An Update On Israel And Overseas

By Jill Metlin Israel and Overseas Coordinator

In the recent Jewish Federation & Foundation of Northeast Florida Impact Report, I wrote about the many Israel and Overseas programs in which your Jewish Federation is involved. You may recall the descriptions of Partnership2Gether, Joint Distribution Committee, World ORT, The Jewish Agency for Israel, etc. Knowing about the programs you support is important. But how do we make them come alive?

One of the programs that was mentioned - the Shlichut program (emissary, messenger) - has been an integral part of the Jewish Federation’s programming for the past six years. Tal Mola is our Israeli Community Shlicha this year and next, and brings Israel here to us in Northeast Florida. Tal arrived in August and has been educating us on Israeli life - teaching us about holidays, customs, history, and culture in her own unique way. You may have seen her at the JCA, Jewish Federation events, or at the synagogues and day schools. This program is part of The Jewish Agency for Israel. Janet Goldstein and Rona Siegel are steadfast volunteers for the Partnership2Gether’s One2One program, where our local educators work virtually with Israeli middle and high school students in our partnership region of Hadera-Eiron. The goal of the program is to help the students with their English-speaking skills and foster stronger ties between Northeast Florida and the region. Janet has stated, “Our time with the students is informal and fun...I’ve even met the students and their families on my last trip to Israel!” Rona mentioned that “The Israeli children and families are exceptionaly grateful to have these One2One lessons with us.” She also said that as a result of this program, she has deepened her close ties with our Israeli family in Hadera-Eiron.

Many of you are familiar with the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC). It is headquartered in New York City and works in all four corners of the globe. Since its founding in 1914, rescue has been JDC’s foremost mission. They rescued and aided refugees from Nazi Europe in the 1930s and 1940s, from Hungary in the mid-1950s, from Ethiopia, Yugoslavia, and, of course, Ukraine. In 2014, JDC evacuated Holocaust survivors Meri and Leonid Zegelman. They had to leave their home city of Lugansk and relocate to Kharkov when war broke out in Eastern Ukraine. This was the second time JDC was able to save Meri. After escaping from Berlin during World War II to wait out the war as a refugee in Shanghai, Meri credits JDC’s soup kitchens for keeping him and his family alive.

Do you have a story to share? Has your family been impacted by The Jewish Agency for Israel, JDC, or World ORT? Have you or your children participated in Birthright? Partnership2gether? Visited Hadera-Eiron? If so, I would appreciate hearing from you. Please reach out to me via email at jillm@ jewishjacksonville.org, or call me at (904) 224-1445.

Thanks, I look forward to hearing from you.