Our Partnership2Gether
March 5, 2021
The Jewish Federation of San Antonio partners with the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) on a program called Partnership 2Gether. The goal of the Partnership is to connect Israeli cities with Jewish communities worldwide, creating an ever-growing network of support and friendship.
Our Western Galilee Partnership connects 16 U.S. communities to two cities in Israel’s Western Galilee (the cities of Akko and Matte Asher), and to Budapest, Hungary. These communities come together to create a dynamic array of cultural, educational, and social activities.
CONNECTING WORLDWIDE – EVEN IN A PANDEMIC
Dr. Orit Eylon, Music Professor at the University of Incarnate Word, is participating in a new Partnership2Gether musical program called Nigun2Gether. She joins other selected Music Professors from the U.S. who will be teaching voice and instrumental students in Israel. Orit will teach singers from the Matte Asher Music Center in Akko and they will present a final recital in June with all the musicians in the program.
Jason Miller Goodman, board member of YAD (Young Adult Division) and the Jewish Federation of San Antonio, is participating in a Partnership program for leaders called Horizon. Jason said of the program, “Horizon is a unique program that has allowed me to connect with young Jewish adults around the world. For the past few months, we have been sharing dilemmas that face our generation in order to brainstorm ways to make our Jewish communities stronger. We have been working together via videoconferencing, but once it is safe to travel again, we will meet in person in the Western Galilee and Budapest to put some of our ideas to work.”
Jessica Diric, Director of the Torah Academy of San Antonio, is the co-chair of the Partnership’s Education Committee. One of the programs developed by this committee is Photo Voice, where a teen from the U.S. is paired with a teen from both Israel and Budapest. The teens work together to create a photo that represents their personal Coming of Age Story. The final exhibit will take place April 11 on Zoom.
In January 2021, the Partnership put together their first virtual Women’s Worldwide Rosh Chodesh, with leadership from Agudas Achim Director of Congregational Learning Sammi Mazuz. Mazuz opened the program with a candle lighting ceremony, followed by a meditation with an Israeli Rabbi. In breakout rooms, the participants from the U.S., Israel, and Budapest reflected on the meditation. Tory Richmond, the Chair of the JCRC Partnership Committee said, “the Rosh Chodesh was great. I was excited to see one of the Israeli women I had met on my Momentum trip to Israel. We got to chat together in the breakout room too.”
If you are interested in getting involved in the Partnership Committee, please contact Jewish Community Relations (JCRC) Director Lisa Epstein at epsteinl@jfsatx.org.
The next Women’s Worldwide Rosh Chodesh will be on Sunday, March 14th at 12:30 PM CDT
RSVP at http://rebrand.ly/P2G-Hodesh
*This article will be featured in the print Jewish Journal Passover edition