If you ever ask yourself how long it takes to make a life changing decision, then Taglit provides the best answer - only 10 days. by Maryna Gaidak Just 10 days ago I made Aliyah and received Israeli citizenship. Just two weeks ago I finished a semester-long MASA program in Haifa. And only a year ago I completed my Taglit-Birthright journey. … [Read more...]
Diverse audiences that often find themselves on the fringe of the Jewish community - whether because of their background, ethnicity, race or special needs - ought to be seen for their ability to contribute and enrich who we are as a community. by Alina Bitel Twenty-five years ago, North American Jewry turned over mountains to ensure the future of Soviet Jewry, opening their homes and hearts to the influx of hundreds of thousands of families and giving Russian-speaking Jews the freedom to make their own Jewish choices. “We have a patch of empty land: large enough to accommodate homes for all of you. We have bricks and materials. We have experts who can help you design your homes, and we will help you build them. ... Let us do this together.” This quote from Sir Jonathan Sacks’ book The … [Read more...]
How the great-great grandfathers of a young generation of Russian Jews are bringing their descendants back to Jewry by Roman Yanushevsky The history of Russian-Soviet Jewry has been both splendid and disastrous. From the traditional and relatively small pale of settlement communities of Tsarist Russia, the 20th century brought pogroms, two revolutions and two world wars, political repression and oppression, as well as several waves of emigration. From the shooting ditches and death camps of the Holocaust to the Jewish quota in the universities, the unhappy lands of the Soviet empire weren't exactly a welcoming place for the Jews. … [Read more...]
For Jim Joseph Foundation and Genesis Philanthropy Group, assisting families access Jewish education following Hurricane Sandy is a priority Two foundations, the San Francisco-based Jim Joseph Foundation and Genesis Philanthropy Group have stepped in to aid families impacted by Hurricane Sandy defray some of the costs associated with Jewish education. As Sandy recovery continues to stretch out over months, the financial blow to many families has been significant, forcing many to choose relocation and restoration expenses over continued Jewish education opportunities for their children. To assist these families, Jim Joseph Foundation yesterday announced a $1,000,000 grant to UJA-Federation of New York that will provide additional assistance for educational purposes such as tuition/enrollment … [Read more...]
When a tragedy turns into a mere historical fact from a textbook it can easily be manipulated. When no witnesses of tragic events remain someone can cast doubt on these events. This is where Holocaust denial comes from. And this is why it took years until it evolved - the majority of those who remember what really happened during these days had to pass away. The best way to resist Holocaust denial is to take a dry fact from a textbook and breathe life into it. In order to comprehend the essence and the reality of those atrocities, one has to experience it, to put this fact through his heart, to fit it on himself and his family. Since nothing is more convincing than when it happened to you, your family and your friends. This is why Genesis Philanthropy Group (GPG) sees its mission in supporting … [Read more...]
by Sana Britavsky Joel Frankel's thoughtful article (How American Staff on Taglit-Birthright Israel can Strengthen Jewish Continuity for Future Generations, Sept. 9th) has got the ball rolling on a very important discussion focused on the role of the national "madrichim" staff in Taglit-Birthright and the ways to improve its contribution to the success of this flagship Jewish project of our generation. As an Executive Director of Genesis Philanthropy Group in Israel - one of the contributors to the Taglit-Birthright program for Russian-speaking Jewish youth - I would like to share our own experience on "filling the gap". Since the beginning of our partnership with Taglit, we considered proper training of the local madrichim in the former Soviet Union as "mission critical" for the program to … [Read more...]
