Hineini: I am here.

A poem compiled of teen’s reflections from the P2G Teen Exchange

 

 Hineini. I am here.
I am here because this experience…

Gave me a new light on Israel.

It showed me what it is to live in a Jewish culture all around you.

It gave me new friendships, bonds and an Israeli family.

This experience showed me that you can be a Jew:

Inside Israel.

Outside of Israel.

Believing in Gd.

Not believing in Gd.

It showed me that I can speak with teens from around the world, no matter their background.

This experience shaped my identity as a Jew.

Hinenei. I am here.

 

Why am I here?
Hinenei. I am here.
I am here to understand many perspectives.

I am here to be in Israel.

I am here to shape my identity.

To know new people.

To have friends from around the world.

To know what it is like to live as a Jew inside the land; outside the land.

I am here because I love being Jewish….because I love Israeli culture.

I am here to experience Israel through the eyes of Israelis; to live like an Israeli.

I am here because I love Israel.

Hineini. I am here.

 

Hineni. I am here.

Through this experience I learned that….

Israel is so much bigger than its size.

That youth groups help to form identity.
That Israelis live with constant threat around them…that Israelis love their country.

I learned that Jews will always have a safe haven in Israel.

Hineni. I am here.

 

Hineini. I am here because Israel…

Means everything to me.

Because Israel will always be here for the Jews.

I learned that Israel is full of heroes…people have fought for peace, for life, for survival.

Israel brings a sense of independence…when I leave, I leave a piece of my heart behind.

I learned that Israel…Israel is home.
Nochach. I have been.

Allons enfants de la Patrie….

 

 

I promise you that I am not getting too carried away with the spirit of Bastille Day. But I could not help but take a little inspiration from La Marseillaise, which is as stirring a call to arms as any ever written. The opening line of this ode to action reminds me of one of the most pressing challenges American Jews face today.

Many of us spend a great deal of time worrying about how to engage “millennials,” so much so that the frequency with which this topic is discussed has almost made it cliché. Indeed, if you are a millennial, you may be rolling your eyes right now.

But the simple fact is if we don’t have a future generation ready, willing, and able to take on the mantle we wish to impart to you, all of the dedication of those who have come before us and the sacrifices made on behalf of Jewish peoplehood will have been for naught. (One of the many concerns surrounding recent decisions in Israel vis-à-vis pluralism at the Western Wall and conversions is the negative sentiments they will generate amongst the younger generation.)

In an age when we are struggling to engage each and every young Jew, and at a time when were are combatting anti-Semitism on college campuses, young Jews should have as much access to Israel and to Jewish life here at home as possible. To our millennial readers, I believe one of the most important things we can do is include you in the conversation—how do you want to interact? (I would love to hear your thoughts—email me!)

Young Adult Leadership
To that end, Minneapolis Jewish Federation and the Jewish Federation of Greater St. Paul are hiring a Joint Young Leadership director, whose goal will be to bring young Jews together from across the Twin Cities and engage them in meaningful activities and projects that will connect them not only to Jewish life here at home, but also to global Jewry.

Young Adult Missions
Additionally, this coming year we will focus our missions efforts on younger folks. It’s time for a new generation to experience Israel first hand—to feel the power of peoplehood and get a better understanding of the Start-up Nation’s accomplishments and challenges. We want to expose them to the incredible work done by the Federation system throughout the world—to better understand the needs of our Jewish brethren abroad and the impact that Minnesotans can have on improving the lives of others.

These two initiatives will not dismantle overnight the millennial Gordian knot, but they are an important and worthwhile beginning. Each time we engage a member of our community and they arise to join their compatriots as the French anthem extolls, we are one step closer to passing the baton to committed and fulfilled successors.

Shabbat Shalom,

 

A call for honoring the understanding

Below is a letter in response to the recent decisions made by the Israeli government written by the Rehovot and Minneapolis Partnership2Gether steering committee members. This letter will also be published in the Rehovot newspaper.

 

Tammuz 5771, July 9, 2017

To the Honorable Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Ministers of the Israeli government

 

Dear All,

 

Re: A call for honoring the understanding with American Jews about the Western Wall prayer space and the conversion law

 

We, the undersigned, Israeli citizens from Rehovot and members of the Jewish community in Minneapolis (Minnesota), voluntarily serve as members on the steering committee of Partnership2Gether within the framework of the Jewish Agency.

 

Our partnership – along with its 46 members of this global network of communities – connect Jewish communities in Israel and around the world, with an emphasis on deepening our Jewish identity and Jewish Peoplehood awareness, community building, and leadership development. We run a variety of programs for children and youth, college students, educators, and social entrepreneurs. Our activities are funded by the Jewish community in Minneapolis, the Jewish Agency, and the Rehovot Municipality.

 

For us, the citizens of Rehovot, our personal acquaintance with our friends in Minneapolis revealed the rich diversity of the Diaspora Jewry, in which Jews from different streams manage to maintain a cohesive community, to address issues, to respect each other and at the same time strengthen the common values, culture, and awareness.

 

This exposure enriched both our own world as well our Jewish identity and deepened our commitment to fight for Jewish pluralism in the State of Israel. We are dismayed and concerned with how the persistence of one particular interpretation of Judaism in the Jewish state achieves the exact opposite of what is intended, and even contradicts the Declaration of Independence. It distances many Israelis from the Jewish component of their identity rather than uniting.

 

For us the Jews of Minneapolis, who see firsthand (as a result of our partnership with Rehovot) the challenges in the Israeli society, the June 25th government decisions are yet another slap in the face with the ongoing saga of non-recognition and humiliation towards us, in the Diaspora. We are shocked that the Israeli government has chosen to cancel a historic agreement that was reached with great effort amongst representatives of the various Jewish streams: to establish a dignified area at the Western Wall to be run by the government and the liberal streams. We are equally appalled with the Conversion Law, which reinstates the monopoly of conversion to the Chief Rabbinate and affects thousands of Jews who have been converted in recent years placing them into alternative tracks that the Israeli establishment does not recognize.

 

The decisions of the Israeli government are equivalent to turning a blind eye to the strategic challenge of connecting Diaspora youth to the Jewish people and the State of Israel. These government decisions directly affect the ability of the young to view Israel as their home. Needless to say, government decisions also undermine the efforts to recruit and train Jewish students to protect Israel from BDS supporters on campuses.

 

The media frequently indicated the potentially damaging effect on the level of support from the Diaspora Jews through their donations, however, in our opinion, this is not the main thing. The unfortunate government decisions on June 25th directly affect our common future as a nation, the security and economic interests of the State of Israel, and the original purpose of the State for the Jewish Nation.

 

We stand a few days before the seventeenth of Tammuz, and it is our duty to remind you that because of hatred, the Temple was destroyed twice. We stand before you, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu and every member of the government, demanding that you recognize the seriousness of this matter and act decisively to cancel the government’s June 25th decisions.

You rekindled their love of traditions

Learning to “make” Shabbat through Hillel
Benjie Kaplan, the Executive Director of Hillel at the University of Minnesota, explains that there are between 80-100 students who attend Shabbat on campus each Friday.

On the third Friday of every month, a few of the students volunteer to host Shabbat for these 80 students in their dorms or apartments. Hillel gives them songbooks, candles, and challah, and students get reimbursed for their grocery receipts.

Young adults know how to attend Shabbat, but they generally don’t know how to make Shabbat. Hillel is giving our kids a venue to figure out how to create their own Jewish homes.

There’s something so beautiful about going off to college and unexpectedly finding Shabbat is part of one’s education, too. You make that happen.

 

Donate Today.

Donate Today

 

 

 

Donate Today

 

Because of you–he got to be a kid today

 

The Israel Center of the Minneapolis Jewish Federation and Minnesota Hillel, through Partnership2Gether, sent a group of college students to Israel over spring break this March for an “alternative spring break” of volunteering and learning.

A much richer experience than a typical Birthright or tourist-oriented visit to Israel, Alternative Spring Break offers students the opportunity to see Israel “off the beaten path,” providing immersive experiences interacting with Israelis from all walks of life.

This is a wonderful example of how what we do gives our community a richer and more beneficial understanding of our people and our connection to the land and the modern nation of Israel—and perhaps even a greater Jewish self-awareness. In fact, students report feeling a strong sense of connection to and pride in their community and to Israel after experiences like this.

Alternative spring break is a week full of life-changing moments; here’s a taste from 2017 participant Eli Singer.

On Tuesday, we drove into South Tel Aviv, a slum located within the “party city” that we all know and love. There we learned about Elifelet, an organization providing nursery school and childcare to Sudanese and Eritrean refugee children. These families come to South Tel Aviv as undocumented workers to escape persecution in their own countries.

After learning about the organization, we went to a dingy, second-story apartment housing one of the nurseries. There, we were each paired with a child to play with at a park across the street. I was paired with a boy named Yafet who was incredibly energetic and intelligent and the oldest boy of the group.

It was hard to see their living conditions, but we could tell that even taking these kids out for an hour totally changed their moods and allowed them to forget about their extremely difficult lives and just be kids.  

This trip has meant so much—it exposed me to what Israel is actually like. While Birthright shows tourists the best and most famous aspects of the country, this trip allowed me to see that the country I thought to be nearly perfect actually has many real flaws and issues. It was absolutely inspiring to learn about these issues and see the organizations and individuals striving to make them better.

 

Donate Today.

This is what we do.

Just a few months ago, Odelia and Ohad Brat celebrated one of the happiest occasions of their lives: their son’s bar mitzvah. They’ll never forget when he received his brand-new tefillin—special leather boxes worn during prayer—from his beloved grandparents. Everyone was so filled with pride.

And they’ll never forget grabbing those tefillin as they and their six children quickly fled their home. A raging fire was only minutes away. So they took what was most precious to them.

It was a smart split-second decision. Flames destroyed much of the Brat family house. The entire upstairs was charred. When the family returned, they barely recognized what used to be their home.

The Brats did make one unlikely discovery, though. A bank tin, badly burned. Inside was the money one of their sons had earned mowing lawns for neighbors. It was dirty and damp, but it was there.

It’s a symbol for what it will take to rebuild their home and their lives. It’s not going to happen overnight. But they have each other. And they have Federation partner The Jewish Agency for Israel, which is delivering grants of $1,000 to families across Israel who lost everything in the fires.

With the grant, the Brats are able to buy clothing, medicine and other essentials for their large family. Odelia says that the care, concern, and support they’ve received from The Jewish Agency has left her speechless.


People just like us, our children, our parents or grandparents, desperately need our help. Your gift to Federation removes obstacles. You bridge gaps. A hot meal is delivered to a homebound elderly person. An emergency loan feeds a struggling family. A bus brings a child to camp. A ramp opens up Jewish life for a disabled person.

People just like us, our children, our parents or grandparents, desperately need our help. Your gift to Federation removes obstacles. It bridges gaps. It delivers a hot meal to a homebound elderly person. It feeds a struggling family. It brings a child to camp. It allows a disabled person to lead a  vibrant Jewish life.

Your gift makes this possible. Please give generously so we can continue doing this important work.

DONATE TODAY

 

 

Mah Koreh | July 2016

eilat-mah-korehShalom! I’m Eilat. As Director  of the Israel Center of the Minneapolis Jewish Federation, I’ll be sharing stories of connection between Minneapolis and Israel, and helping you experience Israel — whether you’re on the shores of Lake Minnetonka or the beaches of Tel Aviv. 


 P2G: Connecting2Gether

One of the more successful P2G programs is the Global School Twinning Network which received the Jerusalem Unity Prize by President Reuven and Mayor of Jerusalem, Nir Barkat on June 1, 2016 for the impact it has brought to thousands of Jewish students both in Israel and the Diaspora.

Over the course of this year, the Minneapolis Jewish community has also begun to embrace the School Twinning program between our community and Rehovot with the first schools being Bet Shalom’s Religious school and Rehovot’s Hadarim school.

With 75% of the students being Ethiopian, Hadarim heavily focuses on closing educational gaps and providing support for families to help the students.

On the Bet Shalom side, led by Gayle Kaplan (a member of the MPLS P2G Steering Committee) and Lynn Fischer, the 5th graders began to form connections with their peers in Rehovot through a few digital exchanges including a skype session in which the classes met each other face to face (almost).

Over the course of the upcoming school year, look for news of additional School Twinning programs in our community and in Rehovot.

A Peek into Rehovot

How does the City of Science and Culture combine these two elements and become a different kind of a hip city?

By introducing a first of it’s kind program in Israel called – Rofeh Al Ha Bar (loosely translated – Doctors on Tap).

On June 8th, 36 high profile doctors of Rehovot’s Kaplan hospital set out to the city’s hippest bar scenes and gave scientific talks about the latest in the science and medicine world to audiences who wanted to get smarter on a night out on the town.

On June 9th, hundreds of people who spent the previous evening with good food and drinks, woke up just a little bit smarter in the City of Science and Culture.

 

Programs in Israel: Nativ

By Grace Ansel

On September 1st 2015, I stepped off of the bus from Ben Gurion airport, in graceanselthe outskirts of Jerusalem, in what used to be a grocery store parking lot. Surrounded by 70+ unfamiliar faces, I had no clue what I got myself into. We were shown different parts of Jerusalem from the distant view. There was the religious, the secular, the political, and the high tech parts of Israel all within the view of this abandoned plot of land. We were told that by the end of Nativ we would have a better idea where we fit in Israeli society. I am sure glad that I had nine months to figure that out.

Nativ was so much more than just studying and volunteering in Israel. What made Nativ special was singing in the middle of an empty intersection on Yom Kippur, dancing with the Torah on Simchat Torah, getting tea and life advice from a Bedouin man in the Old City, watching the sun reflect off of Jerusalem the City of Gold when the sun set and rose every day, going banana boating in the middle of the Red Sea looking out at Jordan, Egypt, and Israel all at once, camping under the stars on a beach 30 feet away from the crashing waves of the Mediterranean Sea, jumping off of cliffs and repelling off of waterfalls into springs where the fish eat all of the calluses off of your feet, hiking the Israel trail after work, standing in silence on Mt. Herzl as the whole country pauses to remember the thousands of people who were victims of terror and gave their lives so that people like you and me can live their lives in Israel-that sadness transforming into soulful excitement  on Yom Haatzmaut where it is strange if you aren’t dancing on the streets with strangers celebrating the existence of Israel because the Jewish people are finally able to thrive in their homeland after thousands of years of exile.

Every senior is faced with one of the hardest decisions-what to do in the future. What college to go to, what career to pursue. I challenge high school seniors to take their learning outside of the classroom and learn from new experiences, to see more of what the world has to offer. I challenge seniors to take Nativ as an opportunity to grow, explore, ask questions, and leave with more questions.

Israel in the Community

Caravan Peleg, a group of highly talented Israeli boys and girls, age 16-17, will be entertaining our community from July 17-July 27th. Caravan Peleg is part of a larger delegation of 500 Israel Scouts who, each summer, represent Israel at camps and communities across North America.

This year four Tzofim Friendship Caravans will travel throughout the United States, bringing Israeli culture to North America through lively musical programs of song and dance. Come see the Caravan Peleg at one of the following public performances:

Tuesday July 19th Sholom Home East 6:45 p.m.

Wednesday July 20th Sholom Home West 7:00 p.m.

Thursday July 21st Lake Harriet Pavilion 7:30 p.m.

Sunday July 23rd B’nai Israel, Rochester 11:30 a.m.

If you would like to host a Scout, contact Wendy Grosser at israeliscoutmpls@gmail.com.

Mah Koreh | June 2016

eilat-mah-korehShalom! I’m Eilat. As Director  of the Israel Center of the Minneapolis Jewish Federation, I’ll be sharing stories of connection between Minneapolis and Israel, and helping you experience Israel — whether you’re on the shores of Lake Minnetonka or the beaches of Tel Aviv. 


 P2G: Connecting2Gether

In May, the Minneapolis Jewish community hosted 4 IDF officers who did not previously know each other, even though 2 of the 4 live in Rehovot (apparently not too far from each other!) Turns idf soldiersout the first part of the Federation mission statement – we build community– works in Rehovot as well.

As they spent the week presenting all over the community, this group of four not only bonded and became good friends, but they also learned about our Jewish community and grew to respect and appreciate Jewish life in the Diaspora.

Community members warmly embraced this group while we all heard different stories on how the IDF protects Israel—both the country and the concept.

A quote from a community member: The IDF officers in this group were very impressive in their presentations and for their dedication to safeguarding their country. Despite their youth, they have very mature thoughts and attitudes. It is clear that serving in the IDF provides valuable education, training and a path toward future success in Israeli society.

 

A Peek into Rehovot

What does a Turkish mountain climber in danger have in common with the Minneapolis Jewish community?

Rehovot.

Of course.

Read about this dramatic Mt. Everest story here

 

Programs in Israel: Volunteering for the nature lover – Go Echo

For many years, when driving through a certain section in Israel, it felt like we entered an invisible bubble filled with a horrid mixture of skunk and feces fumes. Almost instantaneously the juvenile flatulence jokes came out as we proved to our parents that they still had work to do if they wanted to raise us properly.

But over time, this stinky mountain became something which never ceases to amaze me and another example of how Israel can turn lemons into lemonade and even use the lovely lemony scent for the added touch.

Next time you travel to Israel, stop by the echo park Hiriya to learn and experience the efforts Israel goes through to help the environment.

If you are interested in spending some time volunteering in Israel and working on environmental issues or nature, look into Go Echo for something a little different.

Mah Koreh | May 2016

eilat-mah-korehShalom! I’m Eilat. As Director  of the Israel Center of the Minneapolis Jewish Federation, I’ll be sharing stories of connection between Minneapolis and Israel, and helping you experience Israel — whether you’re on the shores of Lake Minnetonka or the beaches of Tel Aviv. 


 P2G: Connecting2Gether

Rani Halpern recently returned from Israel as part of the Sabes JCC Artist Labs’ trip, where she and 19 other artists saw Israel through a creative lens. Of course they stopped in Rehovoartistlab1t! Here’s Rani with her experience (and visit the P2G FB page to see more!):

 

Our visit with the artists in our sister city of Rehovot was one of the highlights of our trip for me.

The last day of our trip in Rehovot we experienced home hospitality, participated in a mosaic workshop and had dinner together with the Rehovot artists. It was an inspiring end to our trip and, I hope the beginning of ongoing relationships.

I was fortunate to be matched with a wonderful mosaic artist (Areleh Kedem) for home hospitality.  I had just finished making a mosaic ketubah in Minneapolis, so we had much to discuss sitting together in Areleh’s Rehovot kitchen, and I loved meeting the 10 Israeli women who were taking a mosaic class in her home studio the evening I stayed with her.

Our last afternoon in Israel, the Artist Lab participants and the Rehovot artists all took part in a mosaic workshop together at the Minkov Orchard in Rehovot- a great way to get artists talking to each other is to have them working next to each other on a project that requires some concentration, but not total concentration, such as mosaics!

After we completed our projects, we were treated to a lovely dinner together with the Rehovot artists in one of the historic sites, the Minkov Orchard building.

It was a fabulous last evening for our trip – sharing home hospitality, a workshop and a meal allowed us to leave Israel having made personal connections with working artists in Rehovot.

 

A Peek into Rehovotsculpture 1

Israel is a place full of memories. We are constantly remembering. We remember the Holocaust, we remember the fallen soldiers, we remember the victims of terror. Throughout Israel memories are set in stone, bronze, cement or any other kind of material used for beautiful and, at the same time, poignant memorial sculptures. There are so many memories and stories scattered throughout this small country and each memorial sculpture holds a story of its own filling a different void.

Danny Karavan, one of Israel’s leading sculptors, designed one such memorial sculpture. Named the Memorial to the Holocaust Plaza, this sculpture sits on the Weizmann Campus and looms
above the visitors with a massive Torah Scroll split in half covered on the outside with ID numbers of concentration camp prisoners.

To quote Shimon Peres, They killed many of us, but they didn’t kill the Ten Commandments. Indeed, this massive sculpture reflects the history of a nation which still stands strong.

Programs in Israel: Masa Israel Teaching Fellow

Garin Tzabar

This year, Yom HaZikaron (Israel’s Remembrance Day) falls on May 11th. Throughout Israel (and in our own community) on the Eve of Yom HaZikaron (May 10th) people gather to remember those who have fallen for the State of Israel.

In 2002 I read about the death of a friend from the past through, of all places, the StarTribune. In the days of dial up, it was painstakingly slow to confirm that Eyal Weiss had indeed been killed in action and within hours I and friends all over the world connected to pour out our memories which morphed into the shape of tears. Tears which will never fully dissipate, no matter how many years go by.

Eyal was in my garin, a core group, which went into Nachal to serve in certain parts of the IDF service together. We were a tight group consisting of Scouts “tribes” from Tel Aviv, Tzehala Rehovot and Yerucham.

Eyal was a leader by all accounts and plenty has been written about him since he was killed.

I have my own personal memories of the conversations Eyal and I had, shaded by the mango trees, as we took breaks from working in the fields of the kibbutz. I remember the bond which grew and grew as the whole garin got to know each other and created a united group of friends. Going into service with friends is a special experience which can only be found in Israel. The friendships last, even when we are no longer in touch with each other. We were a united group, and that will always stay in our hearts and in our memories, no matter how far we are apart geographically.

When parents in our community approach me and share with me that their son or daughter want to go to Israel, join Garin Tzabar  and serve in the IDF, my heart swells with pride.

While the path is far from being an easy one, for those choosing it, Garin Tzabar offers a safety net which can provide long lasting friendships, character building experiences and a connection which cannot be replaced by anything else.

Israel in the Community

Sunday, May 8

Rimon Artist Salon featuring leading Israeli composer Ofer Ben-Amots. Click here for details.

Tuesday, May 10

Yom HaZikaron – An evening for remembering Israeli fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism.

7pm | Sabes JCC

Friday, May 13th

Israeli singer Tamar Eisenman @ the Cedar Cultural Center. For details, click here

Sunday May 15th

Israel is 68! Let’s celebrate! Join the Twin Cities Yom HaAtzmaut celebrating Israel’s 68th birthday with family activities, a petting zoo and live performance by the Israeli band Halehaka.

4 pm | Sabes JCC