by Leayah | Shinshinit 2025-2026
As an Israeli Shinshinit spending a year in Detroit, I recently had the opportunity to participate in a Jewish Federation trip to Washington, D.C., with a group of Jewish and African American high school students. The goal was simple but meaningful: to learn about each other’s communities, build relationships, and better understand why standing together matters.
Throughout the trip, we shared our stories, discussed our identities, and learned about the histories that have shaped our communities. Although we come from different backgrounds, I was surprised by how many common values we share—resilience, pride in our heritage, and a commitment to supporting one another through difficult times.
As an Israeli, this experience felt especially important. Since October 7, I have seen how valuable strong partnerships and genuine allies can be. This trip reminded me that those relationships are built through listening, learning, and honest conversations.
I returned from Washington with new friendships, a broader perspective, and hope for the future. At a time when the world can feel divided, this experience showed me that meaningful connections between communities are not only possible they are essential, and that shaping the future starts now with our youth.
