More people than ever are turning to our content to learn about Israel, Judaism, and the Jewish people.
Our podcast channels continued to dominate the charts with content on Israel, Judaism, and Jewish history and culture.
UED continues to grow exponentially, increasing its footprint and impact on the Jewish educational landscape.
OpenDor Media expanded our global network of partners speaking at events and collaborating on content creation to reach audiences of all ages.
Amplified, a community of content creators and influencers was launched in 2023 to apply our proven data-driven approach to help mission-aligned creators share knowledge to grow their channels, increase engagement, and make their voices heard to maximize reach.
This academic year, ConnectED is partnering with 19 independent schools across the U.S., with the aim of fostering critical thinking, empathy and respectful discourse on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, antisemitism and Jewish history. We are also growing our video and curricula offerings through the ConnectED platform, geared towards all educators at independent and public schools. There are currently 70 account holders, with a goal of reaching 250 accounts by August 2025.
After a week in Israel touring many gap year programs with Masa Israel, I can say that there is an option for everyone to experience Israel before college. Masa Israel Journey offers a diverse array of gap year opportunities, helping young adults explore Israel while gaining valuable skills and experiences. Here’s a look at some of the most popular Masa gap year options.
Shalom Hartman Institute’s Hevruta Program: For those seeking to deepen their Jewish knowledge, the Hevruta Program at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem offers intensive Jewish learning. Participants explore Jewish texts and modern thought, strengthening their connection to Jewish heritage in an intellectually stimulating environment.
Young Judea Year Course: A year-long, immersive program, the Young Judea Year Course combines community service, travel, and academic study. Participants volunteer across Israel, take courses on Israeli culture and history, and develop leadership skills, making it an ideal option for those looking to connect deeply with Israeli society.
Aardvark Israel: The Aardvark Israel program offers a flexible gap year experience in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem. Participants can choose from volunteering, internships, or academic studies, tailoring their experience to personal interests. Aardvark blends professional development with cultural immersion, allowing participants to explore Israel while gaining valuable skills.
Israel XP at Bar-Ilan University: The Israel XP program at Bar-Ilan University provides students the opportunity to study at one of Israel’s top institutions while earning academic credits. Participants study Hebrew, Jewish studies, and other subjects, all while experiencing the vibrant culture of Israel through field trips and community engagement.
Kol Ami Mechina: The Kol Ami Mechina is a pre-army preparatory program for young adults looking to strengthen their Jewish identity while preparing for military service. Based in Jerusalem, the program includes Jewish study, leadership development, and physical preparation for army service.
ELI Program at Tel Aviv University: The ELI Program at Tel Aviv University offers students the chance to study Hebrew, Israeli culture, and political science. Participants can explore Tel Aviv’s dynamic atmosphere while earning academic credits and engaging in a variety of cultural experiences.
The Rothberg International School at the Hebrew University: For those interested in higher education, the Rothberg International School offers undergraduate and graduate programs in Jewish studies, Israeli politics, and environmental studies. Students experience world-class education while living in one of the world’s most culturally significant cities—Jerusalem.
Maccabi Israel Sports XP Program: The Maccabi Israel Sports XP Program is a great fit for students passionate about sports. Participants can train professionally, gain skills in sports management, and volunteer in Israeli communities, all while exploring Israel’s sports culture.
Reichman University: Formerly IDC Herzliya, Reichman University offers international students a variety of academic programs in fields like business, law, and entrepreneurship. Students combine top-tier education with cultural exploration, making it an ideal program for those interested in academic growth and immersion in Israeli society.
International School at the University of Haifa: The International School at the University of Haifa offers programs in international relations, peace and conflict management, and Middle Eastern studies. Students study in a diverse, globally minded environment while engaging with the complexities of the region.
Torah Tech Gap Year Program: A unique program combining Jewish study with technology, the Torah Tech Gap Year Program allows participants to engage in Torah learning while acquiring practical skills in coding and innovation. This program is perfect for those looking to explore both their Jewish identity and career opportunities in the tech world.
These diverse programs through Masa Israel Journey offer participants the opportunity to live, learn, and grow in Israel while gaining unique skills and experiences. Whether through academic study, community service, or professional development, Masa’s gap year programs provide a transformative experience that shapes the future of young adults worldwide. Looking to find out more about one of the programs above? Reach out to Olivia at Oberlin@jewishdetroit.org for more information.
All of these programs and more are eligible for a Get There! Grant
Why did you decide to come to Detroit? I wanted to do this “Shnat Sherut” and volunteer in a Jewish community outside of Israel since I believe the connection between Israeli Jews and diaspora Jews is so important. I came to Detroit specifically since I live in the partnership region and I was lucky enough to be chosen for this program!
What do you love about Detroit? I love the people! Everybody here is so warm and welcoming. I haven’t met one person that wasn’t excited to meet me and I’ve felt at home since my first day here. I also love the weather!
What do you miss about Israel? I miss my friends and family and the sun
What has been a big surprise about living in Detroit? How big everything is! The roads, the cars, the drinks, the fridges…
What is something exciting you have done in your community work? I just came back from a trip to Chicago with Temple Shir Shalom! It was amazing. I’m originally from Chicago and I got to see a bunch of the places where I used to go as a kid, but it was also really amazing to go with the highschoolers in Temple Shir Shalom. I really felt that they bonded with one another and that I got to really talk and get to know each and every one of them. It was my first long bus road trip, which was really cool.
Describe a typical day in your life as a Shinshin: In a typical day I go to Hillel day school from 8-3:30, after that I either have an event or some other activity such as Hebrew night school. In my free time I try to spend time with my host family and with the other shinshinim.
What is still on your Detroit bucket list? Meeting more people and creating more amazing memories!
Shira Rafalovitz Hometown: Kibbutz Hannaton
Hobbies: Music, reading and learning history
Why did you decide to come to Detroit? It has been my dream to be a shinshinit ever since I was a little girl living in Chicago. I got to meet the different shinshinim and emissaries and was such a big fan of them. They made me feel so proud to be Israeli! That’s when I decided I wanted to be a shinshinit myself, in order to help other people feel connected to Israel.
What do you love about Detroit? I love the community, ever since I’ve been here the community has been nothing but welcoming and friendly. I also loved the snow!
What do you miss about Israel? The food, but especially Nadav dessert an amazing and delicious restaurant in the partnership region.
What is something exciting you have done in your community work? I had a really great time indoor skydiving with Hillel of Metro Detroit.
Describe a typical day in your life as a Shinshin: I get up, go to FJA and have a blast there. Then I’ll either go to one of the other shinshinim’s house, to Adat Shalom or to a community event. In the evening I’ll typically either go to the gym or practice my violin.
What is still on your Detroit bucket list? I haven’t gone to Cedar Point yet and even though it’s not in Detroit, it’s definitely somewhere I want to go while I’m here.
Ofir Vitry Hometown: Kfar Saba
Hobbies: Playing guitar, reading books, hiking, and playing basketball and pingpong.
What do you love about Detroit? I love that everyone knows everyone. It’s a feeling of one big family!
What do you miss about Israel? I miss the spirit, I miss my family and friends and of course I miss the great food.
What has been a big surprise about living in Detroit? The sizes of everything, the snacks and the packaging are much bigger than I was used to.
What is something exciting you have done in your community work? At Hillel I baked a special Yemenite food with my fifth grade class. It was amazing to share this recipe from my family with the students and they loved it.
Describe a typical day in your life as a Shinshin: I wake up early, get dressed, put on Tefillin and get ready. I make food for the day (energy for a day as a Shinshin), talk to my host family and make my way to either Hillel Day School or Farber Hebrew Day School. At the schools I am working to bring Zionism, love of Israel, and unity of the Jewish people to the community. After work sometimes I go to Congregation Shaarey Zedek for religious school. After a long day of impact I try to keep good energies so I am going to work out at the gym. After that I go home, pray Mincha and Arvit, eat dinner, take a shower and go to sleep. That is a day as a Shinshin!
What is still on your Detroit bucket list? Explore the car history of Detroit and maybe play hockey.
In the beginning of March, the Israel & Overseas Allocations Committee visited Israel for the first time since the outbreak of the war. The purpose of this trip was to visit current and potential Detroit funded programs, to meet with the people of Israel and, of course, to bear witness to the atrocities of October 7th.
Here are some of the things we heard during our week long fact finding trip:
“ I was 32 years old and I was afraid to go to the bathroom in my parent’s house.” – Dor, Nova survivor & Platforma participant.
“Here we can be ourselves without masks which is really ironic because this is theater.” – Bar, Nova survivor & Platforma participant.
“We currently have 500 army units and 6000 troops on our waiting lists for mental health services” – Bshvil Representative
“There are currently only 1,000 psychiatrists in all of Israel. 400 are set to retire in the next few years. 300 are brand new.” – ICAR Representative
“From meeting with the new Shinshinim and sitting down with the next Israel Campers and their parents, to conversing with the Partnership Staff – these people/programs are all the fruits of our labor. It feeds my soul” – Richard, IOAC Committee Member
One of our committee members is Rabbi Bennett from Temple Israel. After we arrived home on Friday, he gave an inspirational sermon that evening to his congregants about his initial reflections. To watch it, click HERE.
New relief initiative will provide low-interest loans particularly in the tourism-related sector, with the Jewish Agency covering most of the costs of default loans
Israeli businessman and philanthropist Udi Angel (left) and Doron Almog, chairman of the Jewish Agency, sign an agreement to create a relief fund for northern Israeli businesses, in December 2024.
The Jewish Agency has joined forces with Israeli and American donors to establish a new relief fund for small businesses in northern Israel that have been affected by the war, offering thousands of businesses loans through a fast-track application process.
The low-interest loans — worth on average of NIS 200,000 ($54,800) and up to NIS 650,000 ($178,000) — will also include an interest-free grace period for the first two years of the six-year loans, Doron Almog, chairman of the Jewish Agency told eJewishPhilanthropy.
The initiative is being supported by Israeli businessmen and philanthropists Idan Ofer and Udi Angel, the Jewish federations of Detroit and Pittsburgh and Bank Hapoalim.
Most of the businesses are in the tourism and tourism-related sector, which has been one of the hardest-hit sectors in northern Israel, where the economy is largely based on businesses in agriculture and tourism, Almog said. Tourists are beginning to trickle back up to the north following the cease-fire agreement between Israel and the Hezbollah terrorist group in Lebanon. (Indeed, this week saw its first group of Birthright Israel participants visit northern Israel since the start of the war, the organization said on Monday.) Yet the businesses are still in need of support until larger groups of tourists from abroad return.
“The idea is to support small businesses in the north of Israel. This is crucial oxygen for these small businesses,” Almog said, noting that some 60,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in the north since Oct. 7, 2023. “They need oxygen, they need a bridge for this very difficult period.”
Ofer and Angel have donated the first $1 million and Bank Hapoalim has contributed another $6 million to the fund, he said, and the fund will shortly be opened for applications.
In addition, the two federations will contribute about $400,000 of their already existing Jewish Agency donations to the fund, said Tamar Day, the Jewish Agency’s director of business development. Both the Jewish Agency and Bank Hapoalim have also agreed to share the costs of any defaults— with the former paying 65% of any failed loan.
“This is big news because until now the fund [normally] takes on itself all of the failure. Now we’re going to have a model that is going to be a combination, which is really important because then the money that we have in the fund can help more businesses,” Day said.
The fund aims to provide direct assistance without the bureaucratic hurdles typically associated with government or traditional banking systems, she said, and will go directly to the small business owners who need help the most and who would be considered high risk under most bank underwriters because of their location and industry, and would therefore be unable to receive favorable loan conditions.
She said the loans are intended to allow business owners to rebuild damaged infrastructure and maintain some level of cash-flow until the economy recovers.
Almog said the collaboration between the Jewish Agency with Angel and Ofer is part of a growing trend begun since Oct. 7, 2023, in which the Jewish Agency has provided funds to help thousands of businesses affected by the war through grants and emergency loans. This has been done mainly in partnership with the Jewish Federations of North America but also with the support of Israeli businesspeople who are looking to contribute to the national effort and rebuild the Israeli economy.
“Jews in the world don’t have the privilege of getting tired where we need the endless energy to continue building the state of Israel,” Almog said, as far as donor burn-out is concerned.
According to the Jewish Agency, this initiative represents another step in their ongoing support for thousands of small businesses affected by the war through emergency grants, special loans, and business guidance — in the border communities, in the north, and for reservists’ businesses across the country. Since Oct.7, more than 8,000 businesses that were impacted during the war have received assistance in grants and emergency loans, totaling approximately NIS 350 million ($95.8 million).
“It is really important for us in the Jewish agency to not only think about emergencies,” said Day. “Now we are seeing how we can rebuild the economy in the north.”
Reprinted from eJewishPhilanthropy December 30, 2024
The past year has not been easy for our staff, lay leaders, community members and most especially, our Israeli friends and family. We are grateful that due to the incredible support of this community, we have been able to make a difference in many lives through our Israel Emergency Fund. In every issue of this newsletter, we try to highlight at least one of the NGOs we support with those dollars. This month, we are highlighting the recent Israel & Overseas Allocations trip to Israel and some of the programs that they encountered.
In addition to our regular spotlights, we wanted to highlight three lesser-known programs we are funding through our regular allocation and operating dollars. When Federation sold Sinai Hospital in 1997, most of the proceeds went to create The Jewish Fund. What you may not know, is that $500,000 was sent to the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) to support a low interest loan fund for entrepreneurs in Israel. Since its inception, these dollars have provided hundreds of business loans all over Israel. During Covid, we transferred $100,000 to SparkIL for urgent loans. Recently, Detroit has partnered with JAFI and the Pittsburgh Federation to spin off a new Loan Fund that is just for the northern communities (where our respective Partnerships are).
Lastly, we are proud to be a partner of Unpacked Israel. An organization that provides tools to students, teachers and everyday people to learn to have effective conversations about Israel. With the rise of antisemitism, this is proving to be a very worthwhile investment. Read on to hear what they had to say about the last year.
As always, if you have any questions about anything below – or anything related to Israel & Overseas in general, don’t hesitate to contact us directly.
You already know that the Jewish Federation of Detroit works every day to help bring our Jewish community and the people of Israel closer together. But did you know that three full-time Federation staff members in Israel are helping to do that work? From leading our missions, to coordinating the Elaine and Michael Serling Israeli Camper Program, to helping foster our Central Galilee partnership and more, our Israeli staff is vital to our mission of building a vibrant Jewish life for us all. Beyond just co-workers, we’re proud to call them our “mishpachah,” our family.
So, who are these amazing Federation staffers headquartered in Israel? We’d love to introduce you.
Naomi Miller Director of Missions
Although Naomi Miller was raised in a Jewish community in Melbourne, Australia, and spent most of her life in Israel, it was in the Detroit community and at Tamarack Camps where she and her family, along with hundreds of Israeli teens, found a new and enlightening way to embrace their Judaism.
Naomi was raised in a Zionist home and, as a teen, was active in youth work and leadership. She made Aliyah to Jerusalem when she was 19 and has resided there ever since. She completed her undergraduate studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and her master’s degree from the Ruderman program for American Jewish studies.
Her connection to Detroit began 30 years ago when, as a licensed tour educator, she led missions in Israel for the Jewish Federation and quickly became a regular guide for the community.
At the height of the Second Intifada in 2002, Naomi helped create and lead the Detroit Federation’s Israeli Camper Program (ICP) at Tamarack Camps and continued to advance the program for over a dozen years. Today, Naomi represents the community in Israel as the Federation’s Director of Missions and as a representative for the Michigan Israel Business Accelerator (MIBA). Naomi lives in Jerusalem with her husband, Asher, four children and four grandchildren. Two of her children, Yoav and Alon, spent over 15 summers at Tamarack as campers and staff members.
A Fun Fact About Naomi.
My first travels out of Australia were when I was 18, heading to a study year in Israel in 1980. I was shocked to see that there could be snow in Israel (all the postcards always showed a desert and I arrived to Jerusalem in a snowstorm, never having seen snow before). To say the least, I had packed very poorly for the year ahead. It was the first time that I had ever met Americans and they liked my accent—for several months I believed that I actually didn’t have an accent, that mine was the norm and that everybody else deviated from the neutral Aussi accent. I have been enlightened since.
Yoav Rabin Director of Grants & Outreach
Yoav Raban was born and raised in a small Kibbutz called Ramat-David, located in the Jezreel Valley regional council, which along with the two cities of Migdal-HaEmek and Nof Hagalil makes up the “Central-Galilee”, Detroit’s partnership region in Israel. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Central-Galilee and Detroit Partnership communities, and Yoav is celebrating over two decades with both.
Yoav’s relationship with Detroit began in 2001 on a Birthright trip to Israel with Detroit participants. He has stayed in contact with many and was even the best man at the weddings of two of his Detroit friends!
In the summer of 2002, Yoav was selected as a “shaliach” counselor at Camp Tamarack and continued for several summers working with the Israeli Camper Program the Teen Missions and became the community shaliach (Israeli emissary) in Detroit from 2007-2011.
After returning to Israel, he met his wife Anna and together they have two children, Gaya (9) and Dar (5), both fourth-generation “kibbutznikim”, which, for such a young country, is quite unique.
Yoav has worked for JFD for 17 years and is currently the Director of Grants and works closely with JFD’s partner organizations.
Yoav graduated with two degrees from the Haifa University, a B.A. in Social Work and an M.A. from the Ruderman program for American Jewish studies.
A Fun Fact About Yoav.
I am a die-hard Celtics fan ever since I got a Celtics t-shirt as a gift. So it was meant to be that my first year moving from Israel to Detroit in 2008, and seeing the Celtics play live for the first time, would also be the year that they won a Championship after 22 years!
If you come to visit me in my Kibbutz (and hopefully you will), you can ask where to find “Larry’s Square”. It is right next to my parents’ house where I grew up. Everyone from the Kibbutz will know to tell you where the square is, but very few of them would know the reason why it’s called that. It was named after our family’s dog, Larry (named after Larry Bird!) who lived to be almost 20 years old!
Liza Yedwab Israel Project Coordinator
Liza Yedwab is the Federation’s Israel project coordinator and focuses on building and facilitating connections between Federation’s Israeli partners and the Jewish community in Detroit. Liza has been with the Federation for 13 years, after she completed her studies at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, with a BA in Education and Sociology and an MA in Nonprofit and Community Organization Management.
For the past six years, Liza has also worked with MIBA to accelerate Michigan’s innovative ecosystem through Israeli business partnerships.
Liza made Aliyah to Israel with her family from Kyrgyzstan (FSSU) when she was seven, and today she lives in Jerusalem with her 2 daughters, Lia (10) and Emma (7).
A Fun Fact About Liza.
An unusual and delightful passion lies at the heart of my life—I adore my eight pet rats! Each little one has its personality and quirks, bringing joy and a touch of adventure to my everyday routine. Whether scampering around or snuggling up, these eight clever companions prove that rats make incredible pets with big hearts and unique charm. It’s not just a love for animals; it’s a special bond that makes life a little brighter and way more fun!
Hi everyone, we are the new Shinshinim (young Israeli emissaries), Shira, Ori, Nisan, Ofir and Shahar. Before we share with you the reasons we chose to be Shinshinim and why it’s important to us, we wanted you to get to know us a little better.
Shira
My name is Shira, I live in Kibbutz Hanaton, a Kibbutz in the partnership region. I have two siblings, my brother, Matan, who is currently serving in the IDF and studying at Hebrew University, and my sister, Talya, who is in tenth grade.
Before I left Israel, I was a concert violinist. I was part of the Israeli Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, a participant of the Jerusalem Music Center programs for gifted musicians and a counselor in my youth movement “NOAM.”
In my free time, I love traveling, listening to music and hanging out with my friends.
Ori
Hi, I’m Ori. I’m from moshav Tel Adashim which is in the partnership region. My dad Nitsan is a freelancer and my mom Adi works in the Herzliya municipality. I have an older sister who is currently serving in the IDF as a paratrooper instructor and a younger sister who just started the 8th grade. I was a counselor in my youth movement “Hatnua Hadasha” for three years where I worked with kids of all ages. In my free time I enjoy reading books and traveling.
Nisan
Shalom! My name is Nisan, and I’m an 18-year-old Israeli shinshin with a deep love for Israel and Judaism. Though I was born in Chicago, I spent my early years in Austin, Texas, before moving to Israel at age 8, where I now live in the vibrant city of Hod Hasharon. My journey has been shaped by my incredible parents and two brothers, one older and one younger, as well as my involvement in the youth movement נוער העובד והלומד (Hanoar HaOved VeHalomed). After nine years of participating, first as a kid and later as a counselor, I’ve experienced firsthand the power of community and connection.
Ofir
I am Ofir from Kfar-Saba. I’m 17 and I’ve grown up with amazing parents. My oldest brother, Yuval, has served as a major in the army for 10 years. My second brother, Ori, is married, is a teacher and a proud father, making me an uncle. My sister Hadar, who recently got married, is studying speech therapy. I’ve always loved playing basketball and guitar, and I’m passionate about connecting with people and exploring new ideas and reading books.
Shahar
My name is Shahar, I live in the partnership region in Givat Ella. I am the eldest daughter of three siblings, Ofir is 12, and Yuval is 16. My dad is a diver in the IDF and my mom is the director of an association for bilingual kindergartens that includes Arabs and Jews from the region. I was a counselor in the youth movement “Bnei Hamoshavim” for three years. In my free time I like to do crossfit, dive and I will actually be a diver for the IDF when I draft.
All of us chose to be Shinshinim because we wanted to contribute and strengthen the connection between the Jewish people in Israel and around the world. We believe in the values of Zionism and see the importance of not only Jews living in Israel but also those living abroad. We wanted to take part in building, preserving and strengthening this connection. Since October 7th we have felt the unwavering support of American Jews and we feel that it is our obligation to give back.
We’re so happy to be in Detroit, and have been enjoying meeting so many people in this warm and welcoming community. We’re looking forward to getting to know you, and seeing you around.
About the Shinshinim Program
Shinshinim are high-school graduates who choose to defer their military service for a year of service abroad. The Shinshinim bring their energy, love of Israel and unique perspectives to our synagogues, schools and Jewish Community Center through educational lessons, presentations, arts and crafts, music and personal connections with community members of all ages. One of the main objectives of bringing Shinshinim to our community is to encourage Israeli engagement that ultimately builds a bridge between Michigan and Israel.
We are so grateful to Gerald “Jerry” Cook and his wife Barbara for their continued support of the Ben Teitel Incentive Grant that helps teens travel to Israel through Federation’s GetThere! Israel Travel Grants program. Now, Jewish Senior Life (JSL) is recognizing Jerry for his commitment to our Jewish community too as one of their 2024 8 Over 80 honorees.
Jerry began his Jewish community volunteerism after graduating from Harvard Law School. He was an active volunteer and board member of Hillel Day School, Adat Shalom, Jewish Community Relations Council, Jewish Federation of Detroit and the Michigan Committee for Conservative Judaism in Israel, as well as president of the American Jewish Congress Michigan Region and Jewish Historical Society of Michigan.
Cook’s most substantial volunteer role has been as the Trustee of the Ben N. Teitel Charitable Trust. His uncle, Ben Teitel, left the bulk of his estate to help Jews in Michigan and Israel, and Cook is privileged to carry out the work his uncle entrusted to him. The first major gift from the Teitel Trust helped create the Harriett and Ben Teitel Jewish Senior Life Apartments in 1990. The Teitel Trust gift provided enhancements such as air conditioning, a canopy and carpeted halls as well as created the endowment fund that helped secure United States government aid for JCare.
In addition to GetThere!, as Trustee, Cook has given millions of dollars in Harriett and Ben Teitel’s names to JVS (now Gesher Human Services), Jewish Family Service, the JOIN program for college internships, and many other Michigan Jewish programs and buildings.
The Trust also brought two planeloads of Soviet immigrants to Israel and funded Israeli buildings and programs for youth and older adults.
On top of it all, Jerry has balanced these roles with devotion to family, judicial clerkship with U.S. District Court Judge Theodore Levin and a 42-year career at the Honigman law firm.
From all of us in the Israel & Overseas Department Toda Raba and Yasher Koach.
By Jennifer Levine, Senior Director, Israel & Overseas Department
A complaint, (or maybe frustration is a better word), I often hear from our very dedicated and extremely passionate lay leaders is that the general public is not aware of the good work that Federation dollars do in Israel. People don’t know that the 9 million dollars Federation allocates to Israel & Overseas supports dozens of programs and thousands of people all around the world, but especially, in Israel. People do not know that, with an eye to the future, the Gertzman committee very intentionally chose Shared Society as the primary focus area of this year’s grants. (See the article on Photo Is:Real in this month’s newsletter.) Earlier this week, my colleague and friend, Marianne Bloomberg, sent around a link to the article by Israel21c entitled “The 48”.
Solidarity Mission Participants with IDF Reservists Yiftah Leket, Michal Neuman and Nina Yahalomi.
This article introduces the reader to 48 changemakers in Israel. As I was reading through, I was fascinated to find I could connect the dots between Detroit and many, many, many of the people spotlighted.
Yaron chats with Betsy Heuer as he takes the I & O Allocations Committee out to the beach for a surfboard photo shoot.
To highlight a few:
Yaron Waksman, HaGal Sheli: This is a program that Detroit has proudly supported for a very long time. Yaron is a very good friend of ours and he has a soft spot for Detroit who was an earlier champion of their work with troubled teens. We also recently gave them an Israel Emergency Grant for the way they pivoted to work with over 1,000 victims of October 7th.
Israel’s Reserve Soldiers – in the days after October 7th, many young Detroiters and, of course, many of our Israeli friends, like former Shlichim Eviatar Baskis, Yiftah Leket and ShinShin Michal Neuman, entered into the IDF Reserves. Federation and Foundation Presidents, Gary Torgow and Michael Berger and CEO Steven Ingber leapt into action as well directing yet unraised emergency dollars to support these units that were up and running immediately without any necessary provisions (boots, jackets, cell phone chargers, bottled water, etc.)
Dr. Khalil Bakly – a resident of Nof Hagalil, one of our three Partnership 2Gether municipalities, and also a longtime social and political activist who is advocating for a shared Arab-Jewish life more intently than ever after October 7th.
Brothers & Sisters in Arms (now Brothers and Sisters for Israel and Hostages & Missing Families Forum) both of whom received Israel Emergency Funds and whom our solidarity missions visited.
Danielle Abraham from ReGrow Israel, Talia Levanon from Israel Trauma Coalition. Joseph Gitler from Leket and Mohammad Darawshe from Gavat Haviva – all organizations that Detroit has supported.
Federation CEO Steven Ingber at Brothers & Sisters for Israel Headquarters
Also worth mentioning, another one of “The 48” is Ella Rose Azaria who is spotlighted for her work as a certified master swimming coach to help Israeli internal refugees cope with trauma and anxiety…is a former Detroiter.
It is our mission to continue to connect these dots for you, our Detroit Jewish community, so that you can learn about where your Israel & Overseas dollars are going and the good work they are accomplishing. As a supporter of JFD, you should be proud of the work that you are contributing to as we strive to take care of needs and build a vibrant Jewish future.
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