ShinShinim bring Israel to San Antonio

June 2, 2023

The San Antonio Jewish community is fortunate to have two remarkable Israelis, Shani and Yonatan, who are a part of the Jewish Agency for Israel’s Shinshinim program. The word “Shinshinim” originates from the Hebrew words, “Shnat Sherut,” meaning “Year of Service.” Over the past (almost) year, Shani and Yonatan dedicated their efforts to educating the youth in our community, spanning various educational institutions, including preschools, Hebrew schools, teen initiatives, the StarrFamily Day School, San Antonio Hillel, and more.

Shani and Yonatan will be ending their service time here in San Antonio in August after J-camp concludes, and we will warmly welcome our next Shinshinim beginning the first week of September. Joining us from Israel for the next year are Yael and Asaf, photographed below.

Shani and Yonatan have been able to elevate Jewish learning and form a deeper connection to Israel through their time here, and we are so excited that Yael and Asaf will be continuing this meaningful work.

We are constantly looking for host families for this program. If you are interested in hosting, please contact Samantha Mazuz at mazuzs@jfsatx.org.