407-645-5933 ext. 236 marisa.west@shalomorlando.org

Journey back to Israel

by | Apr 5, 2019

This Tuesday, April 9, is Election Day in Israel. The 21st Knesset will be elected, and there is a heated race for Prime Minister. If you want to learn more about the election, The Times of Israel has a good primer here.
  

I mention the Israeli elections because the Federation has a commitment to the State of Israel and the worldwide Jewish community. Each year we provide funding to our partnership community, Kiryat Motzkin, to help support important programs they need. Our deep connection to Israel is a core part of our mission, and it is crucial that we do all we can to ensure Israel remains a free, democratic and Jewish state as the homeland for the Jewish people.

Here in Greater Orlando, we are fortunate to have many organizations that share our commitment and organize trips to Israel. I hope that many of you take advantage of these great opportunities. As a community, we have not taken a trip to Israel in more than two decades. We intend to end that drought next year. 

 

It is fitting that our next leadership meeting about a community trip to Israel coincides with Israel’s Election Day on Tuesday. We are planning for a large trip at the end of April 2020. It is after Passover and will ensure we are in Israel for both Yom HaZikaron (Israel’s Memorial Day) and Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day). While this trip will include many traditional experiences for a visitor to Israel, such as spending Shabbat in Jerusalem, we are working to create a journey full of unique experiences that are not to be missed!  And we’d love to hear your ideas!  
 

I invite you to join us at 7 pm Tuesday in the Senior Lounge at The Roth Family JCC in Maitland to help shape our “2020 Vision: Our Community Trip to Israel.”

In the meantime, we can celebrate Israel’s 71st birthday together as a community with The Roth Family JCC during Israel Week: 

  

Monday, May 6: Israeli Dancing 
 
 
Shabbat Shalom,
Keith Dvorchik