Newsletter Category

Summer Program Adds Berlin

Posted Fri, 01/15/2010 - 10:36 by Gabe Axler

For many years, the Shorashim/CCP program has been a leader in high school programs in Poland and Israel. This year - for the first time - CCP Summer program participants will journey to Berlin as well.

Spearheaded by Shorashim Scholar-in-Residence, Fred Margulies, who has traveled extensively as a researcher of Jewish roots and life in Europe. The trip will visit sites that convey the history of Jewish life in Europe, the horror of the Shoah, and the rebirth of Jewish life in Berlin. "It’s the place where the war against the Jews was formulated," says Rabbi Margulies, "But the Germans have tried to come to terms with their history. There are many fascinating sights of Jewish historical interest, plus a newly vibrant Jewish community with whom we will make contact.

The early bird registration discount ($400) has been extended until the end of Janauary. Anyone interested in the program can visit the program website or call us at 312-267-0677.

A Story of Two Noahs

Posted Wed, 04/08/2009 - 09:50 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...

Hard Rock Café - Auschwitz

Posted Wed, 04/08/2009 - 09:20 by Dan Argentar

Nearly twenty-two years ago, I made a decision that would change my life. Of course, at the time, I had no idea that participating in Shorashim/CCP’s inaugural high school venture to Poland would have such an impact. How could I have known? After all, I was just sixteen years old.

Dan, his wife Brandi (also former staff), and son Ami (future alum) in Israel. At the time, Hard Rock Café t-shirts from around the globe were the rage. While my high school peers set off for their 1987 summer adventures vowing to grab trendy Hard Rock t-shirts in Los Angeles, London, Chicago, etc., my CCP traveling companions and I joked about Hard Rock Café Warsaw and Hard Rock Café Auschwitz. Yes, we joked. We had to – out of nervousness of course.

While others sought summer fun at camps, on family trips, and on teen entertainment adventures, we were choosing to go to Auschwitz. The payoff was five promising weeks in Israel; but Auschwitz? No doubt, we thought each other to be nuts. Recently, I have been thinking a lot about Auschwitz. Not because I have a morbid fascination with the Shoah, but more because twenty-two years after stepping foot in Auschwitz, after seven additional trips to Poland as a counselor for Shorashim, after countless summers teaching and preparing Shorashim groups for their upcoming trips, and after teaching about genocide in my own high school English courses, the current world climate dictates that the Shorashim experience, and remembering and traveling to Auschwitz, Majdanek, and Warsaw is more important than ever.

Israel's Current Challenge

Posted Fri, 01/09/2009 - 14:55 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.

Parent Reception to Highlight Shorashim

Posted Fri, 01/09/2009 - 14:54 by Gabe Axler

Shorashim will be holding its first parent reception to introduce new families to Shorashim and this life-changing experience. CCP/Shorashim 2008 Participants in Poland with Holocaust Survivor Ruth Usrad Alumni parents are encouraged to invite friends and relatives to share in this evening featuring a live acoustic performance of Israeli songs by musicians and Shorashim staff Udi Krauss and Miriam Brosseau. Other Israeli staff, including Shahar Gal, will also be in attendance!

At the home of Jerrold & Naomi Senser:

55 S. Deere Park Drive, Highland Park (map)

Tuesday, January 20th 7:30-9:00 p.m.

Light refreshments will be served.

RSVP to miriam@shorashim.org as soon as possible.

Please include expected number of guests. You may also use the link below to "Invite a friend" to the reception (be sure to include a personal note). Thank you for your continued support and dedication!

Shalom from Shorashim

Posted Tue, 12/09/2008 - 19:26 by Adam Stewart

It's been a long time since many of you have heard from us.

We hope to change that with the launch of our newsletter, and also hope that you will be interested to hear all of the new and exciting ways that Shorashim continues to make Israel and Israelis a part of the lives of high school students and young adults.

Of course, the Shorashim/CCP High School Program (you may have known it as CCP, Shoresh, or Shorashim - it's all the same great program where Americans and Israelis travel together) is still the heart and soul of what we do. Last summer, two groups - over 50 high school students - traveled together to Poland, and then met 30 Israelis for the summer of their lives! This summer was marked by the inclusion of Israeli participants from the area of Sderot, who over the past year have had to endure relentless rocket attacks.

Many alumni do not know that Shorashim is also one of the largest providers for the Taglit-Birthright Israel experience - a free trip for Jewish 18 - 26 year olds who have never been to Israel on a peer program. This past year alone, Shorashim has brought over 1500 young adults on their first trip to Israel.

Americans Travel with Israelis from Sderot

Posted Tue, 12/09/2008 - 18:24 by Gabe Axler

Fifty Americans from Chicago and beyond joined the Shorashim/CCP High School program in it's 24th year! They were joined in Israel by thirty Israelis for the trip of a lifetime. 

Shorashim/CCP Summer 2008As usual, the American participants - still with visions of the Majdanek - exited customs at Ben Gurion Airport into a sea of Israelis, dancing and singing and making them feel at home. The scene was simply amazing. This year - as in every year - the groups were joined by Israeli participants from Chicago's Partnership 2000 Region: Kiryat Gat - Lachish - Shafir and from the neighborhoods and high schools in Jerusalem that have traditionally been feeders to the program.

But unlike past years, this summer's group was joined by  participants from the towns and villages around Sderot. With generous support from our board, alumni, and friends, we were able to offer scholarships to eight high schools students who would have otherwise had to endure another summer of relentless rocket attacks from Gaza. While - for obvious reasons - they were not able to host American participants for a Shabbat, they were able to share their stories and themselves, while they participated in a summer of fun.  It is an experience that the participants - American and Israeli - will never forget.

Why I Give Back to Shorashim

Posted Tue, 12/09/2008 - 15:10 by Josh Cohen

Josh Cohen 88 and Anne Lanski at the Alumni Reunion It wasn’t long ago that I re-connected with Shorashim, almost 20 years after my “Shoresh” trip to Israel and Poland. I was amazed to learn of all the things that they were doing - from Taglit-Birthright Israel to Club Israel, and of course, the summer program. I couldn’t believe it: Anne and Yossi were still there and the program had sent thousands of kids to Israel. They had a high school program reaching out to thousands more, ran an Israeli-American summer camp, and had launched many other successful projects and programs.

I felt pretty guilty. After all this non-profit organization had given me, and was now doing for thousands of others, it had not once called upon me for help. I started wondering if other alumni felt the same way and were interested in getting involved and reconnected, so I helped put together the reunion last Spring. Many of us were so fortunate to experience Shorashim or CCP because we had parents who understood the impact this program would have, and also could afford to send us.