal life of citizens who contribute to society.
