Educational Opportunity
Detroit Jews interact with a new college for Central Galilee.
ROBERT A. SKLAR
Editor
Tiberias, Israel
s partners with Central
Galileans, Jewish
Detroiters have lots of
options to enrich the
only college in this growing region
of Israel, the president of Emek
Yezreel College said last week.
The burden is on the
Partnership 2000 development
committee to educate Detroit Jews
so they're more comfortable sup-
porting joint projects in the region,
said Aliza Shenhar in an April 21
interview on the shore of the Sea of
Galilee during Michigan Miracle
Mission III.
Partnership 2000 is a Jewish
Agency for Israel initiative designed Karin and Michael Sherman of Congregation Shaarey Zedek dig at the archeological
to spur economic growth, cultural
excavation at the caves of Beit Guvrin near Jerusalem.
arts opportunities and public
development programs between Israel
They're eligible for special counseling.
Miracle Mission goer Marta
and Jewish communities abroad.
And they can always count on an out-
Rosenthal foresees the new Detroit
Breaking down stereotypes of how
stretched hand.
Friends of Emek Yezreel College,
American Jews view Israeli Jews, and
The seeds for a Detroit exchange
chaired by her husband Ben, reinforc-
vice versa, is another component of
with Emek Jezreel College were plant-
ing why Detroiters should care about
the partnership.
ed when a group of University of
their partner region.
"Cooperation is very important to
Michigan deans visited the campus
"The elements certainly are there
improving education here," Shenhar
four years ago as the Jewish
to culminate in something really
said. We have no oil, no water, no
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit's
special," said the Congregation
wood. What we have is our brains.
guests to figure out partnership possi-
Shaarey Zedek member. "Projects
What we need is your help to apply
bilities.
that brainpower."
A group of U-M faculty came to
Young people in the region, she
campus over the winter in hopes of
said, are more apt to succeed in the
developing a joint MBA program.
job market if they study first at the
Michigan State University and Wayne
2,000-student college, which became
State University representatives also
independent from the University of
are planning trips to Emek Jezreel.
Haifa five years ago.
"Educator exchanges, as well as stu-
Shenbar envisions Detroiters creat-
dent exchanges, are critical to Emek
ing a scholarship fund for underprivi-
Jezreel's success as it expands a base of
degree-granting programs," said
leged students, sponsoring off-campus
lectures for working people and pro-
Robert Aronson, the Detroit
Federation's executive vice president.
viding support to upgrade the corn-
puter and business education pro-
But the college isn't just a taker.
grams. "We need to tap your wis-
This summer, Detroit's synagogue
dom," said Shenhar, Israeli ambas-
schools will send representatives there
sador to Russia from 1994 to 1997.
for a weeklong conference of Jewish
Her Russian ties have helped bring
educators. "We hope to develop a
common dialogue on how and what
120 Russian students to campus.
Aliza Shenhar: Promoting college ties.
to teach," Aronson said.
They're learning Hebrew and English.
A
4/30
1999
30 Detroit Jewish News
must be worthwhile and doable.
So both sides must be willing to
work at that."
After visiting Kibbutz Ein
Dor, Helen Wexler of Temple
Kol Ami said Mission goers must
cultivate their newly acquired
taste of the region's culture and
customs. E-mail correspondence,
letters and phone calls are good
ways to keep communicating
until the next visit, she said.
"There's a chance that when we
get home we truly can build rela-
tionships that last."
Experiencing Israel is pivotal for
teens, said Temple Israel member
Carol Rose. "Coming here is
important to keeping Jewish. You
have to have Israel inside of you."
We're more apt as adults to
remember our rituals and tradi-
tions if our kids feel connected to
the Jewish homeland, she added.
Haim Yizraeli, who lives in the
Central Galilee town of Givat-Ella
with his wife and four children, said
he hopes Partnership 2000 brings
American Jews closer to Israel, to
whatever degree possible.
"It's important to know who we
are and how we live — and that we
have a common faith despite our cul-
tural differences," said Yizraeli, a corn-
puter systems analyst.
Nazareth Illit Mayor Menachem
Ariav told Mission goers at Kibbutz
Ein Dor how his Central Galilee town
counts 4,000 aim, or new immi-
grants, among its 5,200 residents. The
developing region — which includes
Nazareth, Nazareth Illit, Migdal
HaEmek and the Jezreel Valley —
boasts more than 90,000 residents,
the same as Detroit's Jewish commu-
nity. Industry in the region includes
the Phoenicia flat-glass factory owned
by Detroiters Bill Davidson and
David Hermelin.
Via an interpreter, Mayor Ariav
said, "It's everyone's responsibility, in
Michigan and here, to work together
to make each other's communities bet-
ter for the people who live there." I I
c-