Partnership 2000

Partnership 2000 was established in 1994 by the Jewish Agency for Israel, United Jewish Communities and Keren Hayesod/UIA. The program links Jewish communities abroad and regions in Israel in a mutual effort to strengthen Israeli society while promoting unity and Jewish identity. At present, 41 Israeli regions are linked to over 500 communities worldwide. Programs are planned and budgeted on an individual region basis and are approved by a regional steering committee composed of residents of the region and representatives of the linked communities from abroad.

The goal is to reinforce the Israel-Diaspora partnership by working together to address shared needs through parallel projects, educational programming, people to people programs, and professional encounters.

In the spring of 2001 the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati entered into a partnership with the city of Netanya Israel. Through the Jewish Agency for Israel, the world's major global Jewish partnership organization, and the leadership of the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, this unique and symbiotic relationship was established

The Steering Committee

The Netanya-Cincinnati Steering Committee conducts project reviews and strategically plans for funding decisions and allocations for projects which the Partnership has undertaken in the last three years. The committee is a microcosm of the work the Partnership accomplishes and has succeeded in building lasting bridges between committed leaders on both sides of the ocean.

Since the creation of this partnership, the Partnership 2000 steering committee of the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, chaired by Carol Ann Schwartz, has held two face- to-face meetings (one in Israel and one in Cincinnati) as well as two trans-Atlantic videoconference meetings with the Partnership 2000 steering committee of Netanya, Israel, chaired by Ilana Tishler. The goal of these meetings was to meet one another, to brainstorm about the needs of both communities, to help Netanya during these times of crisis and to allocate funding annually through the overseas allocation as well as the emergency campaign of the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati.

In addition to these meetings, three Cincinnati community solidarity missions have visited Netanya during the last year. Most recently 32 members of the Cincinnati community had the opportunity to see and visit firsthand those projects that are funded and supported by the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati.

Shvat 5764 - February 2004