If you saw a group of Americans walking around Rosh HaAyin and you thought you were imagining it, you got it right. Last week, a mission from New Orleans toured the city and visited the older and newer neighborhoods, Afek Park, the EMET Technologies high-tech company and the conservatory where they met young participants of the Jewish Agency's Partnership 2000 programs. The day's visit to Rosh HaAyin was the culmination of an enjoyable week full of tours around the country, during the visitors toured, experienced and also learned about life in Israel.

Rosh HaAyin and the New Orleans community maintain close ties as part of the Partnership 2000 program with Birmingham, Alabama. The Partnership 2000 program is a unique initiative which bonds 550 Jewish communities all over the world and 90 local authorities in Israel.

Together they comprise 45 partnerships designed to empower the partner communities, and to strengthen ties between their members. The partnership between Rosh HaAyin and New Orleans, in Louisiana and Birmingham, Alabama, was established in 2005 just two months before Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. This led to greater cooperation and deployment of the Rosh HaAyin community to help its partner community.

The members of the "Golden Mission" from New Orleans were told about the wide-ranging musical activities in the city, by the conservatory director Mr. Meir Tzruyah, and about the role played by the New Orleans community in the success of the conservatory, when the Trieste and Meitav groups were sent to the United States by Partnership 2000, to represent Rosh HaAyin.  In the near future, the Rosh HaAyin Youngsters troupe will also be sent to the United States by Partnership 2000.

The members of the mission, some of whom were visiting Israel for the first time, talked with small groups of local youth and adults who represented Partnership 2000 in the United States. The counselor and the students of the Follow Me Preparation for the IDF project, which is funded by Partnership 2000 of New Orleans with Rosh HaAyin, talked about the project and about their commitment to Israel and to doing meaningful military service. Chef Oren Ravid, who returned from a successful stint of activity in the community several months ago, talked about his mission and about the impact generated for the Rosh HaAyin community in New Orleans. Representatives of the arts mission talked about their time with their counterparts in the US and also put on a drumming show. At the end of the visit, because of the deep impression they gained from the Partnership's activities and the people of Rosh HaAyin, some of the mission members expressed their will to do voluntary work, and to take an active role in Partnership 2000 activities upon their return to New Orleans.

Robert's Story

Robert Vitrock from New Orleans stood out among the members of the mission members, because of his special bond with our town, Rosh HaAyin. Robert came over last year, as part of the Bicycles trip project in which members of the communities of New Orleans, Birmingham Alabama and Rosh HaAyin took part. They went on a bike trek, and slept outside in area of Mitzpeh Ramon.

There was also a joint bike ride with a group from the Partnership 2000 Rosh HaAyin "Acharai- Preparation for the IDF" project, including deputy mayor Mr. Razi Akhrek, and trees were planted in Partnership 2000 Park. At the end of last year's trek Robert stayed on to volunteer for extra three days in Rosh HaAyin.

This year, when Robert decided to come back to Israel for another visit he asked to spend a few days in the city. He arrived ahead of the mission, to do some voluntary work and immediately found himself in great demand for voluntary work at various schools - at Neot Ilana, at an afternoon facility for children and at a senior citizens' home. In the evenings he was hosted at the homes of local residents and, despite the hard work here, he sounded enthused and promised to come back next year.

Robert gave a talk at Begin High School, and at other local schools, about life in New Orleans and about the Jewish bond with Israel, created and fostered by the Jewish Agency's Partnership 2000. For any interested women out there - amiable Robert is 40 years old and divorced..

The next big project of Partnership 2000 this summer is the forthcoming trip by the Young Rosh HaAyin'ers , on a tour to New Orleans and Birmingham. They will be hosted by Jewish families, with a view to further strengthening the bond between the communities, and forging new relationships with young members of the communities in the United States.