JUF of Metropolitan Chicago

A Story of Two Noahs

Posted Wed, 04/08/2009 - 08:50 by Sharna Marcus

Noah Bronfeld participated in one of Shorashim's Chicago Community Taglit-Birthright Israel trip this past winter. Below is a letter from his parents which is excerpted from the latest print issue of JUF News and is also available Noah & Noah on their way up Masada.

We are the proud parents of two wonderful sons, Jordan, who is almost 25, and Noah, who is almost 23.
Several years ago, our son Jordan went on Taglit-Birthright Israel with Shorashim. He had a memorable trip, and it was then that I began to seriously think about how we could provide such an experience for our son Noah.
Our son Noah has autism. He has had a wonderful Jewish education through Keshet. He has attended the Sunday school and the summer programs since he was 5. Keshet has very much been instrumental in helping Noah to develop a sense of his Jewish identity.
In spite of the fact that Noah's friends participate in many Friday evening social activities, Noah is quite insistent about going to Friday night minyan and celebrating Shabbat at home, as a family. As we began to have discussions with Noah about whether he would like to go to Israel on Birthright, it became clear that not only was he interested in going, he was excited about it. Making a trip to Israel happen for Noah became a mission for us.

Continued at JUF News...

Israel's Current Challenge

Posted Fri, 01/09/2009 - 13:55 by Adam Stewart

While we don't intend to overload you with news every month, there is a lot going on at the moment (some good, some not) that we thought you would like to know. Americans and Israelis to gether at Gadna - Summer 2008 Israel is at war on its southern border as Shorashim safely continues to operate its Taglit-Birthright Israel programs. We successfully brought to a safe conclusion our partner programs with JNF (Alternative Winter Break) and JUF (KOLOT: The Israel-Centered Teen Giving Circle). The conflict, however, has a deep impact on the lives of our Israeli alumni and staff. In particular, Yakki and Yossi Samet - brothers who have been participants and staff on countless Shorashim trips - are currently serving in and around Gaza. Yakki who is a surgeon and who also served in Lebanon in the Summer of 2006, is now one of Shorashim's medical consultants. Just recently, he was seeing sick participants in his living room in Jerusalem. Yossi was the lead staff person for one of our JNF Alternative Winter Break trips when he was called to reserve duty. These are just two of the many alumni, their fathers, brothers, husbands, and friends, who have been called to duty. We all pray for their safe return.

'Gearing Up' for the 10th Year of Taglit-Birthright Israel

Posted Tue, 12/09/2008 - 15:08 by Sharna Marcus

Taking 1,500 Taglit-Birthright Israel participants to Israel every year requires great staff, both Israeli and American. Every Israeli guide holds a coveted “Moreh Derech” license, the highest touring certification offered in Israel. Shorashim has also invested considerable resources to hire and train staff from the United States to ensure the highest quality individuals staffing trips and educating the 40 Americans per bus who are experiencing Israel for the first time with six to ten of their Israeli peers.

To staff a Taglit-Birthright Israel trip, Shorashim requires madrichim to have had significant experience in Israel. Our U.S. staff includes many Shorashim alumni, and alumni from study abroad programs at the University of Tel Aviv and Hebrew University, former Otzma participants, and some who have staffed other high school, college and mission programs.

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