During a ceremony this week, 16 teenagers received the "Sea Time" certificate after graduating the "Jerusalem Sea" program. The ceremony was held on the Jaffa port where they all returned from the final sailing to Greece and Cyprus. The 16 excelling sailors took part in the 14 day sailing due to their merit in the marine program run by the youth department in the Municipality of Jerusalem, "Metsila"-Jerusalem and the Acco Sea Scouts. The new sailors were accompanied by the cadets of the navy officers' school in Acco.

The "Sea Time" certificate presented to the young graduates is the first stage of becoming a certified skipper.

During the ceremony, the Director of "Metsila" Yakov Goaz, himself a retired Brigadier General in the Israeli Navy, spoke about the importance of youth experience in the open sea, developing the sense of responsibility, tolerance, patience and team work.

The 16 young sailors, both girls and boys, Jews and Arabs, took part in the program along with 20 other participants. The program for marine education, called "Jerusalem Sea", operates in conjunction with the marine section of the Israeli scouts and includes studies in subjects such as sailing boats, ropes and knots, canoeing, sailing and anchoring.

The goals of the program is to treat and rehabilitate youth at risk through strengthening their moral and physical strength; imparting self discipline and team work; developing their motivation for excellence and leadership; imparting the love of the country and sea; improving their learning capabilities and strengthening their motivation to serve in the Israel army.