June 25-27, 2008

During three packed days at the end of June, Partnership 2000 committee members, volunteers, program participants and professionals got together to look into the future of our Partnership. With on-site visits that included, among others, the unique Jewish-Arab community of Neveh Shalom; a Beit-Shemeh info-tech company employing Haredi women; and environmental initiatives Well of Hope in Ramat Beit Shemesh and Vertigo's ecological complex at Kibbutz Netiv HaLamedHe, the joint steering committee began exploring possibilities for future development. In the section on learning from other Partnerships, the committee heard presentations on school twinning models and on teen leadership programs - areas that create people to people connections within an educational context. Other sessions were devoted to defining our needs regarding the engagement of volunteers, community building, and economic development. Last but not least, the group members shared personal experiences and family stories over two social events - dinners at home hosted by the Israeli co-chairs and an evening prepared by the six ethnic cooks who are about to leave for South Africa to bring the tastes of Israel to their Israel @60 celebrations.

"The spirit of the talks were expressed by Washington Federation C.E.O.,
Dr. Misha Galperin, who joined us on the opening day: "The language of Partnership should be viewed as software for worldwide Jewish Dialogue. The Jewish institutions provide the hardware for such a discussion"