The Jewish Federation of Madison board of directors voted at its February meeting to join the Partnership2Gether program of the Jewish Agency of Israel.
P2G, previously known as Partnership 2000, pairs 550 global Jewish communities with 45 Israeli communities. Communities share ideas, strengths, challenges and models of success; and empower one another to generate change.
Madison will join Milwaukee, Tulsa and St. Paul in partnering with the Sovev Kinneret (Around Lake Kinneret) region in Israel. Members of the Madison community visited this area last November during the JFM mission to Israel.
They were hosted by Israelis active in P2G programming who took them to the Arbel Cliffs, Tiberias and the Kinneret Courtyard. While they were together they discussed activities in the partnership and the role of the joint steering committee, including a meeting with members of the Israeli steering committee and participants in various programs past and present.
The steering committee meets once a year to plan the programs and activities for that year and includes representatives from each partnership city in the U.S. and representatives from the Sovev Kinneret region. Previous programs have included:
• “Mad Israel”: A two week community volunteer program. Volunteer opportunities include helping out in a school for children with special needs, an elderly center, a disabled Israel Defense Force veterans club, new immigrants and more. Volunteers get a taste of life in the region with face-to-face interactions with volunteers in the region, home hospitality and tours.
• Chef, musician and social worker exchanges: Israelis in these professions visited the P2G communities in the U.S. to learn, share their expertise/skills, and collaborate.
• Youth delegations: For the past 15 years, a delegation of students completing grade 10 has been sent to the Milwaukee community in the summer months to spend time with their peers.
Members of the Israeli delegation also hosted members of the American delegation during their visit to Israel. To date, about 300 teenagers have been sent to the U.S. For the first time this year, a youth delegation will also be sent to the Tulsa community.
• Engliada: Volunteers for this project from the partnership communities teach English in an informal setting to members of the Israel region, making use of role playing games; site visits to places such as movie theaters, museums and cafes; listening to music and watching video clips. Each program session lasts for one month, with studies five days per week, three hours per day. The program has succeeded in forging lasting bonds between volunteer teachers and their Israeli students.
These are just a few of the examples of the programming that has taken place through P2G. The Madison Jewish community now has the opportunity to benefit from these programs and to create new ones as well.
To learn more about Madison’s participation in the program, email Israel co-emissary to Madison Racheli Komar-Azizullahoff at Israel@jewishmadison.org or visit p2g.jewishagency.org/english/partnerships/kinneret/.
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