UNIQUE CULTURE, UNIQUE PROGRAMS

UNIQUE CULTURE, UNIQUE PROGRAMS

Engaging Russian-Speaking Jews Around the World

Program Guide

Unit for Russian-Speaking Jewry

TABLE OF CONTENTS

In Germany

Jewish Identity and Connections to Community Israel Experiences & Aliyah

Leadership Development Strategic Partnerships In North America

Summer Outreach: Camp Education and Counselor Development

Leadership Development for Students and Young Adults

Community Events Israel Experiences In Australia Camping

Leadership Development

Supplementary Jewish Education Israel Experiences Community Events In Israel Leadership Development Camping Acknowledgments 4 5 6 8 9 12 12 14 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 29 30 30 30 30 31 32 33 33 34

As a central connection between Israel and worldwide Jewish communities,The Jewish Agency for Israel is renowned for its expertise in developing meaningful Jewish identity-building programs and for strengthening the connection of young Jews to Israel and the Jewish people in a variety of languages and for specific audiences.

During the seven decades of the Soviet regime, the Jewish community of the former Soviet Union (FSU) experienced severe identity loss. Twenty years after the regime’s collapse, only an estimated 20 percent of the 800,000 Jews across the broad expanse of what is now the FSU are meaningfully engaged in Jewish life. Around the world, Russian-speaking Jews are estimated to comprise over 3 million people – and their participation in local “mainstream” Jewish communities is exceedingly low.

To help them integrate into the global Jewish family and strengthen their Jewish identity, The Jewish Agency runs a continuum of programs for RSJs (Russian-speaking Jews) in the FSU and worldwide for children, teens, students and adults: Sunday schools, camping, youth programming, leadership development, community-building programs, and Israel experiences. We also devote great efforts to facilitating Aliyah, especially, during the violent conflict there, from eastern Ukraine. This broad array of programs provides many entrance points into Jewish life, enabling RSJs to join the Jewish journey at any stage of their lives; thus we reach tens of thousands of Jews in the FSU and beyond.

Our efforts are aimed at:

• Strengthening Jewish identity and connection to Jewish roots and history

• Fostering connection to the global Jewish people and commitment to Israel

• Inspiring young Jews to lead active Jewish lives, individually and as participants in their community

• Ensuring the continuity of Jewish life in the FSU

• Assisting those who are going on Aliyah to make Israel their home.

The Russian-Speaking Jewry Unit thus embodies The Jewish Agency’s position as the main link between the Jewish State and Jewish communities everywhere. As part of The Agency, we are ready to address any challenge the Jews face, in every generation. In 2014-15, amid growing anti-Semitism in Europe and the violent turmoil in Ukraine, we, the Unit for the Russian-Speaking Jewry, together with other units in The Jewish Agency, have been continuing our important services to evacuate displaced persons, assist with Aliyah, provide aid to those staying behind, and continue our educational programs that not only offer Jewish inspiration, but also secure the Jewish future.

This brochure will introduce you to the work of our professional staff of Russian-speaking program experts worldwide and our flagship team of Shlichim (emissaries), who reach tens of thousands of Russian-speaking Jews every year.

Roman Polonsky

Director, Unit for Russian Speaking Jewry The Jewish Agency for Israel

Decades of Experience

IN THE FSU

For many young Jews in the FSU, “Jewish identity” is a matter only of

being related to a Holocaust survivor, or being subject to anti-Semitism.

They lack compelling, enriching reasons to connect to Judaism or

Jewish culture. The Jewish Agency for Israel provides a continuum of

programs for children, teens, and adults to stem the overwhelming

tide of assimilation in the FSU and to help them connect with Israel

and with other Jews around the world.

Jewish Camping in the FSU

The Jewish Agency's educational camping experiences in the FSU enable young Jews to enjoy transformative Jewish experiences in The Agency's trademark high-impact, informal education model. For nearly 25 years, FSU Summer Camps have provided an indelible experience for young people from age seven to young adulthood. All camps are staffed by trained, local counselors and Israeli Russian-speaking Jewish educational leaders. For many campers, Jewish Agency camp is their first introduction to Jewish history, Jewish customs and Israel. More than 165,000 participants have graduated from our camps, dramatically changing the Jewish environment in the FSU. Most of the prominent leaders of Jewish organizations and communities in the FSU today are alumni of our camps.

In 2014, about 6,800 campers participated in summer camps implemented in partnership with local organizations and launched by The Jewish Agency for Israel in about 25 locations across Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Georgia and the Baltic states. Our camps enjoy generous support from the Jewish Federations of North America and from the UJA-Federation of New York.

SPECIALTY CAMPS

Upwardly mobile parents in the former Soviet Union, especially those in major cities, often search for opportunities to help their children get ahead professionally, such as summer camps that develop marketable skills teens can use in their future careers. Many Jewish parents, while interested in acquainting their children with Jewish heritage and culture, are more likely to send them to non-Jewish camps that cultivate career skills than to a Jewish camp that does not include a career component. The Jewish Agency’s new specialty camp program, launched in spring 2015, responds to the needs of those Jewish families. Our ten-day Media and Communications Camp in Moscow served 70 children ages 14-17 and wove an immersive exploration of Jewish and Israeli themes into hands-on instruction in media, technology, and communications. Campers chose from three professional tracks, each of which culminated in a hands-on project that demonstrated their mastery of new skills as well as their increased understanding of Jewish culture, heritage, and history.

We thank the UJA-Federation of New York for generously funding our specialty camp and day camps in the FSU.

DAY CAMPS

The Day Camp platform is a new format that complements The Jewish Agency’s summer camping program. It allows for continuation of the Jewish educational process started during the summer; offers multiple camping experiences over the course of the year; and creates opportunities for new participants to join at any time. Each day camp’s curriculum focuses on a theme that relates to the local Jewish community and to Jewish history and culture, and that strengthens the connections between the campers, the community, and the campers’ heritage. In 2014 the day camp platform ran four-day programs in Moscow, Kyiv (including Cherkassy and Vinnitsa), Kharkov, Riga (including Tallin), and Samara, and welcomed 450 Jewish children.

Youth and Student Activities continue engaging Jewish youngsters throughout the year by offering a variety of Jewish educational frameworks that serve as windows of opportunity for them to join other Jewish Agency programming.

Israel Experiences

Leadership Development

thousands of Jews, ages 18 to 26, completely free of charge. The Jewish Agency is directly involved in bringing over 9,000 participants each year, from around the globe, with a special focus on facilitating Taglit-Birthright experiences and related programming for communities in need and for Russian-speaking Jews in the FSU and Germany. Over the last 10 years, more than 12,500 young Jews from the FSU visited Israel for the very first time with Taglit-Birthright Israel. Special Taglit-Birthright Tracks are designed for young professionals specifically from the FSU, and combine traditional excursions to Israel’s heritage sites with site visits that emphasize Israel’s successes in entrepreneurship, science, arts, and sports. These programs extend the age limit for participants. In 2014, almost 150 young Jewish professionals from the FSU participated.

Onward Israel is a relatively new Jewish Agency for Israel initiative that provides 6-to-10-week, high-quality resume-building experiences in Israel for 18- to 27-year-olds (the cutoff age for participants from the FSU is extended to 30). Onward Israel offers exciting opportunities – internships, service learning, academic study, and fellowships – providing a global, cross-cultural experience in Israel and direct contact with Israeli peers. In 2014, the Onward program from the FSU attracted more than 30 young adult participants.

Masa Israel Journey acts as an umbrella for over 250 gap year, study abroad and post-college programs serving young Jewish adults from around the world; provides significant grants and scholarships to participants; performs high impact outreach; informs program development; provides year-round enrichment activities; and operates a growing number of activities for Masa’s alumni. Masa programs serve Diaspora Jews ages 18-30 who stay in Israel for 5 to 12 months. In the last ten years, about 9,000 young adults from the FSU took part in long-term programs in the Jewish State thanks to the support and program development efforts of Masa and The Jewish Agency - around 1,200 in 2013-14 alone.

One of the most important aspects of our educational programs is the presence of, and input by, Israeli educational leaders in every camp session. The educational leaders serve as a meaningful bridge between Israel, the campers, and the local staff of counselors.

In order to build a strong counselor staff, The Jewish Agency implements the Educational Leadership Institute (ELI) in the FSU and Israel for new and veteran counselors. The ELI builds a professional cohort of Russian-speaking Jewish educational leaders with a developed sense of Jewish Identity, who drive the Jewish camping experience in Israel and the FSU. The ELI offers an extensive curriculum of overnight seminars called JAIM (Jewish Active Ideas Marathon), one-day workshops (Mifgash), and training modules. The ELI also provides the counselors content enrichment devoted to Jewish texts, Israel advocacy, the Holocaust, Jewish art, Jewish literature; pedagogical instruction on topics such as camp structure, group dynamics, and group facilitation; and pedagogical practice – all of which raises the counselors’ own Jewish knowledge and helps them professionalize their work as leaders and Jewish role models.

MehaLev is a leadership and volunteering program in Moscow that encourages Jewish teens and young adults (ages 14-27) to act as volunteers with needs children and their families. MehaLev volunteers help provide the special-needs beneficiaries with access to Jewish heritage and communal life, and individual assistance in education and personal development. The project provides Jewish identity programs, mainstreaming summer camp experiences, and after-school programs on Jewish history and culture for both the special-needs participants and the volunteers.

Jewish Kyiv Explorer is a leadership and Jewish identity program for ages 14 to 17. Thirty teens are developing an interactive map of Kyiv showing the Jewish sites, along with a guide book and tour routes that they are planning themselves. They are also creating a board game about Jewish Kyiv, to be distributed to Jewish organizations. This program is supported by the Jewish United Fund/ Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago.

Moreshet is a leadership-training program unique to St. Petersburg, for teens ages 14 to 17. Initiated over 10 years ago, in partnership with the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, Moreshet provides the future Jewish leaders of St. Petersburg with important tools to create Jewish social action initiatives. The program includes weekly study sessions throughout the academic year, culminating in a 2-week study trip to Israel with specially-tailored programming. Following their trip, the teens design and implement their own community-based volunteer initiatives, focusing on local children with special needs, Jewish kindergartens, and the elderly.

Generation I, a five-day Holocaust education program for young adults aged 18-26 from the FSU. Participants visit famous Jewish towns of Lithuania, such as Vilna, Ponary, Kaunas, Trakai, and other locations related to Jewish history and the Holocaust. In 2014, nearly 40 young Jewish people from the FSU took part in the program, which is carried out in partnership with the Claims Conference. History on Wheels is a year-long field-based project for young Jewish students and adults interested in in studying the Jewish heritage and Holocaust history of the western countries of the FSU. The project is implemented in the former Pale of Settlement (for example in Belarus and Latvia) over the course of one year. It bears a special educational focus on local context and history, specifically the Holocaust as it related to smaller communities of the respective countries. History on Wheels includes group educational sessions in each location, a seven-day expedition to former “shtetls” (with a focus on preserving the remains of the material culture of the communities), and development of local educational materials on Holocaust studies.

Grassroots and Student Initiatives

Grassroots and Student Initiatives is the umbrella name for a wide range of projects of, for, and by students and young adults in the FSU, that are launched with professional assistance from the Jewish Agency. By assisting them with their innovative projects, we aim to strengthen the students’ Jewish identities and bring them into a life of Jewish, Israel-focused activism. We target alumni of Birthright and Masa, young educators, and community lay-leaders within this program, supporting them and helping them move their ideas forward. The leading platforms for Grassroots and Student Initiatives for 2014-15 are:

• Best Practices: a platform and incubator for the exchange of educational know-how. The aim is to enable independent Jewish groups and communities to share their ideas and bring each other’s successes to new locations.

• NewDo(o)r: an international social entrepreneurship hub located in Riga, Latvia. The program helps to create and promote the socially-oriented Jewish ventures of young activists from the Baltic States and other FSU countries.

• The Birthright Alumni Platform: a follow-up platform striving to integrate unaffiliated Jewish students into communal and educational Jewish activities, both in the Diaspora and in Israel.

• jewish-grassroots.org: a web platform for networking by student activists. The total reach of the Grassroots and Student Initiatives programs is over 5,000 active participants annually.

Jewish Heritage Leadership Programs

in their home communities. The project is based on an educational platform about Jewish history (an online course, a Holocaust tour of Poland, a preparation seminar before the trip, and a final seminar) and implementation of volunteer initiatives in participants’ home communities. In 2014 the program included 63 participants who passed an online eligibility exam and presented practical ideas for community-building projects. Phoenix is implemented in partnership with Genesis Philanthropy Group, Yad Vashem, and the JDC.

Jewish and Hebrew Literacy

Aleh Neta provides advanced training for Hebrew teachers at Jewish high schools in the FSU, so they can more effectively encourage Hebrew fluency among their students. In 2014, the program provided instruction for approximately 50 teachers in 16 schools. The program is implemented in partnership with Genesis Philanthropy Group.

Tal Am provides training for Hebrew teachers for grades 1-7 at FSU Jewish primary schools, teaching them to use a highly effective Hebrew instructional

Formal Jewish Education

model, adapted for RSJ students. The program strengthens connection of the students to the State of Israel and maximizes their Hebrew studies. The teachers receive educational materials and methodological support including school visits by experts and by the coordinators of Tal Am from Israel and Canada. Two annual seminars prepare teachers for work in each grade. In the 2013-14 program year, Tal Am trained 80 teachers at 32 Jewish elementary schools that served about 3,000 students. The program is implemented in partnership with Genesis Philanthropy Group.

Heftzibah FSU Jewish Day School Network introduces children to Hebrew, Jewish history, and tradition. In 2003, The Jewish Agency for Israel, in partnership with the Israeli Ministry of Education, assumed day-to-day administration of key elements of the network’s management, currently including 46 schools with enrollment of nearly 9,500 children. Heftzibah schools offer comprehensive Jewish Studies curricula that emphasize Hebrew language mastery, the history of Zionism, Israeli history, and Jewish-Israeli culture.

Within the framework of the Heftzibah Network, The Jewish Agency is involved in providing the following activities:

Masa Shorashim is a year-round educational program for FSU Jewish high school students that teaches the history of the Holocaust and includes an educational trip to Ukraine, Belarus, or the Baltic states. In the 2013-14 program year, more than 200 students from 18 schools participated in the trip. Olympiad is an educational competition for 8th and 9th graders in Heftzibah schools. The educational program includes instruction about Israel, Jerusalem, and historical figures of the Jewish world. Olympiad aims to motivate students to learn about Israel and help them to build a connection with the State of Israel and the Jewish people. In the 2013-2014 program year, students from around 36 Heftzibah FSU Jewish Day Schools participated. Shabbaton is an educational enrichment experience for students and alumni of Heftzibah primary schools and their parents. A Shabbaton (weekend retreat including communal celebration of Shabbat and educational components) strengthens the connection of students and parents to Jewish tradition and culture, as well as to the State of Israel, through an informal educational approach. In the 2013-2014 program year, Shabbatons including students, parents, and teachers were held at 40 Heftzibah Schools.

The Global School Twinning Network includes partnerships between grades 6-9 of around 20 Heftzibah schools (as of the 2013-2014 program year) and matched partner schools in Israel. The project builds friendships between children from Israel and their Jewish peers in the FSU through a variety of educational activities that are organized over the course of the year.

Ulpanim provide Hebrew language classes across the FSU, as well as teacher training, materials, and testing resources. Ulpan offers tracks at several levels. In 2013-2014, around 110 teachers served about 5,130 students. Within the framework of Ulpanim, The Agency provides classes in Jewish history, traditions, and Israel. Sunday Schools: The Jewish Agency's network of Sunday Schools in the FSU offers professional, managerial, content, and financial support to teachers of elementary and high school-age children, upgrading the quality of complementary Jewish education. The project, largely supported by UJA-Federation of New York, is organized in partnership with local organizations. Sunday school programming promotes a connection to Russian-Jewish heritage, global Jewry, and Israel. Each year, 100 schools reach around 3,000 students and their families.

Integration of Children with Special Needs in the Jewish Community of Moscow is a cooperative project with the JDC that works with more than 200 special-needs children and their families, more than 65 specialists, and 96 volunteers, providing access to Jewish heritage and communal life, as well as individual professional assistance in education and personal development. The project provides Jewish identity programs, integrative summer camps, and after-school programs on Jewish history and culture.

The Cooperative Project: Teaching About the Holocaust to Educators in the FSU: This Holocaust-education program brings 30 teachers each year from the FSU to Israel, training them in partnership with Yad Vashem and Beit Lohamei Hageta'ot, so they can transmit meaningful curricular material to the next generation of students.

Jewish Literacy Programming for parents of Sunday School students, includes a range of cultural identity programs to enable parents of Sunday School students throughout the FSU to connect to their roots and to Israel through modular educational classes on Jewish history and Israel. In 2014, more than 1,000 Jews of all ages participated.

Our Aliyah services for Russian speakers supplement the wide variety of programs and services that The Jewish Agency for Israel provides to all those who make Aliyah from around the world. In partnership with the Ministry of Absorption; the Ministry of Education; the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Employment; institutions of higher education; and municipalities of different Israeli cities, The Jewish Agency for Israel offers a variety of Aliyah programs for different target audiences, markets those programs to potential immigrants, and prepares future olim (immigrants to Israel) for their programs in Israel. These programs enable the new olim to learn Hebrew on a high level, to acquire a labor market-oriented profession, or to continue their educations. Na'ale: The World's Jewish High School makes it possible for parents in Jewish communities abroad to register their children for three or four years of tuition-free Israeli high school, leading to an Israeli “matriculation” diploma. Na'ale provides room and board, a monthly stipend and fees for extracurricular activities, home hospitality, and other support services. Over 85 percent of Na'ale students have earned their diplomas; 90 percent of alumni have made Aliyah. In the FSU, The Jewish Agency for Israel is directly involved in the marketing and participant recruitment process and provides a preparation program (Limudiya; see below) for the Na’ale applicants. In autumn 2014 Na'ale enrolled students from 32 different countries, including more than 360 from the former Soviet Union.

Limudiya is an educational program that prepares teenagers aged 13 to 17 who plan to study in Israel on the Na’ale or Selah programs. The Limudiya curriculum introduces the participants to the unique aspects of the Israeli educational system and offers classes in history and Jewish heritage.

Selah is a 10-month academic preparatory course and Aliyah program for recent high school graduates from the FSU who immigrate to Israel prior to their parents or on their own. In autumn 2014, the program enrolled 209 adults between 17 and 21 years old. In the FSU, The Jewish Agency for Israel is directly involved in the marketing and participant recruitment process and provides a preparation program for applicants (Limudiya; see above).

Know Israel includes a variety of activities that encourage potential olim to discover contemporary life in Israel from different perspectives: cultural, economic, educational, security, and employment. Within the framework of the program there are organized seminars, fairs, round tables, meetings with lecturers, video conferences between participants and their families in Israel, and videoconferences with Aliyah experts in Israel. The activities, which attracted nearly 64,000 people in 2014, stimulate interest in Israel and Aliyah and provide a framework for potential olim to ask practical questions about Israeli life.

ALIYAH

The Jewish Agency for Israel remains the frontrunner in the facilitation of Aliyah to Israel. In 21 locations throughout the FSU, The Jewish Agency for Israel provides, for those considering Aliyah, orientation, personal consultations, seminars, and fairs, with a particular focus on Aliyah-preparation programs for youth and young professionals. In 2014, more than 11,800 people made Aliyah from the FSU, including more than 5,900 from Ukraine.

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Professional Training programs in Israel train or re-train Russian-speaking olim for careers in Israel. The variety of programs offered depends on the Israeli labor market and the needs of current olim. The programs recently offered have prepared Russian-speaking olim for careers in medicine. Almost 200 new Russian-speaking immigrants took advantage of these opportunities in 2014.

In response to the violent conflict underway in eastern Ukraine, and the many Jews who are fleeing that region, in 2014 The Jewish Agency created a residential center for Jewish migrants just outside the Ukrainian city of Dnepropetrovsk. There, displaced persons from eastern Ukraine who wish to make Aliyah receive temporary shelter, Hebrew lessons, and emotional support while they await their Aliyah visas. The Mayak (“Lighthouse” in Hebrew) Center for Internally Displaced Persons served 400 otherwise-homeless Jews in 2014 and helped them reach their new homes in Israel.

IN GERMANY

The German-Jewish community is the fastest-growing Jewish community in the world. Over 240,000 Russian-speaking Jews from the FSU have immigrated to Germany; over 85 percent of the German-Jewish population is composed of Russian-speaking immigrants and their families.

Population growth and vast geographic dispersal across Germany have presented a number of challenges that distinguish this Jewish community from others in the Jewish world. Status issues, problems of immigrants, non-involvement in community life, and differences in perception of Judaism and Jewishness have led to assimilation in the past.

In Germany, The Jewish Agency for Israel focuses on nurturing and strengthening Israel-centered Jewish identity among Russian-speaking and German-speaking Jewish teens, students, and young adults, and developing a new generation of Jewish communal leadership.

Jewish Identity and Connections

to Community

The Jewish Agency for Israel directly operates a variety of programs year-round to help students and young Jewish adults in Germany, especially the unaffiliated, to develop a sense of belonging to the Jewish people, enthusiasm for their Jewish heritage, and connection with Israel.

• The Annual Student Convention (PTC) is a central educational event that has been organized every year since 2010 for alumni of Israel Experience programs and other young Jews of Germany, Austria, Switzerland and other neighboring countries. Every year, about 300 participants take part in the unique, 4-day immersive educational program, which includes three components: an academic curriculum presented through lectures, workshops, and round tables; networking opportunities to help participants connect; and an experiential Jewish tradition component.

• The Jewish Agency helps provide a wide spectrum of seminars, colloquia, and conferences in partnership with local and international institutions, including ZWST, local established Jewish communities, the Reform movement, and many others. Total participation in the 2013-2014 program year reached 2,500.

• Cha’il is a joint Diaspora Jewish education initiative of The Jewish Agency and the Government of Israel, working in Jewish high schools in Germany (as well as elsewhere in Europe, and in South America). Cha’il provides Jewish-Zionist educational programs in the schools; professional development for teachers of Hebrew and Jewish-Zionist studies, including seminars in Israel; financial support and scholarships for growing and strengthening Israel-based curricula in Jewish schools; and educational trips to Israel for students. Cha’il is active in 14 German communities, where the program provides year-round Jewish studies classes for high-school students in cooperation with Community Centers, and reached over 400 students there in 2014-15.

Israel Experiences and Aliyah Services

Leadership Development and

Grassroots Initiatives

The participants and alumni of the educational programs and Israel Experiences above are regarded by The Jewish Agency as potential leaders of the German Jewish community and are offered a spectrum of leadership training opportunities. Many alumni of these programs have gone on to leadership positions in Jewish communities and organizations throughout Germany.

The Jewish Agency for Israel enjoys a strategic partnership with the J. Korczak European Academy of Jewish Education, an umbrella organization that supports grassroots initiatives. The majority of these initiatives are developed and spearheaded by graduates of other Jewish Agency programs. The Academy conducts training, seminars, and workshops for activists, and offers professional development for organizations and individuals interested in the field of Jewish entrepreneurship. In 2013-2014 the initiatives reached about 2,500 people. Additionally, The Jewish Agency for Israel continues to empower and nurture the next generation of community leaders through Nevatim, a program that provides financial and professional supervision for grassroots educational initiatives in Germany. The network of initiatives supported by this program expands every year and now includes 100 trainees in 30 groups and their projects; in 2014 -2015 the resulting projects reached about 2,200 participants. Madrichim is the year-round training course for informal educators, including camp counselors.

Jewish Heritage is a unique intellectual-leadership development program, wherein participants study Jewish culture and history through academic study, tours of significant historical and religious sites, arts, and community-building exercises. In 2013 about 200 people participated in these leadership activities and training seminars.

Didact-IS provides professional training, networking opportunities, and curricular materials for teachers in formal and supplementary Jewish schools in Germany. Jewish Media Makers provides innovative media users and professionals with practical tools for developing and expressing their Jewish identities through different media.

The Jewish Agency operates a variety of Israel Experience programs to help young Jews of Germany, especially the unaffiliated, to develop a sense of belonging to the Jewish people, enthusiasm for their Jewish heritage, connection to Israel, and motivation for community engagement.

• The Jewish Agency is a partner of Taglit-Birthright in delivering the iconic 10-day educational Israel trip to young German Jews.

• WAHL (“Choice”) is an educational program for FSU emigrés in Germany who are no longer eligible for Taglit-Birthright trips due to their age (26 +). It includes an eight-day visit to Israel geared to the unique needs of Russian-speakers who live in Germany.

• In Germany, The Jewish Agency promotes the 5-12 month Israel programs in Masa Israel Journey, and develops specialized Masa programs for young Jews from Germany. The Jewish Agency is a co-founder and co-funder of Masa, together with the Government of Israel.

• Onward Israel is a Jewish Agency initiative that provides 6-to- 10 week, high-quality resume-building experiences in Israel including internships, service learning, academic studies, and fellowships.

• Aliyah Services include consultations with Jewish Agency staff members, who provide the potential olim with practical information, explain options about different types of communities and absorption programs, and help with government paperwork. In 2014 about 100 Jews made Aliyah from Germany.

• The Jewish Agency carries out marketing, recruitment, and applicant testing for Na’ale (also known as the Elite Academy; see below). In 2013-2014, about 15 German participants were selected for the Elite Academy program in Israel.

Strategic Partnerships

IN NORTH AMERICA

The United States and Canada are home to over 700,000 Russian-speaking Jews and their families. In strategic partnerships with the Genesis Philanthropy Group and local Jewish Federations, The Jewish Agency works to impact the largest Russian-speaking Jewish communities in North America: New York, Los Angeles and other west coast communities, and Toronto. Jewish Agency Shlichim (emissaries) strive to engage them with the larger Jewish community. In particular, they organize, or direct the educational programs of, summer camps for North American Russian-speaking Jewish teenagers, and lead professional training for North American and Israeli counselors. Additionally, Jewish Agency Shlichim build frameworks for community growth and promote Israel experiences in cities across North America.

The Jewish Agency implements many activities in partnership with the organized Jewish community of Germany.

As part of a strategic cooperation agreement between The Jewish Agency and the ZWST – the umbrella organization for Jewish education in the country – one of The Jewish Agency emissaries is in charge of educational activities on behalf of the ZWST, and is therefore responsible for a large educational system including summer and winter camps, student projects, training programs for educators, youth and student conferences, and educational support for Jewish schools. An example of The Jewish Agency’s intensive cooperation with local and regional communities is its Cha’il project, which operates in formal Jewish schools in cooperation with regional communities and with the support of the Israeli government.

The Jewish Agency additionally enjoys cooperation with local Jewish organizations and provides important educational support to their activities. Major partners include the community of Munich (where The Jewish Agency’s emissary is in charge of educational activities), the German-Jewish Liberal Movement (for which a Jewish Agency emissary is in charge of educational activities), Chabad, and the Lauder Foundation's institutions. Other partners include the Zionist youth movement, Maccabi, and the Union of Jewish Students (both the national and regional branches).

Counselor training programs by The Jewish Agency for Israel prepare young North American Russian-speaking adults to work as counselors in specialized summer camps for Russian-speaking Jewish youth, increasing the counselors’ own Jewish knowledge as well as their ability to serve as positive Jewish role models for campers. The training includes both teaching skills (such as group dynamics and group facilitation), and content in Jewish history; Russian-Jewish history; Israel advocacy; Jewish texts, literature, and art; and other relevant topics. With its experience all over the world providing pluralistic, inviting, enriching Jewish heritage programs to unaffiliated Jews, The Jewish Agency is uniquely qualified for its role as the developer of specialized camping programs for Russian-speaking teens.

The Jewish Agency provides its state-of-the-art educational expertise and counselor-training programs to three North American summer camps that serve Russian-speaking Jews. All the camps are supported by, and in partnership with, the Genesis Philanthropy Group and local Jewish Federations.

Havurah Camp (New York)

Havurah is a four-week national overnight camp for Russian-Jewish teens from across North America, set within the larger framework of Young Judaea’s Tel Yehudah national senior leadership camp; Havurah recently celebrated its 6th year. In 2014 Havurah served about 90 campers and was staffed by seven local counselors, the majority of whom were Havurah alumni, and eight Israeli counselors. In 2014, for the second time, 17 participants of the Genesis Fellowship, a volunteering project implemented during the year, received scholarships for Havurah and carried out volunteer service for campers there. Camp Geshe (West Coast)

Camp Geshe is the first regional overnight camp for children aged 9-14 from Russian-speaking Jewish families on the West Coast. It helps campers to bridge their own identity with the Jewish community and their own potential. The camp is organized by the Kibbutz Max Straus organization, in partnership with The Jewish Agency. During its pilot year in 2014, the camp served 72 children and was staffed with five Israeli and nine local counselors, all of whom had participated in a training program in Israel.

Summer Outreach: Camp Education

and Counselor Development

JAcademy Camp (Toronto)

JAcademy is a unique 12-day overnight camp for children and teenagers aged 8-16 from the greater Toronto area; it has been operating for six years. In 2014 we reached a record high of nearly 140 campers, who were introduced to Jewish culture by 47 local staff members – 25 of whom are JAcademy alumni – and four Israeli counselors. In 2014 , for the first time, the camp was followed by a family Shabbaton with 22 families and a total of 86 people participating.

Leadership Development for Students

and Young Adults

The Jewish Agency's leadership development programs for Russian speaking Jews ages 25 to 40, in Los Angeles and Toronto, are designed for young professionals with leadership abilities, motivation to make a difference within their communities, and creativity. In each city, Jewish Agency emissaries, in partnership with the local Jewish Federations, provide a course in which participants improve their leadership skills, explore the complexity of Russian-speaking Jewish identities, and help define the needs of their local RSJ communities.

Graduates of these programs become engines for change within their local Russian-Jewish communities, promoting connection to the wider Russian-Jewish community, with the Jewish Federation at the center. The Jewish Agency for Israel implements its RSJ Leadership Development programs in North America with the generous support of, and in partnership with, Genesis Philanthropy Group, the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto.

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Counselor Training in Israel

Training for Camp Geshe counselors, held in Israel, helps them expand their knowledge about Israel and gives them a chance to meet the Israeli counselors who later will join them at camp in California. Together, the North American and Israeli young leaders develop the camp curriculum and a shared language, and exchange experiences and best practices.

A flagship initiative in the field of counselor-training is the Baltimore-Odessa Counselors Exchange Project, entering its second year in 2015. This trans-atlantic Jewish Peoplehood initiative strengthens the Baltimore-Odessa partnership by nurturing personal and professional relationships between motivated young leaders in both Jewish communities, fostering cross-cultural dialogue and allowing the counselors to share curriculum ideas, best practices, and insights.

Community Events for Young Families

and the Wider Community

Year-round, Jewish Agency emissaries in Los Angeles and other West Coast communities, New York, and Toronto organize activities for Russian-speaking Jewish young families and the larger Jewish community. The events introduce the RSJ population into the mainstream Jewish community, create local traditions, and encourage a sense of belonging. Tailor-made programs that highlight the unique culture of the RSJ community, celebration of Jewish and Israeli holidays, and Kabbalat Shabbat ceremonies spark interest for participation in Jewish communal life, and reach around 2,500 participants a year.

Taglit-Birthright

Around North America, The Jewish Agency promotes – through the Unit for Russian-Speaking Jewry and others such as the Shlichim Unit, the Israel Experiences Unit, and the Partnerships Unit – participation in the iconic 10-day Taglit-Birthright trip to Israel.

In North America, the Unit for Russian-Speaking Jewry, in particular, has introduced a unique Taglit-Birthright program specifically and exclusively for American participants of Russian-speaking background. The tailor-made program, for alumni of the Havurah camp, launched in 2014, and provides a platform for participants to explore their complex Jewish identities while also enjoying their first, transformative, peer educational experience of historic and contemporary Israel.

“Da Israel“ Leadership Training Seminar in Israel

The “Da Israel” leadership seminar is an essential component of the “Da Israel” program (see above). In 2014 the Genesis Philanthropy Group and the Yad VaShem Holocaust Memorial and Museum contributed to the funding and content of the program. It is a unique opportunity for participants to expand their knowledge of Russian-Jewish identity, gain valuable knowledge about Israel, and develop skills to advance their work in their local Jewish communities. In the span of 10 days, participants engage with the history of Soviet Jewry before, during, and after the Holocaust; hear testimonies from eyewitnesses; attend lectures by leading historians and Israeli leaders; and get a glimpse of Israel beyond their previous Birthright experience.

After the seminar, the participants continue their Jewish education as young leaders, initiating community projects on campus to pass on the knowledge and experiences they have learned.

Israel Experiences

brings together talented Russian-speaking college students and post-college young adults from the New York metropolitan area. The program is designed in partnership with Tanger Hillel of Brooklyn College. The overarching goal of “Da Israel” is to cultivate this group of young adults to become connected, supportive, and influential advocates for Israel in their university, professional, and social network settings.

The participants are engaged in a carefully-designed program to enhance their knowledge of Israel through group study, interactive multi-media learning, and participation in workshops with leading scholars and activists. An important part of the program is an educational trip to Israel that gives the participants an opportunity to expand their knowledge of Russian-Jewish identity and learn more about Israel.

IN AUSTRALIA

Approximately 25% of the Jewish Community in Australia is comprised of Russian-speaking Jews. Coming mostly from unaffiliated families, they do not possess strong connections to Judaism. In strategic partnership with the Zionist Federation of Australia and the WZO, the Jewish Agency’s Russian-speaking Shlichah (emissary) in Melbourne , as well as recently-appointed local staff in Sydney, devote their efforts to engaging unaffiliated young adults and young families through a variety of tailor-made leadership programs, celebrations of Jewish and Israeli holidays, Kabbalat Shabbat events, and more.

Masa Israel Journey

The Jewish Agency for Israel, Masa Israel Journey, the Hillel of Brooklyn College, and Masa’s liaison to the Russian-Jewish Community work in partnership to promote and market Masa programs and encourage young-adult North American Russian-speaking Jews to participate in Masa’s long-term Israel programs (see page 8).

Camping

Community Events

Through the year, events for the wider Jewish community in Melbourne and Sydney are organized by The Jewish Agency’s Russian-speaking emissary to Australia, together with alumni of “KangarussKEY to LEADERSHIP,” with the aim to strengthen the bonds of local Russian-speakers to their global Jewish family, and to help them become a part of the mainstream Jewish community of Australia. In particular, they organize holiday and Shabbat celebrations for young families with children, offering a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere where children and parents learn about Jewish traditions and celebrate together.

In 2015 the new Kangarusski Day Camp was launched, wherein 40 Russian-speaking Jewish children aged 7-12 engaged in Jewish holiday activities, and enjoy a fun and comfortable environment in which to learn about their Jewish heritage and strengthen their connections to Israel, along with those of their families. The program was supported by Genesis Philanthropy Group.

Leadership Development

“KangarussKEY to LEADERSHIP” is a Jewish Agency leadership-training program for Australian Russian-speaking Jewish young adults who wish to become more involved in the community. The program helps the participants to feel a sense of belonging, and provides a unique platform for discussion of their Russian, Australian, and Jewish identities. The year-long program provides education in Jewish and Israeli history, culture, and traditions; leadership training; a platform for creating and developing participants’ own ideas for community development; assistance in applying for funding; and information about all sorts of opportunities for involvement in the Jewish community.

Jewish and Hebrew Literacy

The Lider Sunday School in Melbourne provides around 100 children from Russian-Jewish (or Russian-Israeli-Jewish) families with opportunities to learn Hebrew, expand their knowledge about Israel, and participate in a number of Jewish and Israeli holiday celebrations.

Israel Experiences

In 2013-2014 the first 64 Taglit-Birthright Kangarusski participants, Australian young adults of Russian-Jewish backgrounds, visited Israel for the iconic 10-day “trip of a lifetime.” Some alumni subsequently became involved in leadership programs and have become active young leaders. The program was implemented with generous support from the Genesis Philanthropy Group.

IN ISRAEL

In its efforts to strengthen the bonds between Israelis, Jews overseas, and the State of Israel, The Jewish Agency trains Israelis to work with RSJs abroad, and provides programs –in addition to Taglit-Birthright and Masa – that help those from the FSU feel at home in the Jewish state. Our Educational Leadership programs and summer camping programs in Israel complement our many Absorption opportunities for those Russian speaking Jews from around the world who choose to make Israel their home. In addition to the projects listed on pages 15-17, The Jewish Agency provides – to Russian-speakers and to olim from all over the world – temporary living arrangements in our many Absorption Centers and on kibbutzim; Hebrew-language instruction for new immigrants; opportunities to be mentored by more experienced immigrants; chances to socialize with Israelis; assistance planning careers in Israel; and absorption programs for immigrant Israeli soldiers.

Leadership Development

Camping

The Jewish Agency operates summer camps in Israel for Russian-speaking teens from the FSU and Israel. Camping in Israel is an unforgettable Jewish educational experience that fortifies their Jewish identity and strengthens their bonds to Israel, their Israeli and Jewish peers, and Jewish culture.

Makom.il is an international summer camp for Jewish teens from the FSU and Israel, who camp together. Through informal, enjoyable activities, campers learn about Jewish tradition, culture and history; historic and contemporary Israel; and their own personal connections to Jewish identity, peoplehood, and community.

Zman.il is a “mobile” summer camp for Ukrainian Jewish teens that expose the participants to Israel and the rich cultural, social, and historical platform on which the Jewish State is built. While traveling across the country, campers engaged in creative projects and meaningful discussions about Israel in the past, present, and future and how Israel impacts their Jewish identity.

In 2014 the summer camping program in Israel was adapted to meet geopolitical challenges in Ukraine, and offered an expanded participation platform for traumatized Ukrainian youth. Zman.il gave the campers not only an enriching Jewish experience, but also some emotional respite from the instability of their lives back in Ukraine.

The Jewish Agency expresses deep appreciation

to our partners in our efforts to raise Jewish

identity and engagement among

Russian-speaking Jews around the world:

UJA-Federation of New York UJA-Federation of Greater Toronto Genesis Philanthropy Group The Jewish Federation of Cleveland

The Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County

The ASSOCIATED: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore The Jewish United Fund/ Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago Anonymous, Chicago

The Minneapolis Jewish Federation

The Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County The Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey The Jewish Federation of St. Louis

The Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund of San Francisco The Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta

The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh The Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford

The Nathan T. Sedley Memorial Fund and the Jewish Federation of Greater Middlesex County

The Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle Euro-Asian Jewish Congress

Russian Jewish Congress World Zionist Organization

CAF

Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany

Company for Location and Restitution of Holocaust Victims’ Assets Rothschild Foundation Europe

Betsy Gidwitz Ed Mermelstein Lev Grzhonko Max Levchin Don Horowitz Keren Hayesod Ebenzer Hamburg Ebenezer International Ezra International

ICEJ (International Christian Embassy Jerusalem) CVI

Christians for Israel Patmos Finland ONE MISSION

The Kim Clement Center LOVE 153

Deborah The Brave Ministries JHOP

The Jewish Agency is funded by The Jewish Federations of North America/UIA, Keren Hayesod as well as foundations

jewishagency.org | facebook.com/jewishagency | twitter.com/jewishagency

We invite you to join us in our efforts worldwide to engage

3 million Russian-speaking Jews with the global Jewish family.