August 15, 2012

By Elaine Durbach

When Yisca Shalev first arrived in the United States in 2009 — sent by the Jewish Agency for Israel for a one-year posting as Israeli shliha, or emissary, to the Central NJ community — she was warm and forthcoming but still a nervous newcomer. But this summer — her third stint of service to the local community — she said she feels like family.

The 26-year-old from the West Bank community of Kedumim is serving as the Israel culture specialist at the summer camp run by the YM-YWHA of Union County, a beneficiary agency of Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ, and helping supervise the young Israelis working as summer shlihim there. Read more