Submitted by Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati
A cohort of young adults from Cincinnati is heading to Israel December 25 – January 7 as part of the Birthright Israel Onward Volunteer in Israel program. The Cincinnati program, which is funded by the Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati, is coordinated locally by JVS Careers, UC Hillel, Miami Hillel, and Jewish Federation of Cincinnati. Jewish students at those schools and anyone who is a Cincinnati resident (or has a Cincinnati parent who is a resident) qualified for the mission.
Trip participants will take part in food rescue operations to prevent shortages in the Israeli market, and will also sort, pack, and distribute goods for civil and military personnel.
“Local partners worked closely together to offer this volunteer mission to local young adults who are eager to make a difference,” said Brian Jaffee, CEO of the Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati. “Our community is fortunate to provide Israel travel experiences for numerous age ranges from youth to young adult. Certainly this one will be a uniquely meaningful and impactful experience.”
Added Miriam Bird, a trip participant and second-year student at the University of Cincinnati, “This volunteer opportunity is a way to directly help Israel and gain first-hand experience of what some Israelis go through daily. After spending a year in Israel, all that has been on my mind since October 7th is how I can help my friends and the people of Israel, and this opportunity is just that.”
In addition to volunteering, participants will engage in education and social programs and meet other cohorts of Birthright Israel Onward volunteers from around the country. The participants will stay in Netanya, which since 2000 has been Cincinnati’s partnership city through the Jewish Federation and Jewish Agency for Israel’s P2G program. “Over the past two decades, Cincinnati and Netanya have forged an unbreakable bond, with so many of our shlichim, Chaverim m’Yisrael and camper delegations coming from Netanya. We are proud that the participants in this program will connect with and bring comfort to Netanya as they continue to recover along with the rest of the country,” said Jewish Federation Director of Community Planning Felicia Zakem.
Birthright Israel’s upcoming trips will operate under strict safety and security standards set by the Israel Defense Forces’ Homefront Command. Additionally, all Birthright groups will undergo a pre-trip orientation. In addition to matters covered in previous seasons, the upcoming orientations will cover adjustments to the schedule and to safety and security parameters.
As Israel responds to the October 7th attacks, Birthright Israel is reaching out to its 850,000 alumni to stand unified and have their voices clearly heard worldwide across every platform.
