4 minute read
Local Leaders Visit Israel as Part of Federation Partnership
September 2023
By Noah Goldman, JFGC Israel & Global Jewry Associate
The Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte (JFGC) is committed to maintaining and strengthening bonds between the Charlotte Jewish community and Israel. Our Federation is proud to be part of Partnership2Gether, a network of communities connecting Jews in the Diaspora with Jews in Israel, highlighting our dedication to this important relationship. Many Jewish Federations across the country are affiliated with a Partnership2Gether region in Israel. Our Federation is connected with the Hadera-Eiron Partnership, alongside the Jewish communities of Nashville, Chattanooga, Northeast Florida, the Gulf Coast, Richmond, Charleston, Greensboro, and Prague, Czech Republic.
The Leadership2Gether (L2G) program is a part of the Partnership2Gether network, connecting Jewish communities in the Diaspora with those in Israel. This partnership aims to enhance and strengthen the sense of shared identity and community across geographical distances, fostering genuine and vibrant connections. In late April, two community leaders, Amy Fine and Laura Hausman, traveled to Israel to participate in the Leadership 2Gether (L2G) retreat in Hadera. They wanted to learn about Charlotte’s partnership and experience the Hadera region firsthand.
During their L2G trip, Amy and Laura experienced an authentic Israeli experience by staying with Israeli families instead of hotels. This homestay allowed them to truly immerse themselves in Israeli culture and daily life. They also had the opportunity to visit various projects and initiatives in the region, such as Youth Futures, a positive-intervention program for at-risk youth. They went on an “agritour” at Kibbutz Magal to see Israeli innovation and entrepreneurship in action in the agricultural sector. They visited the Haviva Reik Mechina (pre-military training program) to meet young Israelis about to join the Israeli military. And they enjoyed Kabbalat Shabbat with the musical duo, Yonina.
Among the many projects they visited, one organization that left a strong impression on both Amy and Laura was the Ethiopian National Project (ENP), an organization supported by Federation through overseas allocations. The ENP works towards integrating Ethiopian Jews into Israeli society through workshops, educational programs, and specialized training.
Apart from the planned activities, Amy and Laura also took some free time to visit Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. During her visit, Amy even experienced one of the many protests taking place in Israel, both for and against the judicial overhaul that has left Israelis deeply divided. She remarked that what most amazed her was the pride that those she spoke with had for their country. From her perspective, the protesters were not merely against something, but truly for something.
Tourism is a great way to support Israel, but it is through genuine interactions with Israelis in their everyday lives that a true and lasting relationship with the country is formed. Amy remarked she was in tears as she was leaving Israel at the end of her trip. She was in tears, she said, not because she was leaving a foreign country but because she was leaving a country with which she had developed a new and stronger relationship, one with which she felt so much more connected to as a Jew in her ancestral homeland.
Partnership2Gether is just one way that JFGC supports and strengthens the bonds of our local community with Israel. Through the Gorelick Teens to Israel and the Harry and Gloria Lerner Family Funds, teens and young adults from the greater Charlotte area receive scholarships to travel to Israel on Federation-approved programs. Additionally, Federation backs the IsraelNow program by providing highly subsidized trips to Israel for 8th graders. In addition, this year Federation is organizing an adult mission trip to Israel in November. Registration for this year’s mission is still open, but spaces are limited. For information, visit www.jewishcharlotte.org.
