South Florida Jewish Educators Return from Israel Equipped to Inspire the Next Generation of Zionists
|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Twenty-four Jewish educators, including four from the South Florida area, recently returned from Jewish National Fund-USA and Alexander Muss High School in Israel’s (Muss) Educators’ Mission to Israel, where participants spent eight immersive days exploring the realities of Israel and strengthening their ability to inspire the next generation of Zionists. Through visits to Jewish National Fund-USA initiatives across Israel’s North and South and experiential learning, participants gained new perspectives and resources to bring Israel education back to their schools and communities.
The annual mission was organized in collaboration with Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael (KKL-JNF) as part of its Worldwide Education Seminar, which brought together more than 200 educational leaders. The Jewish National Fund-USA delegation participated in a tailored itinerary and exclusive touring opportunities.
Throughout the week, participants experienced Jewish National Fund-USA’s circles of impact in action, exploring how initiatives across Israel’s North and South strengthen communities and enhance quality of life. The educators examined these efforts through the lens of Jewish values, exploring how Jewish responsibility, community, resilience, service, Zionism, and quality of life are put into action and can become meaningful lessons for their students.
“What impacted me most was witnessing the ripple effect of Jewish National Fund-USA’s work—how transforming one life can strengthen a community and ultimately a nation,” said Valeria Michanie, Director of Lifelong Learning at Broward Central Synagogue in Plantation. “Behind every initiative are powerful stories of resilience and hope.”
In Sderot and Eshkol, educators visited Jewish National Fund-USA’s Indoor Recreation Center and GrooveTech, two secure facilities where children can play safely despite the threat of rocket attacks. They visited Jewish National Fund-USA and KKL-JNF’s 9/11 Living Memorial in Jerusalem and toured the planned site of the World Zionist Village, a global center that will bring people together to shape the next generation of Zionist leadership.
Participants also volunteered alongside Muss students to prepare lunch for Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers and toured the Muss campus in Hod HaSharon, where they experienced Muss’ unique educational methodology firsthand and learned how to bring Israel’s history to life.
Following the mission, participants are working with Jewish National Fund-USA professionals to bring the organization’s programs and opportunities into their schools, including encouraging students to spend a semester abroad at Muss, traveling to Israel with Jewish National Fund-USA, and running relevant programming related to Zionist engagement and Jewish National Fund-USA’s work in Israel.
For Rabbi Liora Ramati, who serves as senior rabbi at Temple Emanu-El in Miami Beach, the experience demonstrated how Jewish values can translate into tangible action.
“The Educators’ Mission showed me an organization that turns dreams into reality,” said Ramati. “Everywhere we went, Jewish National Fund-USA was providing communities with not only what they needed to survive, but what they needed to build for the future. As a rabbi, I see Jewish National Fund-USA as a community of mitzvah-makers.”
For more information or to learn about Jewish National Fund-USA’s Zionist engagement initiatives, contact Zohar Vloski at 561.447.9733 x898 or zvloski@jnf.org.
