1,000 French high school seniors at the signature event of the "Seniors in Blue and White" weeklong trip on Dec. 19 in Jerusalem. Photo: Avi Dodi.

JNS.org – A group of 1,000 French high school seniors from 25 Jewish schools on Dec. 19 took part in the signature event of a weeklong educational trip to Israel.

The “Bac Bleu Blanc” (Seniors in Blue and White) trip, run by The Jewish Agency for Israel with the support of Keren Hayesod (United Israel Appeal), was launched 11 years ago.

“The French Jewish community is leading a new wave of aliyah to Israel… You will enjoy every moment in Israel and you will see that it is a technological and scientific superpower and the beating heart of the Jewish people. You will return to France as ambassadors of the Jewish people and of the State of Israel,” Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky told the students during the Dec. 19 event at the Jerusalem International Convention Center.