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students is happening here in Jerusalem,” explains Rabbi
Josh Zweiback, Director of HUC-JIR’s Year-In-Israel
Program. “Together, we are building a program designed
to help our students get to know one another better, en-
counter Israel in a deeper way, and explore some of the
incredible opportunities and challenges confronting us
as a people and a nation.” Rabbi Zweiback co-directs this
new joint program with Rabbi Matt Berkowitz of JTS.
The generous grant supports the new Israel Engagement
Coordinator who works with students to help them con-
nect to Israelis and Israeli culture. Resources provide for
the enhancement of HUC-JIR’s retreat program and the
creation of a series of Israel encounters. Significant learn-
ing experiences include a visit to Midreshet Ein Prat –
Israel’s largest provider of intensive pluralistic Jewish
educational programming, which is forging a new para-
digm of Israeli Jewish identity. On a
tiyul
to the South
students from both seminaries explore the liberal reli-
gious kibbutzim of the Arava – Yahel, Lotan, and Keturah.
The joint celebration of Thanksgiving provides an oppor-
tunity to talk about gratitude in American/Israeli/Jewish
identity.
Daniel Alter, Lauren Levy, and Jessie Wainer lead
Shabbat Shacharit
services in a desert setting during
the overnight
tiyul
to the Negev.
“
The new Israel
Engagement Program
will fundamentally
educate, enrich, and
enlighten these future
Jewish leaders in ways
that will have an impact
on Israel-Diaspora
relations for generations
to come,”
concludes Rabbi
Michael Marmur, J ’92,
Vice President for
Academic Affairs.
A class trip to Qumran is led by Professor David Levine
as part of his Second Temple History class.
