• Home
  • About
    • About
    • Policies
  • Submissions
    • Op-eds
    • News / Announcements
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

eJewish Philanthropy

Your Jewish Philanthropy Resource

  • News Bits
  • Jewish Education
  • Readers Forum
  • Research
  • Show Search
Hide Search
You are here: Home / In the Media / New Initiative to Strengthen Jewish Identity for Young FSU Jews Launched in Israel

New Initiative to Strengthen Jewish Identity for Young FSU Jews Launched in Israel

October 29, 2013 By eJP

Program participants volunteering at a home for the elderly in Beer Sheva; photo courtesy Naftali Philipson.
Program participants volunteering at a home for the elderly in Beer Sheva; photo courtesy Nachshon Philipson.

The Genesis Philanthropy Group, Masa Israel Journey, and Israeli Roots Odyssey (known as Masa Yisraeli in Hebrew) have  launched a new initiative to strengthen the Jewish identity of young Jews from the former Soviet Union and to deepen their connections to Israel.  The initiative is based on the Israeli Roots Odyssey model that includes a weeklong journey dedicated to familiarizing participants with Israel and its society, in the course of which participants will explore their Jewish identity in an educational and experiential manner and will also discover their personal connections to the Jewish people, to the Land of Israel, and to Jewish heritage.  The program’s pilot was launched on October 22nd and involves 220 young people from throughout the former Soviet Union.

The experience began with a hike through Israel’s Negev Desert and reached its peak in Jerusalem. The program included volunteering in Beer Sheva and meetings with Israelis, including immigrants from the former Soviet Union who have successfully integrated into a range of fields.

Following the pilot’s conclusion, Sana Britavsky, Executive Director of Genesis Philanthropy Group in Israel, told eJP: “There’s a saying in Russian “Pervyi blin komom” (“First pancake always goes bad”). Well, in this case I am happy to say this is definitely not true. The pilot exceeded our expectations, and while we are still evaluating the results, I can say that, if all partners are interested in learning from this experience and to move forward, Genesis will be happy to join the effort.”

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: In the Media Tagged With: Genesis Philanthropy Group / GPG, Masa Israel Journey

Click here to Email This Post Email This Post to friends or colleagues!

Primary Sidebar

Join The Conversation

What's the best way to follow important issues affecting the Jewish philanthropic world? Our Daily Update keeps you on top of the latest news, trends and opinions shaping the landscape, providing an invaluable source for inspiration and learning.
Sign Up Now
For Email Marketing you can trust.

Continue The Conversation

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Recent Comments

  • Bruce Powell on An Invitation To Transparency: Reflections on an Open Salary Spreadsheet
  • Sara Rigler on Announcement: Catherine Reed named CEO of American Friends of Magen David Adom
  • Donna Burkat on The Blessings in 2020’s Losses
  • swindmueller on Where Do We Go From Here?
    Reflections On 2021
    A Jewish Response to These Uncertain Times
  • Alan Henkin on Where Do We Go From Here?
    Reflections On 2021
    A Jewish Response to These Uncertain Times

Most Read Recent Posts

  • Jewish Agency Accuses Evangelical Contractors of “Numerous Violations” but Denies They Evangelized New Immigrants
  • Breaking: Birthright Israel & Onward Israel Seek to Join Forces to Strengthen Jewish Diaspora Ties with Israel
  • An Invitation To Transparency: Reflections on an Open Salary Spreadsheet
  • Why One Zoom Class Has Generated a Following
  • The Blessings in 2020’s Losses

Categories

The Way Back Machine

Footer

What We Do

eJewish Philanthropy highlights news, resources and thought pieces on issues facing our Jewish philanthropic world in order to create dialogue and advance the conversation. Learn more.

Top 40 Philanthropy Blogs, Websites & Influencers in 2020

Copyright © 2021 · eJewish Philanthropy · All Rights Reserved