CELEBRATE ISRAEL S 70TH 2GETHER! PARTNERSHIP2GETHER. A Look at Leading P2G Programs Across Israel and Around the Globe

Transcription

1 CELEBRATE ISRAEL S 70TH 2GETHER! PARTNERSHIP2GETHER A Look at Leading P2G Programs Across Israel and Around the Globe Summer 2018

2 Table of Contents Celebrate Israel s 70th 2Gether! 4 Partnership2Gether/Global School Twinning Network Interconnections Conference 6 Facing the Future of Jewish Peoplehood: A Strategic Collaboration with the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs 6 Sharing Across All Partnerships: P2G Learning Sessions 7 Global school twinning network 8 Extending the Partnership with the Ministry of Education & Ministry of Diaspora Affairs RoboTwin: The Eilat-Eilot Toronto STEM Program Partnership2Gether: Update on New Initiatives Community Action Network G2: Global Intergenerational Initiative My 5! Support for Religious Streams 14 A Look at Leading P2G Programs Across Israel and Around the Globe 16 Formal and Informal Education 16 Kiryat Gat-Lachish-Shafir Chicago: Israeli Children Zone Dimona Network of Independent Communities: Lunch and Learn Center Zichron Yaakov South Palm Beach: School Twinning Shoham Memphis: School Twinning Yerucham Miami: Robotics Philadelphia Netivot Sedot Negev: StudioLab Teens and Young Adults 20 Western Galilee Central Area Consortium: Young Adults and Tikkun Olam Modiin Rochester: Journey for Identity (JFI) Beit Shemesh-Mateh Yehuda South Africa: Youth Movement Seminar Central Arava Australia: Limmud Arava Rehovot Minneapolis: Alternative Spring Break Art and Environment 24 Nesher Broward: Music2Gether Kiryat Malachi-Hof Ashkelon Tucson: Light Trail Karmiel-Misgav Pittsburgh: Waldman International Arts and Writing Competition Leadership Development 26 Tzahar Palm Beach: Young Leadership Hadera-Eiron Southeast US Consortium: Leadership2Gether Shoham Venezuela: Budapest Study Seminar for Young Adults Greater MetroWest Ofakim-Merchavim: Negba Peoplehood Project Montreal Beer Sheva-Bnei Shimon: Young Leadership Summit Nahariya Northern New Jersey: Emergency Response Teams Sovev Kinneret Milwaukee, Madison & St. Paul: Stories from the Poriya Medical Center Mexico-Northeastern New York Eshkol: Mechanchei Israel Community Development 32 Sha ar Hanegev San Diego: SouthUp Beit Shean-Valley of Springs Cleveland: St. Clair Project Western Galilee Dallas: Taste of the Galilee Celebrating The Yoms 34 Northern Galilee Great Britain: Magic Moments Kfar Saba Columbus: Remembering Together Rosh Ha ayin New Orleans: Joint Yom HaAtzmaut Celebration Service Year Shlichim (Shin-Shinim) 36 Netanya Cincinnati: Chaverim M Israel Afula-Gilboa Southern New England Consortium: Shin-Shinim Summer Camp 38 Yokneam-Megido Atlanta-St. Louis: Kefiyada Yoav Lehigh Valley : Young Counselors Central Galilee Michigan: Israeli Camper Program

3 Celebrate Israel s 70 th 2Gether! Join thousands in wishing Israel a happy birthday, P2G-style, through the #2Gether4_il_70 Campaign, individually, locally, and globally! Ways to participate Take a selfie or a group shot with your friends or colleagues holding print-outs of one of these colorful P2G star icons. «Upload your picture to Facebook, and be sure to use the tag #2Gether4_il_70! «Upload your picture into our big picture mosaic, by going to «Get your community involved by using the #2Gether4_il_70 Activity Kit, appropriate for all ages. It includes a card deck with the P2G star icons, cards to write your 7 Words of Wishes to Israel and your 7 P2G Moments. Instructions for group facilitation are included. «Print the kit yourself by clicking here «Purchase high-quality kits with festive packaging through P2G ($10 per kit plus shipping). For more information contact Dr. Ravit Ochayon at ravitm@jafi.org.

4 PARTNERSHIP2GETHER 2018 Online Learning Sessions Partnership2Gether/Global School Twinning Network Interconnections Conference The two-day conference was held in Newark, New Jersey in March 2017 and included 170 participants from 28 Federations, representing 26 partnerships and 17 schools. Participants came from North America, Israel and even Budapest, Hungary. We were energized 2Gether though several experiences: exploring programmatic opportunities and new P2G initiatives; launching the #2Gether4_il_70 campaign; sharing successes and challenges; and hearing Partnership GEM TED talks and other speakers. The target audiences for the seminars are Israeli leaders and opinion-shapers who wish to learn more about the current state of Jewish Peoplehood and overseas Jewry. The seminars are a strategic collaboration between the Partnerships Unit and Israel s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs to advance our shared mission of ensuring a strong and united Jewish people based on shared understanding of each other. For more information contact: Dr. Ravit Ochayon at ravitm@jafi.org. As always with P2G conferences, we walked away feeling part of something bigger than ourselves, bigger than our home communities, and bigger than our individual Partnerships. We will continue our conversations from the conference in three video conference calls in Facing the Future of Jewish Peoplehood: A Strategic Collaboration with the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs The Partnerships Unit is convening a series of seminars to raise awareness in Israeli society about the complex issues faced by overseas Jewry. Sharing Across All Partnerships: P2G Learning Sessions P2G s first online learning session was successfully launched on June 7, 2018 focusing on how to increase engagement in P2G. Participants from some 20 partnerships took part lay and professionals Israeli and Diaspora participants. Presentations were made by representatives from Netanya Cincinnati, Beit Shean Valley of Springs- Cleveland, and Nahariya Northern New Jersey. ons JUNE 7 SEPT. 4 DEC. 4 Increasing Communal Engagement in P2G Long-term Engagement Generate, sustain and grow passion and commitment to Partnership. Young Adults Attract and engage future generations to Partnership and develop leaders. Plug into the P2G network and learn how to drive your Partnership forward. Please mark the next two scheduled sessions on your calendars, for September 4th and December 4th. Following each session, materials and the contact information for presenters will be uploaded to our Knowledge Center. For more information contact: Dr. Ravit Ochayon at ravitm@jafi.org. Check out the Partnership2Gether KNOWLEDGE CENTER 6 7

5 We started 2018 with a new strategic partnership with Israel s Ministry of Education and Ministry of Diaspora Affairs for a major expansion of the Global School Twinning Network. Beginning in September 2018, the respective Ministries will provide extensive funding to expand the Network s global reach and enhance our educational pedagogy. We extend our deep gratitude to the Government of Israel for its support. The new collaboration will enable more day schools and afternoon Hebrew schools in your communities to build a direct relationship with Israel and Israelis. If you are interested in having a school in your community join the network, or if you have any questions about School Twinning, contact the director of the network, Merav Shany, at meravsha@jafi.org. 8 GLOBAL SCHOOL TWINNING NETWORK The Global School Twinning Network currently includes some 300 schools in Israel and 300 schools in Jewish communities worldwide. More than 2,000 teachers and 55,000 students of all ages participate. Extending the Partnership with the Ministry of Education & Ministry of Diaspora Affairs RoboTwin: The Eilat-Eilot Toronto STEM Program Two years ago, the Global School Twinning Network launched a new opportunity for twinned schools to build overseas friendships through STEM studies. (STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.) The pilot program in eight primary and middle schools in the Eilat- Eilot Toronto partnership has been very successful. These twinned schools chose to focus specifically on the area of robotics. This initiative stemmed from needs on both sides of the ocean: To fulfill the goals of Partnership connecting Jews of all ages from Toronto with their peers in Eilat in a way that feels fresh, relevant and exciting to children. Israel continued to produce outstanding scientists, but the decline in students who choose to major in science in high school led to fears that Israel would turn from a start-up nation to a nation in a slowdown. Additionally, the periphery deals with a constant shortage of science teachers, and existing teachers need more avenues to keep up with changes in the field. STEM Twinning provides opportunities for children in the periphery to receive the same type of high-tech education as those in central Israel paving the way for their professional futures - and for teachers to have equal opportunities to develop professionally. On the North American side, parents and students increasingly show interest in STEM excellence, and there is a movement in schools to strengthen their STEM curricula. For Jewish day schools wishing to simultaneously strengthen their Israel education, STEM twinning is a win-win. Activities in the pilot in Eilat-Eilot Toronto have shown that STEM twinning provides exciting value-add to the schools: Strengthening Israel-Diaspora connections through ongoing dialogue Project-based activities that develop critical thinking and independent problem solving Activities that teach skills in working as part of an international team Promoting peer interaction, networking, and sharing of best practices between faculty members internationally Increasing the knowledge and tools of the science teachers and the students Acquisition of advanced equipment Developing two-way benefits for both sides of the Partnership through reciprocal sharing of knowledge Increased cooperation between the Partership communities, and expansion of the circle of partners. It should be noted that in both Eilat and Toronto the RoboTwin project is part of a larger effort to upgrade science and technology education. For example, the Partnership also arranged for 11th and 12th graders to complete research projects under the guidance of senior researchers from the Ilan Ramon Center of Ben-Gurion University. Outside the Partnership, the Eilat schools are having middle school students teach science to elementary school students, and the schools are working to integrate children with learning difficulties into mainstream science classes. Thus, RoboTwin is a valuable part of the mosaic of science education in these schools. 9

6 Partnership2Gether: Update on New Initiatives 248 Community Action Network 248 is an evolving global network made up of Israeli and Diaspora Jews aged late-20s to mid-40s. These ambitious young professionals are interested in Jewish issues and the power of the Jewish collective, and wish to create outreach and engagement projects that can be replicated in any Jewish community. 248 s goal is to build local Jewish and Israeli communities while encouraging the replication of innovative ideas and practices globally. Indeed, the name 248 represents the replication of a successful idea (i.e. it is adopted by 2, then 4, then 8 communities) as well as the number of positive commandments in Jewish tradition. Program graduates will remain active in the emerging network through a digital platform, web-based discussions, and annual meet-ups. The network s first week-long face-to-face mifgash (encounter) was held in Sde Boker in the Negev in January in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Beer Sheva, and exceeded expectations with its remarkable energy. The highlight was a 248 Do-A-Thon conducted in Sde Boker in the Negev where participants further developed and presented their emerging initiatives projects. Shira Ruderman engaged us in an inspiring conversation; we thank the Ruderman Foundation for being our partners in 248. In May, we celebrated the completion of our first 248 program cycle with the first ever Global Summit hosted by our partners in Minneapolis. It was attended by some 100 people. At the summit, our Jewish Doers showcased their inspiring initiatives and shared their 248 journeys. Topics such as Judaism and nationhood, replication of ideas, technology and the start-up mentality were examined, and the 248niks demonstrated how they were brought into play through their own local projects around the world. The evening culminated with a panel highlighting what Israelis are learning about the North American Jewish experience, and with speakers who emphasized the uniqueness of the 248 approach, among them the Minneapolis Federation s Executive Director James Cohen and incoming Jewish Agency s Finance and Budget Committee Chair Beth Kieffer Leonard. Prior to the event, our Israeli participants spent three days in New York City to learn first-hand about the Jewish-American immigrant experience, and to discover how Jews are expressing their connection to Jewish values nowadays through organizations and initiatives such as One Table, Laba Lab, Repair the World, and Moishe House. We also participated in a lively learning session with Prof. Jeffrey Gurock, a professor at Yeshiva University affiliated with the Ruderman Program for American Jewish studies. The third element of the Global Summit week were 48- hour P2G experiences held simultaneously in the North American communities of Broward County Fl., Cleveland, Northern New Jersey, and Minneapolis. Based on the practice of home hospitality, these P2G visits deepened the amazing relationships formed during the program, and are now inspiring our graduates to continue their connection through active participation in the global 248 Network. The program includes four main elements: An exploration of the big issues facing world Jewry A hackathon week in Israel, where participants develop innovative initiatives that connect people and build community An implementation phase in the participants local communities An annual global summit in North America 10 11

7 G2: Global Intergenerational Initiative An Innovative Jewish Experience for Grandparents and Grandchildren Today s grandparents are heavily involved in their grandchildren s lives and have incredible potential in passing down Jewish values to the next generation. G2: Global Intergenerational Initiative creates a grand opportunity for valuable intergenerational communication and relationships. The pilot launched in December 2017, and uses the grandparent-grandchild relationship as a vehicle for strengthening Jewish identity in fun and meaningful ways. The program is built on four pillars: meaningful grandparent-grandchild relationships, shared Jewish values, inspiring the next generation, and connections with Israel and Jewish peoplehood. The educational components of this year-long program include: Monthly sessions in which grandparents and grandchildren come together locally for innovative and exciting Jewish programming, offering opportunities for grandparents to share their life experiences, values, and heritage, as well as inspiring the younger generation with a commitment to Jewish community and Israel. Adventures that deepen the relationship between grandparent and grandchild, putting Jewish values into practice. A week-long trip to Israel as the culmination of the program for all G2 participants from around the globe. The use of cutting-edge technological tools, giving grandparents the opportunity to connect with each other as well as with other participants from around the world. My 5! The MY5! program was established in May 2016 by The Jewish Agency and JDC, based on the lessons learned by these organizations during Operation Protective Edge. The program is funded by the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) and is managed by a joint steering committee. The program currently operates in ten local authorities in the Western Negev: Hof Ashkelon, Sha ar Hanegev, Sdot Negev, Bnei Shimon, Merchavim, Eshkol, Rahat, Sderot, Netivot and Ofakim. The initiative s goal is to raise regional community resilience in the Western Negev by establishing a network of organizations and authorities to optimize solutions during emergencies for older adults, people with disabilities, youth, and young people. Program achievements thus far: Mapping of needs and existing solutions Establishing a regional network of dozens of partners, authorities and organizations; promoting inter-sectorial emergency discourse in the Western Negev; developing regional emergency thinking ; pooling regional resources; optimizing existing municipal solutions for select target populations. Defining gaps in regional emergency preparedness among target populations. Establishing a Citizen Spokespeople course so Jewish communities worldwide can hear the voices of residents during times of emergency. Nurturing some 35 relience-promoting initiatives by young communities, and another 15 municipal initiatives, totaling some $400,

8 The Jewish Agency s support to the streams over three decades is the main resource that enables them to maintain and expand their presence in Israel. Among the programs supported are: Educational programs: TALI schools (Conservative), the Reform network of kindergartens and elementary schools Youth movements: TELEM (Reform), NOAM (Conservative) and NCSY (Orthodox) Leadership and intergenerational programs: Reform and Conservative Pre-army academies: Reform and Conservative Support for Religious Streams In 2017, The Jewish Agency allocated nearly $2.7 million to educational programs offered by Reform, Conservative and Modern Orthodox institutions in Israel. These programs drew over 834,000 participants in The organizations we support lead the political and public awareness of pluralism in Israel. Bar/Bat Mitzvah programs: for youth with disabilities (Conservative), for deaf and hearing-impaired youth (Orthodox), and youth from the geoeconomic periphery (Orthodox) Ordination of Israeli Rabbis: Hebrew Union College (Reform) and Schechter Rabbinical Seminary (Conservative) Congregations: 50 Reform, 84 Conservative Divorce-refusal prevention: Orthodox Clubs for at-risk youth: Orthodox This year the BOG Allocations Subcommittee, together with the Professional Evaluation Committee and the professional team, decided to re-examine the vision, mission and criteria for allocations to the Religious Streams upon which future decision making of allocations will be based. This process reflects the ongoing environment and needs of our times

9 A Look at Leading P2G Programs Across Israel and Around the Globe Around the world, the Partnerships build creative and meaningful ways to nurture peer-to-peer crosscultural relationships and develop our Jewish communities. Formal and Informal Education Kiryat Gat-Lachish-Shafir Chicago: Israeli Children Zone This is the fourth year that the partnership is operating the Israeli Children s Zone. This past year, the program ran in 16 elementary schools in Kiryat Gat, Lachish and Shafir, training over 300 teachers and providing over 5,500 students with small-group and individual assessments and instruction. Over 250 families were supported through counseling, home visits, and parental guidance. An evaluation of the program carried out this year indicated significant progress in school principals satisfaction, teacher performance, and students academic achievements. Looking ahead to the fifth year of the project, the partnership plans to continue its work in all of the elementary schools Dimona Network of Independent Communities: Lunch and Learn Center 435 elementary school children from 12 schools from all of the differ ent sectors of the community secular, religious, Orthodox and members of the Black Hebrew community participate in the Lunch and Learn project. About 80% of the children are classified as at risk, or on 16 in the region, while working hand in hand with its partners in Revadim, Morasha, and Youth Futures to ensure the continued success of ICZ after the conclusion of the scheduled funding. Connections have already been made with various government ministries, as well as with municipal councils, in order to identify ongoing support for the project. Data collection has already commenced to support an indepth evaluation of the program s outcomes within each of the schools, which will continue next year. the brink of risk, who have to deal with various difficulties, such as low socio-economic status, single-parent families, new immigrants, parental dysfunction and social difficulties. Approximately 20% of the children in the project come from normative families, in order to create heterogeneous groups from all strata of the population. The Lunch and Learn Centers provide a warm, supportive educational framework that supplements school activity. The children spend time at the Centers with their friends, and pass the afternoon hours enjoyably. Yerucham Miami: Robotics Robotics is a highly developed field in Yerucham; children from pre-school to high school study it. The staff of the Yeruham Science Center are bringing value to the Miami Jewish community by helping provide a variety of projects wherein Miami s children can learn about robotics, build their own robots and compete in local competitions. Third graders in nine different Miami schools are experimenting, building robots based on models, and improving their technical and creative skills. Additionally, robotic summer camps are held at three Miami community centers. 17

10 Shoham Memphis: School Twinning Yerucham Miami: Robotics Zichron Yaakov South Palm Beach: School Twinning Formal and Informal Education (continued) Zichron Yaakov South Palm Beach: School Twinning The School Twinning program creates ties between classes and schools in Israel and classes and schools in the Diaspora. This year, 20 classes from 13 different schools took part on both sides of the ocean. Seven schools were from Zichron Yaakov and six from South Palm Beach. This project was chosen to build the new Partnership infrastructure. It connects about 500 students and 50 teachers and principals from the two communities. Each school and class is twinned with a school and class from a different country, and they are in contact throughout the year. As part of this relationship, students Shoham Memphis: School Twinning The School Twinning program between Memphis and Shoham, like this still young Partnership, is still in its early stages of development which means that everything is open for new opportunities and ideas. Eight teachers, four from Shoham and four from Memphis, took their first steps into what was for them a totally new world. It began with questions, greetings, and relayed information, 18 hold joint video conferences, send videos, work on joint assignments, etc. The feedback from teachers and students in both communities are enthusiastic; there is a high level of participation and a desire to build a meaningful relationship between the schools. Our vision is to create long-term bonds of friendship so that each school will serve as a second home to the other. To celebrate Israel s 70th Independence Day, both communities exchanged movies, which were shown at the celebrations. The movie made in Zichron Yaakov was done with the cooperation of the school twinning participants. and hesitant Skype conversations. These first steps in building the new partnership were tiny and cautious. But already, in the program s initial stages, regular encounters between the schools have been organized. In April 2018, a delegation of eighth graders from the Bornblum Jewish Community School in Memphis took a 19-day trip to Israel, and the last day was dedicated to meeting their counterparts from the Yahalom Junior High School. The Shoham students presented their school and its different programs to their American friends as the two sides broke the ice and got acquainted. From there the entire group traveled to Ne ot Kedumin, for an activity on the theme of leadership. At the end of the day students from both sides expressed just how meaningful this visit was despite the short time that was Philadelphia Netivot Sedot Negev: StudioLab In order to prepare young adults and teens for a more dynamic work environment in the future, the focus of education should shift from what the students know to what the students can solve and initiate. Alongside the core technological training in STEM education, we see a need for creative and artistic education. This approach is known as STEAM (A = arts and design) education. The StudioLab is an innovative STEAM program initiated by the Philadelphia Netivot Sedot Negev Partnership that is the first of its kind in Israel. available. For their part, the teachers have already begun discussing and considering a longer stay for next year's visit. A teachers' delegation is scheduled to arrive in Israel in December for a joint seminar that will be both educational and enriching for participants. We look forward to further growth and new developments in this program and in the entire Partnership. Participants in the StudioLab are children in 7th-9th grade who conduct scientific research and add a digital package to it in the form of a short animation video and/ or a digitally augmented experience (Augmented Reality). The aim is to create an end product that tells the story of their scientific work in a communicative and compelling way. Each year, groups of children in Netivot and Sdot Negev are challenged with a different subject. They plan and conduct the research together, and come up with a solution. 19

11 Western Galilee Central Area Consortium: Young Adults and Tikkun Olam Beit Shemesh-Mateh Yehuda South Africa: Youth Movement Seminar Modiin Rochester: Journey for Identity (JFI) Teens and Young Adults Western Galilee Central Area Consortium: Young Adults and Tikkun Olam In April 2018, the Young Adults Committee in the Western Galilee Partnership held a Building Bridges Seminar for Young Adults attended by 27 Americans, Israelis and Hungarians aged The purpose was to enable young adults from different communities to connect and learn about the challenges and opportunities of each community. The Young Adults Forum in the Western Galilee Partnership is a group of 10 individuals from the region who participated in the past in partnership programs and wanted to stay engaged. In the last two years, they have initiated and participated in different activities, such as: Joint monthly video conference calls with their peers An art workshop in the spirit of Hanoch Piven Chanukah candle lighting An ecological Tu Bishvat Seder Sending Purim baskets to their friends in Fort Worth, Budapest and the Western Galilee Contributing to lone soldiers in our region through fundraising Makeover for kindergartens in Acre with Birthright participants from the communities Furthermore, three members of the Forum visited Budapest, to forge relationships and develop joint programming with the Young Adults in that Jewish community. Modiin Rochester: Journey for Identity (JFI) The joint Rochester-Modi in youth delegation will leave for a tour of Poland following a joint preparatory seminar in the US and will complete the Journey by reviewing the experience during a tour of Israel (about one week in the US, one week in Poland and one week in Israel ). This is an educational project based on group learning and the creation of meaningful interpersonal ties between youth of different backgrounds. They participate in a common formative experience with long-term effects. Beit Shemesh-Mateh Yehuda South Africa: Youth Movement Seminar In October 2017, the Beit Shemesh-Mateh Yehuda South Africa Partnership launched an initiative to foster cooperation between the communities. 100 participants from Habonim Dror and Bnei Akiva in South Africa and Bnei Akiva, HaTzofim, Ariel, Ezra and Diller teen fellows, took part in the inaugural Inter-Youth Movement Gap Year Seminar. They had a unique opportunity to discuss and debate their personal views on aspects of Judaism, Jewish peoplehood, Israel and Zionism. The aim was to learn from and about each other in a constructive forum, in order to establish a platform of tolerance and understanding despite religious and political differences. Avraham Infeld addressed the seminar, giving insight into each aspect of his Five-Legged Table theory: Family, Memory, Language (Hebrew), Covenant, and Israel. The participants held interactive sessions before and after his presentation that stimulated conversation and explored different views

12 Rehovot Minneapolis: Alternative Spring Break Central Arava Australia: Limmud Arava Teens and Young Adults (continued) Central Arava Australia: Limmud Arava Limmud Arava was initiated by participants in Limmud Australia who are also volunteer activists in the Partnership. The goal of the project is to enable study of Jewish identity issues among members of the Partnership communities in Israel. Limmud Arava is a large annual conference that was initiated by participants in Limmud Australia who are also volunteer activists in the Partnership. Like the other popular, grassroots Limmud events around the world, Limmud Arava creates significant learning experiences for the participants on a variety of topics. Our goals include integration of Jewish content into the daily Israeli routine, while examining the relevance of the Jewish content studied to the general Israeli experience and to our local experience in the Negev and Arava, while preserving the high level of diversity in expression of opinions. Rehovot Minneapolis: Alternative Spring Break Alternative Spring Break has been a very successful initiative for the past 3 years in the Rehovot Minneapolis Partnership. Every year, up to 10 students from the University of Minnesota Hillel are chosen to take part, with the promise of becoming activists at Hillel on their return. Scholarships are provided by the Minneapolis Federation; the students pay a participation fee and the rest is covered by the Partnership. Participants must have already been to Israel at least once. The students spend eight days in Israel and are hosted by Israeli students or post-army young adults from Rehovot. During their stay in Israel, they volunteer (at Leket Israel, kindergartens of asylum seekers children, the elderly, Ethiopian teens, etc.), and are exposed to the complexity of Israeli society as well as to the city of Rehovot. Our hope is that they will return much better able to explain Israeli society to their peers on campus, as well as deepening their ties with their Israeli student friends

13 Nesher Broward: Music2Gether Karmiel-Misgav Pittsburgh: Waldman International Arts and Writing Competition Art and Environment Nesher Broward: Music2Gether Music is an international language. Jews all over the world share many songs in common and singing them or simply listening to them together is a powerful experience. In particular, children begin to connect to their Jewish identity through music. The Partnership s steering committee designed a program called Music2Gether for sharing musical experiences.it involves sending two musicians from Nesher to the Broward community for one week, where they perform at a variety of venues such as preschools, schools, events on campus for college students, Young Leadership, senior centers and more, thereby creating a Kiryat Malachi-Hof Ashkelon Tucson: Light Trail The Light Trail, a Hof Ashkelon Regional Council environmental project, covers 55 km. from the Nitzanim Beach in the north to the Zikim Beach in the south. The trail passes through the council s diverse towns and various sites. The regional council allocated a special place in nature for the Partnership communities to develop 24 big impact in the community. One of the highlights of this initiative is a joint concert that takes place simultaneously in Broward and Nesher and is broadcast live via Zoom. Musicians from both sides celebrate music in front of members of both communities. Broward residents had face-to-face experiences with young, talented Israelis as they attended performances, thus bringing a softer side of Israel to them. The publicity associated with all events created a heightened awareness of the Partnership and how we work to strengthen Israel education in the Broward community. together. Eucalyptus trees welcome visitors and an area filled with wild vegetation offers a great opportunity for storytelling and creativity. During the past year, this Partnership Point has been transformed and includes terraces, fire pits, sitting areas and fruit trees, as well as art. These include Totem sculptures by Reuama Nachmias, a ceramic artist from Moshav Kochav Michael who leads art classes for the Partnership's flagship School Twinning Program. Each class designed a Totem sculpture telling the story of their community. These first-year activities are only the beginning. Each year, we expect new groups of visitors and Partnership members to leave their innovative and diverse artistic marks on Partnership Point, ensuring that it will truly reflect the connection between people and between communities. Karmiel-Misgav Pittsburgh: Waldman International Arts and Writing Competition The Waldman International Arts and Writing Competition has a long history as one of the Holocaust Center of Greater Pittsburgh's signature programs, engaging hundreds of middle and hig h school students in the Pittsburgh region and, for the past five years, also in Karmiel-Misgav, Israel. Students submit pieces in Visual Arts, Creative Writing or Short Film. A panel of professional artists, writers and community members judge these pieces. In the spring of 2018, the Israeli winners were honored at a community awards ceremony in Karmiel and the first and second place winners traveled to Pittsburgh, where they visited both Jewish and non-jewish public and private schools, to share their winning work, connect with Pittsburgh teens, and talk about their life as teens in Israel. 25

14 Tzahar Palm Beach: Young Leadership Shoham Venezuela: Budapest Study Seminar for Young Adults Hadera-Eiron Southeast US Consortium: Leadership2Gether Leadership Development Tzahar Palm Beach: Young Leadership This three-year program includes a group of 18 young adults aged from Tzfat, Hatzor HaGlilit and Rosh Pina, who participate in leadership development sessions and Shabbat seminars as well as working with a consultant in order to develop projects for the benefit of their community. The young leaders host the American Young Leaders (ELP) from their Partnership region and in the third year they visit Palm Beach, where they get a chance to learn about the partner community. 26 The first cohort developed and implemented the English Enhancement project, together with a hired part-time coordinator and a group of volunteers. They also launched an Israeli-style TED, called 12 Minutes. This event will provide a platform for talented and knowledgeable young people from the Tzahar region to share their interesting worlds with the wider community. The second cohort launched a Jewish learning program promoting connections between the three communities of Tzahar called Learning in a Neighborhood Backyard. Hadera-Eiron Southeast US Consortium: Leadership2Gether Leadership2Gether brings together both Israeli and American young Jewish leaders in a true partnership experience. Through one-on-one study sessions by phone and computer webinars, the Israeli and American partners engage in discussion about a wide variety of Jewish topics, including their Jewish identity, their leadership skills and their desires to use these skills to impact their own Jewish communities. The program culminates in a joint retreat in one of our Partnership communities where the partners meet, and engage in meaningful discussions and activities to further enhance the impact they can make in their communities. The program has helped nurture community leaders. Alumni from this program have formed committees to boost young leadership; they have stepped into Federation Board positions including Annual Campaign and Allocations and have joined the Partnership Steering Committee in Israel. They have also started new Reform congregations, organized fundraisers and promoted Federation events through presentations to local boards. Shoham Venezuela: Budapest Study Seminar for Young Adults to discuss leadership and consider possibilities for future cooperation. The diverse, active Jewish community in Budapest was a source of inspiration to the delegates. They toured the Jewish Quarter and met with President of the Hungarian Jewish Federation András Heisler, and Israel's deputy Ambassador to Hungary, Faris Saav. They also met with leaders in the Budapest Jewish community who are actively striving for positive changes and renewal in their community, as well as directors of social organizations and Federation officials. They took part in Chanukah events in the community and a Kabbalat Shabbat ceremony in a tripartite celebration of Jewish heritage represented by Jews from three continents. For the past 20 years the Jewish communities of Venezuela and Shoham have maintained and developed a series of connections between the two sides. In recent years, as both communities have undergone major changes, so has the Partnership. (Venezuela is in the midst of a dramatic economic crisis with tremendous food shortages and increases in crime. The government broke off relations with Israel in 2009, and the government-run media consistently shows an anti-israel bias and pro-iran stance.) Under changing conditions and fueled by the desire to continue Partnership activities, a joint seminar for young adults was organized in Budapest, Hungary. A total of 13 participants aged traveled to Europe from their respective home countries in South America and Israel, 27

15 Montreal Beer Sheva-Bnei Shimon: Young Leadership Summit Greater MetroWest Ofakim-Merchavim: Negba Peoplehood Project Leadership Development (continued) Greater MetroWest Ofakim-Merchavim: Negba Peoplehood Project The Negba Peoplehood Project is a 2-year leadership development program for adults (ages 30+) who wish to build living bridges between the Greater MetroWest community and the Negba partner communities in Israel (Ofakim, Arad, Merchavim Regional Council and Kibbutz Erez). The program uses experiential learning to strengthen these relationships while developing valuable leadership skills. The 4th cohort will complete the program in June 2018, and recruitment for the 5th cohort has already begun. To date, almost 100 Israelis and Americans have participated. The Peoplehood Project centers on a structured curriculum created and executed by the cohorts in New Jersey and Israel in tandem. Peoplehoodnicks participate in monthly workshops some done separately and some are virtual meetings with both cohorts. Over the two years, there are three encounters (mifgashim) which deepen their personal relationships as well as their understanding of each other s communities. One encounter is held in Israel and is hosted by the Israeli cohort, the second 28 encounter is hosted in New Jersey by the American cohort, and another encounter takes place in a third location (usually in Ukraine) in order to experience a different Jewish community. Toward the end of the project, the participants initiate and implement projects that benefit their respective communities. The main goal of the Negba Peoplehood Project is to create living bridges, and to develop new leaders who are passionate and knowledgeable and who will help to engage the next generation on both sides of the partnership. Montreal Beer Sheva-Bnei Shimon: Young Leadership Summit The Young Leadership Summit, held in Montreal in September 2017, was an immersive weekend of learning, professional development and brainstorming about Jewish identity, communities without borders, and meaningful and engaged young leadership. The Summit was originally initiated in order to involve young adults in the question of local and global young Jewish leadership. Taking place immediately following a local summit in Montreal (the GenMTL Exponential), this high-level summit brought together 19 leaders, entrepreneurs and creative thinkers from Israel and Montreal for a curated and intentional experience centered on the question, In this interconnected world, how do we create meaningful connections between young adults in Montreal and Israel? 29

16 Nahariya NNJ: Emergency Response Teams Mexico-Northeastern New York Eshkol: Mechanchei Israel Sovev Kinneret Milwaukee, Madison & St. Paul: Stories from the Poriya Medical Center Leadership Development (continued) Nahariya Northern New Jersey: Emergency Response Teams EVP training (Emergency Response Teams) - 40 participants were trained and certified as emergency volunteers, now ready to become first responders to an emergency situation in Israel in 3 different tracks: Firefighting, Medical and Community support. 30 The Israeli training team included an IDF major from the Home Front Command, a representative from the Israeli Fire Service, a terrorism and explosives expert, and a doctor from the Western Galilee Hospital in Nahariya (Dr. Moaad Faraj). Sovev Kinneret Milwaukee, Madison & St. Paul: Stories from the Poriya Medical Center Over the past few years, the Sovev Kinneret Partnership has been bringing visiting delegations to the Padeh- Poriya Medical Center for tours and meetings with staff members. A delegation in 2017 was so impressed that they created a new project, Stories from Padeh-Poriya Medical Centerwhich brought four of Poriya s leaders to St. Paul and Milwaukee to share Poriya s unique and important story. They spoke to a wide variety of medical and community groups about the unique multicultural fabric that characterizes the medical center, both in terms of the patients and the aspect of the staff from various population sectors. Poriya s unique multi-cultural and multi-religious staff and the mixed community that the hospital serves. For many Americans, it is eye-opening to learn that Israeli Jews, Christians, Muslims and other denominations actually live and work together peacefully. But most outstanding, they shared the amazing story of how the Medical Center is caring for wounded and traumatized Syrian civilians including many children, despite Syria s being an enemy state still officially at war with Israel. These stories received wide media coverage, which helped convey these stories to Americans who otherwise often hear negative news about Israel. We believe that the message brought by the Padeh-Poriya representatives will foster greater appreciation for Israel among the Jewish as well as the greater public in the Milwaukee-St. Paul communities. Mexico-Northeastern New York Eshkol: Mechanchei Israel This project, which was initiated four years ago, connects educators in Mexico and Eshkol, and includes kindergarten, elementary and high school teachers. The teachers from Mexico haven t visited Israel for at least 10 years, and when they arrive in Israel they experience the real Israel ; they rent apartments, take buses and meet all sectors of the population. The teachers from Eshkol are educators for whom the connection with the Diaspora is important and who are interested in sharing this connection with their students. The personal meetings that takes place in Eshkol and Mexico involve home hospitality, classroom activities and learning about the host community, including its difficulties and successes. Most importantly, they build a joint project together. This initiative creates a new and strong bridge between the two communities, both for the educators and the volunteers. 31

17 Beit Shean-Valley of Springs Cleveland: "St. Clair" project Sha ar Hanegev San Diego: SouthUp Western Galilee Dallas: Taste of the Galilee Community Development Sha ar Hanegev San Diego: SouthUp At the beginning of 2015, a number of key figures from the fields of education and employment in Sha'ar Hanegev joined with donors from the Jewish community in San Diego to found SouthUp a non-profit organization intended to formulate concrete solutions for creating employment, education and community growth in the localities surrounding the Gaza Strip. Ambition, creativity and new ideas make the SouthUp collaboration a fascinating entrepreneurial journey. The association is based on the belief that technology and Beit Shean-Valley of Springs Cleveland: "St. Clair" Project The St. Clair neighborhood in the center of Cleveland is mainly composed of a non-jewish population that copes with neighborhood rehabilitation challenges similar to those facing Beit Shean and the Valley of Springs. The goal of the St. Clair project was to expose key professionals in the various authorities to similar challenges in the other communities and to identify initiatives and 32 innovation are important growth engines that will help realize the vision. Therefore, its activities are mainly dedicated to facilitating start-ups and high-tech companies in the region surrounding Gaza, while integrating them with education and community activities. The ultimate goal is to generate economic, social and technological growth in the region. In order to fulfill this goal, the association works to create an economic, social and technological ecosystem. opportunities that can be implemented in the local communities. For that purpose, two key professionals travelled from Israel to Cleveland and from Cleveland to Israel within five months of each other. The delegations dealt with demographic growth, community and urban development, community initiatives and recruiting local volunteers. During the visits, the participants enjoyed home hospitality by the community families, joint activities and creating direct and personal connections with the local population. Each trip was preceded by a fascinating Western Galilee Dallas: Taste of the Galilee The Western Galilee Dallas Partnership focuses on three main areas of activity: Social Mobilization, Regional Viability and Growth & Entrepreneurship/ Employment As part of its activity, the Partnership is a central partner in The Taste of the Galilee project, a long-term initiative of the Zman Galil Association, which promotes tourism to the Western Galilee. preparatory process, conducted with the participation of all key professionals, and as a result of these moving encounters, significant local initiatives were created and strong friendships were formed. The Taste of the Gal ilee is a farmers market and produce fair that takes place during the annual 3-day Western Galilee Spring Festival. It serves as a marketing and sales platform for members of Zman Galil: small businesses, family-owned businesses and social businesses. It also provides the members with networking opportunities. The fair is a flagship program in the annual festival, and of great importance to the Western Galilee region. 33

18 Northern Galilee Great Britain: Magic Moments Rosh Ha'ayin New Orleans: Joint Yom HaAtzmaut Celebration Celebrating The Yoms Northern Galilee Great Britain: Magic Moments Magic Moments is a flagship program of UJIA, The Jewish Agency and P2G in Israel and in the UK. Approximately 60 youth and eight madrichim visit communities in the UK during the week of Yom HaZikaron and Yom Atzma'ut. The host communities meet the Israeli teenagers and together they share emotional and memorable events, which are important to Jewish people, both in Israel and the Diaspora. Prior to their departure, the youth participate in a series of preparatory meetings and seminars in order to lead a Yom HaZikaron ceremony, participate in Yom Atzma'ut celebrations and present activities in schools and institutions in the UK communities. Delegates are hosted in home hospitality, thereby experiencing Jewish life and Shabbat in the host community and developing personal relationships with their host families. Rosh Ha'ayin New Orleans: Joint Yom HaAtzmaut Celebration On Sunday, April 22, the New Orleans-Rosh Ha ayin Partnership2Gether program celebrated Yom HaAtzmaut with nearly 250 people attending a Yemenite-themed event at New Orleans Jewish Community Center. James Beard Award winner, Chef Zachary Engel, worked with Sharon Mydani, a member of the Rosh Ha ayin Partnership Committee, to create an authentic Yemenite menu, which included malawach, schug, and chicken soup. Musicians from the conservatory in Rosh Ha ayin performed a set of Israeli pop and rock music. This event kicked off the 2018 steering committee meetings, during which members from both communities met to plan joint programming for Kfar Saba Columbus: Remembering Together Prior to Yom Hazikaron and as part of the students Israel curriculum, Columbus Torah Academy students will research and read material provided by bereaved families from Kfar Saba who lost loved ones during their service in the IDF. The students will learn about the meaning of commemoration and its importance in Israeli society; write about the fallen soldiers assigned to them, and create a poster with information about the soldier. These posters will be presented as part of Yom Hazikarom display at the JCC and CTA. As part of the process, the students will contact the families of the fallen soldiers, and share the experience with them in the purpose of creating a personal connection. The goal is to connect the CTA students to Israel and to their Jewish identity by learning about Israeli soldiers and create awareness among students to the bereaved families in Kfar Saba. At the same time, the bereaved families will know that their loved ones will be remembered by others, and personal connections will be created between the bereaved families and the students

19 Netanya Cincinnati: Chaverim M Israel Afula-Gilboa Southern New England Consortium: Shin-Shinim Service Year Shlichim (Shin-Shinim) Netanya Cincinnati: Chaverim M Israel Every year for the past 14 years, Cincinnati s Chaverim M Israel Program has hosted two ShinShinim, 18-year old high school graduates from the Partnership city of Netanya. These Chaverim teach in all the Jewish institutions in Cincinnati, are madrichim in Jewish youth groups, work in synagogues, camps and the JCC, and even connect with many non-jewish teens and students through special programming. Through peer interactions, the Cincinnati students learn about Israel. The Chaverim average over 5,000 unduplicated connections each year, creating peer-topeer connections and increased knowledge about Israel. While in Cincinnati, they are hosted by community families and often become long-distance family members. Once the Chaverim return to Israel, they still connect to Cincinnati through Partnership2Gether programs. Thanks to the Chaverim M Israel program, many people throughout the Cincinnati area have a better understanding of Israel and a personal connection to the country, and many families in Netanya have a family connection to Cincinnati. Afula-Gilboa Southern New England Consortium: Shin-Shinim Along with the numerous and diverse activities of Living Bridge, the Partnership's core activity for some 20 years, the Shinshinim program constitutes the flagship program of the Afula-Gilboa Partnership. Participants in the program consist of a select group of young people, mostly residents of the region, who postpone their army service in order to serve as emissaries in several of our partner communities. These young emissaries bring Israel directly to the communities. The Shinshinim take part in Jewish community life and events in the partner communities, work at their institutions (schools, synagogues, etc.) and live with host families in their 'home away from home'. To date, some 250 Shinshinim have taken part in the program under the auspices of the Afula-Gilboa Partnership. Another related program is Maagal youth leadership in Afula-Gilboa, aimed at preparing teens in the 11th grade to work as counselors at summer camps in our partner communities. The hope is that this will serve as an excellent platform for preparing them for acceptance to the Shinshinim program

20 Central Galilee Michigan: Israeli Camper Program Yoav Lehigh Valley: Young Counselors Yokneam-Megido Atlanta-St. Louis: Kefiada Summer Camp Yokneam-Megido Atlanta-St. Louis: Kefiyada In the summer of 2018, four Atlanta college students will come to Yokneam-Megido for three weeks to be counselors in the Yokneam-Megido Kefiada summer day camp. The students will bring Atlanta to the summer camp through music, games and special activities typical of American summer camps. They will volunteer at the camp five mornings a week and in the afternoon and evenings they will be involved in a variety of social activities, which will introduce them to the region and its population. Yoav Lehigh Valley : Young Counselors Since the Partnership was founded in 2002, a youth delegation from Yoav has travelled each year for a sixweek stay at the Jewish community s summer camp in Lehigh Valley. The delegation consists of four teens aged 15-17, usually two boys and two girls. Their main task is to make Israel come alive for the children at the camp, and to educate them about Zionism, Jewish Peoplehood and the Yoav region. This is accomplished using informal educational methods. 38 They will be accommodated through home hospitality in the region and will have the chance of touring Israel with peers (college students and young adults from Yokneam- Megido), including visiting other Partnership regions in Israel. The students will arrive a few days before camp starts and will be an integral part of the preparation process in the community center, meeting the Partnership staff and volunteers and key people in the community. The young Israelis learn about Lehigh Valley s Jewish institutions and are hosted by local families. They take part in community events and visit various sites on the East Coast. On their return to Israel, the youths take part in leadership activities in the region and also assist in recruiting the next group. Responsibility for the delegation is shared between the Youth Department of the Yoav Community Center and Partnership2Gether. Each year, some 30 Yoav residents in Grades 10 and 11 apply for the program. The selection process includes a personal interview and a two-day group workshop. The delegation members undergo Central Galilee Michigan: Israeli Camper Program The Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit and the communities of Nazareth Illit, Migdal HaEmek and Jezre el Valley, have, since 2002, successfully organized an annual youth mission to Camp Tamarack. 75 of teens from the three Israeli municipalities take part in these missions and spend one session with Detroit teens at Camp Tamarack. They are hosted by local Detroit families for the weekend following the end of camp. The main goals of the Israeli Camper Program (ICP) are to create and sustain meaningful people-to-people connections between the Detroit and Central Galilee professional training and acquire tools and skills that help them succeed at the summer camp. To date, over 60 young people from Yoav have participated. communities and to begin training the future leaders of the Federation s Israel Partnership program. Participants improve their English and leadership skills, and gain a worldwide Jewish perspective. The skills gained from this program ultimately lead to higher academic performance, economic success, and the creation of true leaders. The Israeli Camper Program continues to be an exciting and unique opportunity to engage American and Israeli campers, host families and community volunteers, thereby broadening exposure to P2G. 39