Seeking to address the widespread under-performance of youth in low-income communities, while offering a unique Israel experience to participants, Israel Teaching Fellows launched this week. A new, joint, initiative of the Ministry of Education and Masa Israel Journey, the program brings 75 university graduates from North America to Israel to volunteer as English teachers in schools across the country. In doing so, Israel is joining a handful of countries who “import” English teachers from abroad, including Japan, South Korea and France. Immediately following the high holidays, the volunteers will be placed in elementary schools in Petah Tikva, Rishon Lezion, Rehovot, Netanya, Ramle and Lod. Following an initial training period, the volunteers will live in small groups in these communities … Continue Reading
New Initiatives Channel Masa Alumni into Activism and Leadership Roles
With 11,000 participants this year - up from 3,000 in its inception year in 2004 - Masa Israel Journey has opened a new alumni division, and has placed regional representatives in cities throughout the United States in partnership with local Federations. The alumni division's goals, which include a special focus on Birthright alumni, who make up 56% of post-college participants, are to pipeline these Jewish young adults into leadership positions in their communities and empower them to become lifelong advocates and activists for Israel. These goals were created following a June 2011 survey of Masa Israel alumni in which 86% of those surveyed expressed interest in attending Jewish and Israel-related events, 82% in advocating for Israel, 81% in volunteering in a Jewish organization, and 59% in … Continue Reading
Young Progressives to Make Group Aliyah
Defying the image of American aliyah as reserved for the politically conservative, a group of 12 liberal young Jews from the Habonim Dror North America movement will move to Israel this September to form an urban kibbutz. “This is one of the most exciting developments in Labor-Zionist aliyah in the past two decades,” says Talia Spear, the national director of Habonim Dror. “While individuals from Habonim Dror have been immigrating to Israel for many years, this is the first time in decades that activists are making aliyah together as a group. Their decision is stirring up a lot of energy across the movement. We’re hoping that this group will be the first in a new wave of young, progressive, North Americans moving to Israel.” The group is made up of recent college graduates who are … Continue Reading
Continuing a Peoplehood Debate
by Dr. Misha Galperin I am delighted that my op-ed has spurred a conversation about an issue that is critical to modern Jewish life. What is the nature of Jewish peoplehood? If it is about connection among Jews, but has no additional substance, then we have failed our history and our values. If peoplehood is only a way to raise money, then we haven’t gone deep enough. If it is to serve “the stranger ” without caring for our own first, then we have missed the mark. Peoplehood is such a new word that it comes up every time you spell check it. The newness of it has collapsed into vague discussions and definitions. I offer mine again: Jewish peoplehood is the bond that exists among Jews that transcends time and geography and involves mutual care and responsibility; it’s about meaningful … Continue Reading
Fortune 500 Multinationals Recruit American Interns in Israel
American companies are now taking notice of the thousands of young adults working as interns in Israel. As a result, senior leaders from global companies, including Ernst & Young, Citigroup, Deloitte and Wells Fargo are currently here to visit Israeli businesses and meet with these individuals. In the continuing economic recession, 7,200 college graduates are participating in professional internships in Israel, an increase of almost 50% since 2007. The trip was arranged by MASA Israel Journey who collaborated with New York University's Career Center and Rochester Institute of Technology's Office of Career Services to develop the Employer Thought Leadership Summit in Israel. The Summit enables international business leaders to visit Israeli companies with American interns, share best practices … Continue Reading
Israel’s Complicated Relationship With World Aid
In the face of international crises, nonprofit veteran says Israel needs to increase its involvement in worldwide aid. by Sharon Udasin One of the most gaping holes in the Israeli nonprofit sector is a strong presence in international aide arena, contributions toward causes and communities completely unrelated to Israel and world Jewry, according to Dr. Mike Naftali, who is trying to repair this dearth through his nonprofit organization Brit Olam. “Nobody in Israel really cares about international affairs because we are so self-absorbed in our own dilemmas,” said Naftali, suggesting that government policy is perhaps most responsible for the lack of charitable investments abroad. Naftali, a social worker by profession with three decades of experience in the Israeli nonprofit sector, … Continue Reading
Making Israel ‘the Best and Brightest’
by Sharon Udasin In the US, the post-graduated program Teach for America has become as difficult to get into as an Ivy League law school, as college seniors all over the country vie for coveted spots to teach in underserved urban and rural schools - now, in Israel, a similar yet still budding nonprofit organization is attempting to bring teaching the same sort of prestige and popularity here. Hotam: Teach First Israel, part of the Teach for All global network, actively recruits talented university grads to teach in periphery schools that desperately need more instructors, and is currently in its second year of recruitment for next year’s 110 new positions. The teaching commitment is two years long, and program directors have already received 1,100 applications and are hoping to reach 1,200 … Continue Reading
MASA Teams American and Israeli Volunteers
In response to traditional volunteer programs that have Americans parachuting in and out of countries worldwide with no long-term effects, Masa Israel Journey recently launched two new, integrated volunteer programs that team up American and Israeli volunteers to create sustainable projects in Israel’s underserved periphery. Through the five-month Yahel Social Change Program, Americans work with Israeli grassroots organizations to create community-driven educational projects in immigrant communities. In the 10-month Ma’ase Olam program, Americans join Israeli peers in their own communities and volunteer with local NGOs. The Yahel Social Change Program, based in Gedera, launched in 2010 with six North American participants, five whom stayed on for the spring 2011 semester. By teaming up … Continue Reading
Intensive Leadership Training in Israel Empowers Next Generation of Jews
This week, 500 young adults are participating in Building Future Leadership, Masa Israel Journey’s intensive leadership program in Israel. Chosen from nearly 10,000 current Masa participants from around the world, Building Future Leadership will prepare these young adults to fill leadership positions when they return to their campuses and communities. Various Jewish campus and communal organizations are now actively seeking Masa Israel alumni to take leadership positions upon their return home. Building Future Leadership’s week-long events include discussions about critical issues facing the Jewish people, leadership skill development sessions focused on entrepreneurship, public speaking, and networking, trips to the Knesset and Yad Vashem, and meetings with social activists and community … Continue Reading
Israel Calls on Jewish Americans to Close Achievement Gap
In order to address Israel's educational inequity and the widespread under-performance of youth in low-income communities, Masa Israel Journey and the Israeli Ministry of Education are launching Israel Teaching Fellows to serve as volunteer English teachers throughout Israel. Through this initiative, 100 exemplary North American college graduates will be chosen to teach in underprivileged communities in Israel for a 10-month service program. Similar programs are JET in Japan, EPIK in Korea, Teaching Assistant Program in France, North American Language and Cultural Assistants in Spain and English Opens Doors in Chile. Following an initial training period, the Teaching Fellows will live in small groups in communities in Israel and teach for 20 hours a week. The Teaching Fellows will also … Continue Reading
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