Twenty-four Jewish educators recently returned from Jewish National Fund-USA and Alexander Muss High School in Israel’s (Muss) Educators’ Mission to Israel, where participants spent eight 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 additional touring opportunities.
“Bonding with fellow educators, exploring how we love Israel and translating that into relevant, engaging programming in our classroom means so much to the communities we serve,” said Andre Ivory, education director at Congregation Or Tzion and Roz Goodell Religious School in Scottsdale, Ariz. “This mission showed that Israel education goes beyond pushkes (blue boxes) and pedagogy and shows the importance of people and partnerships. Partnering with Jewish National Fund-USA as we bring our communities closer to Israel is essential to how we function.”
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 lessons for their students.
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 intended to bring people together and develop 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’s educational methodology firsthand and learned how to bring Israel’s history to life.
“As an alumna of Muss, returning to the campus was especially meaningful,” said Naomi Elyachar, nursery school director at Congregation Sons of Israel Nursery and Religious School in Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. “It was wonderful to see it continuing to thrive and inspire the next generation of young people to build lasting connections to Israel.”
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, Fla., 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.
