Kefiada 2009

Kefiada volunteers enter a rewarding and challenging experience both working and playing in Israel. The experience includes teaching English to Israeli children, living with Israelis, learning about Israel, the people and the culture, through people-to-people relationships, connections and friendships.


Whether this is your first visit to Israel or have visited many times before, our experience has shown that participation in Kefiada will surely be a wonderful and memorable summer.


Kefiada provides American Jewish young adults the opportunity to have a real impact on Israeli society through their daily interaction with the campers and their families while exploring the beauty, complexity and vitality of their Partnership 2000 region and Israel.


Participation in Kefiada is based upon acceptance by the applicant’s local United Jewish Federation and final acceptance by the Jewish Agency for Israel.

What is Kefiada?

Kefiada is an English speaking day camp in Israel in your Partnership 2000 region. The campers are from the local Israeli region and you are the counselors from the partnered community abroad.

Kefiada assists Israeli children to master Basic English language skills in a camp setting while enjoying creative and fun camp activities. Very similar to the kinds of camp experiences in which you participated in the USA, but this time the campers’ mother tongue is Hebrew.

English and the skills you can help teach will be essential to these children as they begin to compete and interact in today’s world. In addition, Kefiada is one of the best People-to-People programs, strengthening the “living bridge” between you and Israel.

What is Partnership 2000?

The Jewish Agency’s Israel Department together with the United Jewish Communities and Keren Hayesod launched Partnership 2000 in 1995. This innovative program links Jews in Israel and the Diaspora in an effort to promote Jewish continuity and develop Israel’s priority areas – the Negev, Galilee and Central Israel.

Partnership 2000 offers Diaspora communities an opportunity for direct involvement in developing Israel’s peripheries. The Negev and Galilee hold more than two-thirds of Israel’s land reserves, yet only house 17% of the population.

To date, 43 regions have been matched with over 550 Diaspora communities. Nearly every region combines urban centers with neighboring rural areas. The principle categories for intervention are immigrant absorption, population growth, job creation and human needs. People-to-People involvement is the heart of Partnership 2000.

How many American volunteers will be sent to the region in Israel this summer?

Depending upon the budget, 4-20 American volunteers are sent to each region in Israel.

How old are the Israeli campers?

The campers are usually in grades 4-7.

Am I the only counselor in the group?

In most camps, an Israeli co-counselor (Madatzim) who has been trained to work with Kefiada will work along side of you. Madatzim are usually 18 years old, graduates of high school and awaiting entry into the Israeli army.

Am I in charge of the camp?

No. Kefiada volunteers are group counselors who are responsible for the well being and activities of a group of approximately 15 Israeli campers. Every Kefiada is sponsored by the local Community Center or Regional Council in Israel as well as Partnership 2000. The camp itself is directed by the local Kefiada Camp Director who is assisted by both the Jewish Agency’s Partnership 2000 local staff as well as the local Community Center and/or Regional Council staff.

In addition, many of the communities have a local Gesher L’Kesher (Living Bridge) coordinator who is responsible for the well-being and extra-curricular activities of the American volunteers in the region.

What does a typical day at Kefiada look like?

(this will vary from region to region)

7:30 a.m. Arrival to Camp

8:00 a.m. Camp Day Begins
Camp schedules are based on theme days such as food day, water day, American day, animal day, etc. During the day the activities that you develop are related to the theme including vocabulary words, songs, games, snacks, art and crafts projects, trips, drama, story telling, etc.

1:00 p.m. Camp Day Ends
Lunch followed by a summary meeting which often includes reviewing the next day’s theme and activities.

4:00 p.m. Free Evening.

During some afternoons and evenings during the summer, the P2K Living Bridge coordinator will plan trips, hikes and site seeing, visits with local Government officials, and interesting experiences. Participation in these activities is required of all Kefiada volunteers.

Where do I live during Kefiada?

Volunteers will live with either an Israeli host family in their local region where in most cases there will be at least one member of the family who speaks English, or, in some regions apartments are rented for the Kefiada volunteers in the region (either in the city, on a kibbutz or in an absorption center.) In this case, Kefiada volunteers will also have an adopted Israeli family in the local region.

These kinds of housing opportunities afford volunteers the unique experiences of living in Israel in an authentic environment, getting to know the people and contributing first hand to strengthening the ties that bind Israel and North America.

What kind of qualifications do I need?

First, Kefiada volunteers are Jewish young adults between the ages of 19-25 who have completed at least one year of college and who come from or study in one of the Partnership 2000 communities hosting Kefiada this summer in Israel (but not exclusively.)

It is helpful if Kefiada volunteers are qualified, trained counselors who have experience working with children in camp settings and/or youth movements. In addition, have exhibited leadership skills, creativity and flexibility.

What training is provided?
All Kefiada volunteers participate in training seminars, sometimes both in North America and Israel. This is MANDATORY for all Kefiada volunteers.
There will be a mandatory seminar from a Thursday –Saturday night (after Shabbat) in Jerusalem for all Partnership 2000 Kefiada volunteers.
How do I apply?

The first step in applying is to thoroughly read and familiarize yourself with the information in the registration pack.

Second
· Contact your local federation representative (either home federation or school federation) for specific information about your Partnership 2000 Kefiada.
· If you’re not sure how to connect to your local federation, or want further information please contact the director at your Partnership 2000 office in Israel:

Phone: 972-8-9950839
Fax: 972-8-9950801
Email: shimonsh@jafi.org .il

Third, the following forms must be submitted:
· Registration form fully completed (three copies)
· Photographs (2 with name written on the back and stapled to registration form)
· Photocopy of the passport personal details page
· Medical Form (mandatory!)
· Additional letters from doctors/specialists if required
· 2 recommendation letters filled in by non-family members

REGISTRATION

All correspondence regarding registration should be directed to your Jewish Federation Kefiada coordinator or Racheli Ben-Lulu at JAFI.
· All forms must be filled in accurately with the maximum of information provided. If you do not have all the information, please note what is missing and send it as the information is received.
· Please note that completion of the registration and medical forms does not necessarily mean acceptance to Kefiada.
· Applicants are obliged to attend all interviews and orientation meetings both in the USA and Israel.
· Orientation dates will be given to you at a later date by your federation.
· The JAFI Israel Department in Israel has the right to send you home at any stage during the program if your behavior is deemed unacceptable.
We reserve the right without prior notice to decline any application or cancel any booking.

Energy Experts come to Arad

Last week, Ofra, Workit, Ilene and I all met with a group of people visiting Arad on an Energy Experts Seminar through the American Jewish Committee. We met the group at the Inbar hotel and spoke to them about the partnership, Arad and ourselves during dinner. Ofra started the evening by giving an overview of the partnership and all that the partnership does. She also explained who Workit, Ilene and I are and how we are connected to the partnership. When Ofra was finished Workit spoke about herself and the work she does in the Ethiopian community of Arad through the Ethiopian youth center, Tzelty. The group was very interested in her aliah story and about the different culture that she comes from. Ilene and I spoke about Otzma and the role that we play with the partnership as part of our program. We also spoke about the different places that we are volunteering and the way that we are making connections in Arad. Once we all spoke we opened it up for questions from the group. The group had many questions and it was very satisfying to be able to be the ones to answer their questions. When we left the group after dinner it was a feeling of success in that we were really able to inform this group about the partnership and the different types of activities that it is a part of in order to bridge the gap between American Jews and Israelis.

It has been about a month since I first arrived in Arad, Delaware’s Partnership 2000 city as a participant on OTZMA. At the time, the situation in Gaza had escalated to the point where the Israeli Army to defend the citizens living in the south of Israel from the daily Hamas rocket attacks. During this stressful time for Israel, I, like all Israelis, continued to live as much of a normal life as possible. I received emails and phone calls from family and friends asking if I was coming home. I appreciated their concern, however I knew that coming home was not an option. My fellow Otzma participants and I felt it was more important to stand strong behind Israel and our sister city communities in the south during this difficult time.

Since the cease-fire, many participants in my program, including myself, have moved back to their partnership cities. This week I will be participating in a seminar focused on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We will be spending time in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and most importantly Sderot. In Sderot we will be spending time speaking with citizens about their experiences and looking at the aftermath in Gaza and Sderot.

In addition to spending time learning more about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, I have been spending a lot of time volunteering in Arad. As soon as I arrived in Arad I felt at home. I have been volunteering three mornings per week at the high school helping to prepare the students for the English Begrut (the exams that Israeli high school students have to pass in order to graduate). The teachers there are so welcoming. The 12th grade English teacher, Bela, even gives me a goody bag each week. In addition to the friendly staff, I have really enjoyed helping the students gain confidence speaking English while getting to know about their lives in Arad. Another volunteering placement that I have really enjoyed is Biet Giladi, Arad’s senior day center. There, the elderly come together for two meals a day and an abundance of activities such as exercise class, singing, gardening, and bingo. I have been teaching conversational English and computer skills to a group of eager members and enjoying card games over coffee and tea. The most rewarding part of volunteering at Biet Giladi is the warm people with whom I get to share a little bit of their day while practicing my Hebrew and hearing the many stories that compose their lives. It is a really amazing to be a part of an organization that provides friendship and a community for many senior citizens of Arad, who, without this program, would be spending most days alone.

While I have spent most of my time in Arad volunteering with amazing organizations, one of my highlights thus far was when my alma mata, the University of Delaware, made a trip to Arad during UD’s annual Hillel taglit-birthright trip. We spent the morning catching up while beautifying the outside of the new young adult center/partnership offices for the upcoming dedication ceremony. We sanded the fence, trimmed the bushes, cleared the weeds, and planted a small flower garden. We all enjoyed helping out our sister city while Ofra Nathan Bezalel, the Living bridge Coordinator, talked about the connection between Delaware and Arad. She discussed potential opportunities for students to participate in Living bridge programs between Arad and Delaware. If you are interested in learning about these opportunities, you can check out http://www.shalomdelaware.org/section.aspx?id=59, or for more information on OTZMA go to www.otzma.org. Overall, it was a great experience for me to show Arad to some friends from home and share how meaningful my time volunteering with OTZMA has been.

As the month of January comes to an end and I look back on my experiences thus far, I know that OTZMA has already given an experience that I will be forever grateful for. As the program continues, I look forward to strengthening my relationships within Arad because I know that as much as I can give to Arad, I am receiving so much more in return.

~Ilene

Official Arad Partnership office opening

The official opening of the new offices for the partnership in Arad took place February 2, 2009. The new offices are located in a building that has been renovated and turned into a beautiful young adult center for the people of Arad. This project was able to be completed because of the support of the Ness Foundation and the Jewish Federation of Central New Jersey. Eleanor Rubin came as a representative of the Ness Foundation and Stanley Stone, the Executive director, and other lay leaders came as representatives of the Jewish Federation of Central New Jersey. It was a true pleasure to be able to watch as Mrs. Rubin, Stanley Stone and other Central New Jersey representatives stood alongside the mayor of Arad, Gideon Bar Lev, and unveiled the new sign on the front of the young adult center. The sign is a small symbol of the generosity of the Jewish Federation of Central New Jersey toward the city of Arad. This generosity was greatly appreciated. After the sign outside was revealed the mayor had the privilege of hanging the Mezuzah on the door of the young adult center before everyone entered and the celebration began. Many different people gave their words of thanks and their visions for this new center. Specifically, the mayor, Gideon Bar Lev, stated how having this center is another way to have the young adults of the community stay in Arad. He truly believes that they are the future of the community. We were also privileged to hear the teenagers from the Ethiopian youth center in Arad perform their musical talents. A member of the young adult center, Ortal Saragani, also sang for the group with her lovely voice. A beautiful PowerPoint presentation was shown to display all of the wonderful things that are going on in Arad and the Tamar region due to the efforts of the partnership. At the end an incredible dinner was served and all that were present really enjoyed themselves and were proud to be a part of the momentous occasion of dedicating this center.

Monmouth Delegation

The Arad-Tamar partnership is very excited to be sending a group of sixteen and seventeen year old students over to Monmouth County, New Jersey. This mission is something that started a few years ago and continues because of its importance for both the Israelis and Americans involved. This year the group of teenagers will be accompanied on the mission by Ofra who is the living-bridge coordinator of the partnership. While in Monmouth County the teens will be hosted by families from local synagogues who also have teenagers the same age. The Israelis will be partaking in the synagogue and religious school activities as well as going with the host teenager to their local public school to talk about themselves and living in Israel in English. This is a great example of the way that the partnership fosters the living bridge and having Americans and Israelis meet one another.

University of Delaware Hillel Birthright Winter 2009

The University of Delaware Hillel came to Arad last week as part of their ten day Israel experience. The group came to volunteer in their partnership community as they usually do on their birthright trips. This time the group came to the new partnership offices in order to help make the landscape in front of the youth center, where the offices are, more appealing. When they arrived all the participants received Arad-Tamar partnership t-shirts and got right to work on planting flowers. While working hard outside the group got to meet other American youth who are spending time in Arad. The people they met were all part of a group called Otzma which is a long term Jewish Agency volunteer program. They were able to talk about Arad and all that the partnership and Israel have to offer as well as the many opportunities that these birthright participants will have to come back to Israel and to help in their partnership communities. The Otzma group is a great example of this as most of them are birthright alumni. After all the fun work of planting was done the birthright participants along with the Otzma group headed inside for a traditional Israeli lunch of falafel with the partnership staff. At this time the partnership director, Shimon, spoke to the group and explained to them more about the partnership and all it has to offer. When lunch was over the group was able to leave happily knowing that they left their mark in the land of Arad and their partnership.

After leaving Nazareth Illit but before beginning the next part of Otzma in my partnership city I spent two weeks at the Pardes Institute for Jewish Learning in Jerusalem. This was a very beneficial experience for me because I was given the opportunity to study and learn Jewish texts in a pluralistic learning environment. We were able to learn in Chevruta or paired style learning. It was very eye opening to be able to hear other people’s opinions on the different topics and issues that were brought up through the text study and class discussions. At the end of this exciting learning experience we discussed ways in which to bring this text study into our year long volunteer program through the use of stories and values learned. It is my plan to use the different values and lessons from my two week learning experience to enhance my volunteering experience in my partnership city.
Due to the current situation in the south of Israel the plan that I had of living and volunteering in Ofakim and only coming to volunteer in my own partnership city of Arad two days a week was changed. I am now going to be living and volunteering in Arad full time. I am very happy with the change because from the very beginning I have wanted to come to Arad full time and now I am given the opportunity. Arad also took in the group of Otzma participants who were supposed to be in Kiryat Malachi and is giving them a temporary home until they are able to go back to their original plan. I am very proud that the partnership of Arad/Tamar was able to take in my fellow participants in this time of war in the south.
The second part of my Otzma experience began over a week ago when I moved into the partnership apartment in Arad with my friend Ilene Bloom from Delaware. I am now living and working in Arad which is the New Jersey/Delaware partnership city. I have been welcomed into Arad with open arms and have been given many choices of places to volunteer thanks to Ofra and the rest of the partnership. After seeing all of the options I have chosen to volunteer at three different locations. Four mornings a week I am volunteering at a local elementary school, Ye'elim-Ofarim, teaching English in the Kindergarten and first grade. Two afternoons a week I am volunteering at an afternoon program for teen girls, whose purpose is to keep them safe and off the street. At this placement I serve as a mentor and help the girls with whatever it is they need. Teaching them English is one thing that I have already started to do there but I look forward to starting to work with them on other things as well. The other two afternoons a week I am working in the Ethiopian absorption center. One of the two days I do activities with the kindergarten age children and the other day I work one on one with a boy who is half blind. All of these places are ones that I feel I can truly make a difference in and gain a lot from in return.
In addition to the wonderful beginning of volunteering in Arad I have also been able to be a part of the partnership program with Ben Gurion University and Rutgers University which is a program that is striving to give eye glasses to all the elderly who need them in the Arad/Tamar region. To start this program a group of young adults were taken into the Ein Tamar region to a special night of activity. It was a great opportunity for me to feel connected to the partnership and at the same time meet other young adults my age from the area. I look forward to being able to continue to be a part of this and other partnership sponsored programs in the region.
While in Arad I have also had the opportunity to start to explore the area of Arad/Tamar on my own. I have been able to go down to the Dead Sea and see hot water springs as well as explore the lovely desert that Arad is a part of. It is a true privilege to be a part of this community and to be giving back to the community as part of Otzma and as part of the New Jersey/Delaware partnership. I am very excited about what is to come as my time in Arad continues.

P2K Update--January 2009

It is with very mixed feelings that I am sending out this update on the status of our P2K community. Like many Israelis, I feel personally affected by the current conflict in southern Israel. Last Thursday, Arad lost one of its own sons when 23 year old Captain Omer Rabinovitch was killed in action in Gaza. Leadership from the Partnership made a shiva visit to his family, and learned that he had been accepted into JAFI’s Shlichut (Emissary) Program and Officer Training School. He felt that he would be better prepared to be an emissary after his experience as an officer in the Army. And so, their loss extends to us. May they know no further sorrow.

But we also have positive things to report. Mayor Gidon Bar Lev and the Municipality of Arad brought over 350 children and adults from the towns and kibbutzim that have been in the line of fire to Arad. The students are studying with their teachers, along side the Arad children. Over $20,000 has been raised from the citizens to cover housing costs for them, and we have committed to help with matching funds. We all hope that the conflict will be resolved soon, but it is so wonderful that the children have a safe place to be now, away form their shelters, the noise and pressure, and can study in peace and quiet.

Another bright light is our new Vision project. Professor Richard Israelowitz of Ben Gurion University has begun an exciting project that brings a mobile vision program to Arad and Tamar for the elderly and others. Students and staff from Rutgers University and Ben Gurion will work together to identify potential clients, examine them for glaucoma and other eye problems, and provide glasses and other appropriate remedies. Aside from helping older adults lead more active lives, this project brings together students and professionals from two universities, and familiarizes them with our special partnership. Our hope is that other programs that deal with social issues, such as substance abuse or domestic violence, can also be developed or replicated in Arad, thereby providing additional services to the city.

I can also brag that my 84 year old Mom, Naomi, who created a the AACI Library for the Visually Impaired in Jerusalem, has joined the project in Arad and is bringing her program of free books on tape for them and help expand the services (Which can be shipped free to the Library through the US Postal Service- I will send info on how to do that for those of you who have books on tape that you can send).

The ultimate goal of Partnership 2000 is to connect Israelis and Jews in the Diaspora in meaningful ways. Another new initiative of the Partnership is Eco-Connections, where classes in Israel, New Jersey and Delaware meet via the internet and connect through the study of the environment within a Jewish context. Already, three classes in Arad and Tamar have committed to participate and we are just finalizing which classes will participate from the states.

Our Living Bridge programs are gaining more and more interest as growing numbers of people participate. We are thrilled to have two OTZMA students living in Arad for two months and look forward to welcoming a contingent of volunteers from Central New Jersey to the region in March. We will again begin recruiting for our Kefiada program which sends six young adults to the region to be English language camp counselors. In turn, the region sends Israeli counselors to our camps through our Ivriada program. These counselors have home hospitality and form bonds with the families that last long after they return home. Similarly, our Maccabiah program brings Israeli athletes from the region to compete in our JCC Maccabiah games.

As you can tell, I am passionate about the Partnership and its potential. I invite you to join me and get involved in it. For more information, visit our blog at aradtamarpartnership2000.blogspot.com and find links to many Partnership sites.

Todah,

Sivia Braunstein
P2K Chair

General Assembly Arad/Tamar Visit

Hi. My name is Aliza Gases and I am on a program called Otzma which is a 10 month volunteer program through UJC and JAFI. I am being sponsored for this program through the Middlesex County and Monmouth County federations. Part of my program is done with the partnership 2000 cities and as a result I have been working with and visiting Arad a lot. I also have an adoptive family from Arad who I get to go visit and enjoy time with. Starting in January I will be volunteering 2 days a week in Arad. I am very excited for this experience. I look forward to being able to give back to our partnership.
As part of the General Assembly(GA) I was able to go visit Arad and Tamar with the partnerships steering committee. It was a great opportunity as I was able to see many of the projects that the New Jersey and Delaware federations help fund and support. I was also able to meet many people involved in the partnership and learn a lot. I am very excited to become an active part of the partnership starting in January and I look forward to sharing with you the many opportunities that I have in Arad.

Summer Reflections

While the weather is freezing in New Jersey and Delaware, but this report from two Ivriada counselors in Southern New Jersey will surely warm your hearts.



On June 16th 2008 we arrived to the community of Cherry Hill, N.J on a mission to bring some Israeli spirit to the kids in the JCC Camps.

A taxi waited for us and took us straight to the JCC. Our first American breakfast… they put something that looks like a white-spare-wheel on a plate, along with an unusual kind of cheese. They told us: "this is bagel and cream cheese"… our first American experience has begun.

After getting over jetlag we were taken to tour the camp, and for people that came from Arad, Israel, the camp looked like a whole city. We walked around the camp and just imagined how it would be with kids running around. One week after, it happened and we were living what we could only imagine in Israel. This is what we were prepared for and now it's our time to do "our thing"!

All of this time we were hosted by wonderful host families who opened their warm hearts and were like our parents and family in the U.S. We changed 4 host families during the summer. Every time we arrived to a new family it was a bit weird in the beginning…new house, new food and new people but every time when we had to leave and move out to a new family, to see the faces of the people that we lived with for few weeks and their feelings towards us showed us that we did a good job. We knew that we touched their hearts and brought Israel into their house. We also got the feeling that now Israel means more to them after they know us.

A week after a week, we became an inseparable part of the camp and the campers' life. We brought Israel and Hebrew to them by teaching them Hebrew words in the mornings and just by being with them. Strong bonds were made with the campers and the staff. So strong that chatting with our American staff-friends is an everyday event with "Facebook" in our lives. We remember how in the first few weeks we didn't know what to do after camp in the evenings. It changed after few weeks. It turned from "don't know what to do" to "which friend's offer should we choose"…how to be with everybody…

Without any doubt, this summer was an unbelievable experience that changed our lives. We keep thinking of it, talking about it and keeping the fire that we started in our American friends' hearts burning!

Thank you to all the people that were involved in this unforgettable summer!

Benny Brest
Eyal Oz, Arad - Israel.