PARTNERSHIP2GETHER (P2G)
Kfar Saba - Columbus

Members of the steering committee from Kfar Saba will travel to Columbus for days of meetings. Sessions may include group building exercises, program planning and evaluation, socializing, Jewish and cultural programming and site visits. members of the committee escort by professional staff members will visit their counterparts to participate in the meetings and become personally acquainted with the partner communities. Meetings will be held in community facilities. The planned meetings are critical for building a stronger relationship and making sure the programs we offer meet their stated outcomes. The Columbus chair-persons and staff are responsible for planning the meetings in coordination with their counterparts overseas.

The Educational Bridge program strengthens ties between children and youths in Kfar Saba and Columbus. The goal of the program is to create a connection between Jewish kids in Israel and the Diaspora in order for them to experience the daily customs and lifestyle of the other community. The Educational Bridge program connects between elementary schools in the city and schools in Columbus, as well as between kindergarten and a parallel kindergarten in Columbus. The program includes the exchange and sharing of knowledge, ties between teachers and the exchange of delegations. Various topics are discussed in each of the schools. The pupils work on projects that they choose and the results are presented in the schools of the partner community. Several times a year, prior to the Jewish festivals, the kindergartens celebrate the holidays together through ZOOM and the children send presents and handicrafts to each other.

Prior to Remembrance Day and as part of the curriculum of the Jewish high school in Columbus, groups of students are exposed to the stories of fallen soldiers from Kfar Saba. Through this program, the participants learn about the issue of bereavement in Israel. The program also creates ties between the students in Columbus and the bereaved families in Kfar Saba. The Yad LeBanim organization and the families in Kfar Saba appreciate and are moved by the perpetuation of their children’s memory through this program.

Intended for 9th grade students from Kfar Saba and Columbus. A program that will deepen the connection between the youth and the community in which they live and to get to know their peers from the partner community. In the first year, the program will involve Zoom meetings, and in the future it will include a delegation to the community, when it can be based on hosting families in Columbus and Kfar Saba. The zoom sessions will cover diverse topics such as: Jewish identity, involvement in the community, heritage, peoplhood and Zionism.

This program will provide a cultural experience by sharing tastes, flavors, music, and stories between our communities. We believe this is a great way to engage large numbers of people with the Jewish Federations and give a taste of Israel and our Partnership in a way that appeals to all the senses. Since we aim for the program to take place during the National Days (Yoms), we will include an element of remembrance, creating a buildup program to honor those who were lost. We will connect with bereaved families to learn about and commemorate the favorite foods of the fallen.

Create a joint group of young Jewish adults from both communities, utilizing the virtual space to connect across geographical, cultural, and religious denominational boundaries. They will learn together about their Jewish identity, Jewish life, and their responsibilities as Jews to their community and the worldwide Jewish community. The program will provide a safe space for dialogue on pressing issues in Israel and the Jewish world through guided discussions. The program seeks to establish strong friendships, focusing on community members aged 35+ interested in meaningful relationships. The highlight of the program should be a face-to-face retreat held in the US and/or Israel in the next budget year.