If anyone ever wanted a concentrated version of what the Global Jewish agenda, represented by the Jewish Agency, is all about – all you would have to do is give a briefing about what I did this past week. It was the whole story in a nutshell.

Starting with Israel’s memorial day, we were all busy at ceremonies, listening to the stories of our ongoing struggle for independence and freedom – the stories of our soldiers, our fallen, our bereaved families, all of them our personal families. Only when you spend it in Israel, noticing that all TV programs are dedicated to these stories, listening to the songs on the radio, watching the children dressed in black and white, standing with an entire nation in memoriam as the sirens note minutes of silence, only then can you understand the extent of connection, community and shared destiny.

Then we celebrated. Macabim was filled with representatives from all over the world: more than 350 teens from Toronto, Australia, Miami, France, Spain, Argentina and other places came as part of the March of the Living to celebrate with us, wearing blue and white, singing Hatikva.

And then I met living angels. The day following Yom Haatzmaut I went to the Jewish Agency youth villages, where children at risk from all over Israel, new immigrants as well as veterans, find a home. These children, thrown out of every other system, some with criminal records, all from tragic backgrounds, are literally embraced by our youth villages. There they find a hot meal, a place of their own, learning opportunities from math to horseback riding, a personal pet to love – and a warm, welcoming staff that loves them and serves as surrogate parents. While high and mighty people talk about strategies, policies and discuss global issues, albeit very important, I realized that these people – children and staff – are the real, everyday, hard-earning miracle workers. And they wouldn’t be half as lucky as they are without the Global Jewish Agenda represented by the Jewish Agency for Israel that says – this is who we are working for, it’s part of our shared responsibility, this job is part of building our future in Israel.

What a story! It has all the ingredients - people from all over the world, celebrating a shared narrative as old as civilization itself, building a nation and continued future. I, for one, am grateful to be a page in this book.

 

Shabbat Shalom,

Liat