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To tell about “my Israel”
So Nancy Mimoun welcomed the newest crop of Young Emissaries to New England, as they wrapped up four days of orientation at Camp Laurelwood in Madison. The 15 Israelis sat in a circle in the mess hall, with eight representatives from Jewish federations, and program coordinator Sharon Conway. This was to be the last formal presentation to the teens before they moved into their new communities. Mimoun is president of SNEC, the Southern New England Consortium of 13 Jewish federations in Connecticut, western Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. The 15 Israeli teenagers, all from the Afula-Gilboa region of northern Israel, will delay their Israeli army service to perform a year of outreach in SNEC communities, in settings both Jewish and non-Jewish. The Young Emissary program, now in its ninth year, is a project of the Jewish Agency's Partnership 2000, which connects 400 communities worldwide with regions in Israel. Pioneered in Westport and emulated throughout the country, it is the only Jewish Agency shlichut (outreach/public information) program whose members are pre-Army age. “This is a most special form of shlichut,” says David Bernstein, director of partnerships for the Jewish Agency. “The young emissaries reach people in ways no one else can. ”There's something special about their youth and freshness.” One by one, at the camp the Jewish professionals welcomed the teens, offering a mix of personal history, words of wisdom, encouragement, and warm send-off. Together, they presented a sort of guidebook to the unique world of American Jewish identity and the workings of the Jewish community, exotic territory to teenagers growing up in a Jewish majority. Bob Fishman, executive director of the Jewish Federation Association of Connecticut, reported, “The biggest anti-Israel sentiment is currently on college campuses,” Fishman said. “That's where we'll need your help.” Explaining the diversity of Jewish religious life in the U.S., Jerry Fischer, executive director of the Jewish Federation of Eastern Connecticut, said, “The saying goes that every rabbi makes his own Shabbos. Most Jews in America may not believe in G-d or follow halacha, but they go to synagogue and identify themselves as Jews through synagogue affiliation more than through a JCC. You will discover religious experiences here not available in Israel, and you will provide new experiences for our communities as well.” For the first time in the program's history, Greenwich will host emissaries, long a goal of UJA/Federation Executive Director Pam Ehrenkranz. While American Jews may differ in their level of observance, said Ehrenkranz, “We do all believe in Israel; that's where we come together. We get to live the way we do as Jews in this country because you live where you live,” she told the emissaries, “because Israel exists.” Finally it was the emissaries' turn to explain why they had come to the U.S. “When I was 14, I chatted with someone over the Internet,” said Ron Marom, who will serve in Worcester, Mass. “They wrote, 'You must have tanks in the streets all the time.' I decided then that I wanted to tell people what Israel really is. I want to represent my Israel to those who don't know.” Comments? Cindym@jewishledger.com Eastern CT: Tohar Talmor Einat Kiper Greenwich: Tali Dotan Shai Joskowicz New Haven: Adi Ben-Ami Lev Kraitman Worcester: Tal Baron Ron Marom Rhode Island: Timna Benn Nadav Ben Ezer Fairfield: Lina Golub Ziv Arzi WWWN: Dana Sofer Shira Epstein Hartford: Hodaya Vaitzman |
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