Israel Now

Streamlined

Detroiters join national
uni t y mission to Israel.

Federation's new "Israel and Overseas Department" aims to heighten effectiveness.

HARRY KIRS BAUM
Staff Writer

A

plan to combine different
overseas operations into
one efficient machine
was announced by the
_Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit last week.
According to Chief Executive
Officer Robert Aronson, the new
Israel and Overseas Department will
combine:
• Michigan/Israel Connection
• Partnership 2000 program
• Kiev (Ukraine) and Netanya
(Israel) projects
• Coordination of all Federation
missions.
The Michigan/Israel Connection
coordinates annual community-
wide Israel-related activities, and
assists Jews in making aliyah.
Partnership 2000 pairs the Detroit
Jewish community with Israel's cen-
tral Galilee region in cultural, educa-
tional and business exchanges.
The Partnership 2000 Triangular
Lay Leadership Development Program
links participants from Detroit and the
central Galilee to help the Jewish com-
munity in Kiev, Ukraine.
The Netanya project supports
Parents and Children Together
(PACT), a new family-oriented pre-
school program in the Israeli city.
"The bottom line is that we
reduced the size of the department,"
Aronson said. "We are looking for
economy and greater efficiency.
That is one area where we felt we
could save some money and come
up with a more effective and effi-
cient structure."

Shaliach Program Ended

Creation of the Israel and Overseas
Department means the end of the
community shaliach (Israel emis-
sary) program in Detroit after more
than 30 years, said Aronson, who
was the international chairman of
the program for five years.
"I believe in community shlichim.
They should be the executive of
Israel operations in the respective
communities," he said.

Related editorial: page 29

Speaking of Mark Myers,
"It's all reflective of the
the current shaliach, who is
total commitment to being
leaving in August to return
more responsive and respon-
home to Kibbutz Magan
sible," he said. "The shaliach
Micha-el near Haifa after a
situation is another staffing
two-year stint, Aronson said:
issue, and there's lots of pres-
"Mark really focused on edu-
sure on dollars and staffing."
cation. We now have
The shaliach used to be
Robert Aronson
Federation's Alliance for
paid by the Jewish Agency
Jewish Education, and we
for Israel, but now has
thought that [parallel focus]
become a direct communi-
was not the way we wanted to
ty charge, Horowitz said.
continue at this point. We
"It was just one of the
may want to have shlichim in
decisions that had to be
the future."
made."
The change for this year
grew out of financial reasons
Changes In Israel,
and "because in creating a
Detroit
new department, there wasn't
any compelling need in my view for
Tova Dorfman, a Detroit native who
a shaliach to continue," Aronson
coordinates the Federation's Jerusalem
added.
office, will head the new department.
Myers called the new department
Tanya Mazor-Posner, who was direc-
"a big step forward" to combine the
tor of Partnership 2000, will be asso-
functions that were separate before.
ciate director and lead all Michigan-
Youth Shlicha Shoshana Becker, of
based activities for Israel and overseas
Jerusalem, will officially begin work-
operations.
ing at the Federation in late
"We think directing the depart-
September on a part-time basis.
ment from Israel is the right
"The bottom line on how I feel is
approach," said Aronson.
that there will be a little less of
He also said the department is
Israel in the community," Myers
planning to make changes to several
said. "The shaliach is something
well-known community events.
more than just programming. It's
"We have to completely rethink
just the idea of having Israel in the
Yom HaAtzmaut (Israel
form of an Israeli in the community
Independence Day), the IsraelFest
interacting with people and
and the Walk for Israel because they
groups."
aren't working. We have to rethink
Michael Horowitz, of West
Yom HaZikaron (Martyr and
Bloomfield, who chairs the Israel
Heroes' Memorial Day), and how
and Overseas Committee with
we involve more people," he said.
Stuart Hertzberg, of Bloomfield
"When we do Israel programs, we
Hills, said the new department
have to do better programming and
coincides with the desire to be more
engage more people, and how to get
"tuned in to how the money is
across our relationship with Israel.
being used overseas."
We have to get with it." ❑

ISRAEL AND OVERSEAS DEPARTMENT' STAIT

TOVA DORMAN virector
TANYA MAZOR-POSHER Associate Director
JULIE ZucKeRNA.N.. Israel and Overseas Associate__
30Eir SELESNT j Communiy Development Associate
IlintrDir Wm's Missions Coordinator •

•

ICELLEE ROBINSON
LA17BINE JESSOP

ADM BREA

Missions Assistant

SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN
StaffWriter

ir

allowing the theme that now is
the time to visit Israel, the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit is recruiting a Michigan
delegation to join the September national
IsraelNow Solidarity Mission.
Organized by the umbrella agency for
North American federations, the New York
City-based United Jewish Communities, the
six-day mission is planned in conjunction
with the Jewish Community Council of
Metropolitan Detroit and with sponsorship
from the Detroit Jewish News.
"This mission is a way of showing our
support and solidarity with the people of
Israel," says Tanya Ma.zor-Posner, associate
director for the Detroit Federation's Israel
and Overseas Department.
She calls participation "a true mitzvah,
especially since the mission is taking place a
little less than a week before the start of the
High Holidays."
Participants of the mission, which will
take place Sunday, Sept. 9, to Friday, Sept.
14, will be invited to meet with officials of
the Israeli government. Israel Defense Force
and the media as well as visit with Israelis
who have been affected by violence.
"We will have aD opportunity to visit our
extended community in the Central Galilee
region of Israel, visiting the community
members, volunteers and tour sites and pro-
grams that make up our Partnership 2000
program," Mazor-Posner says.
With a hope to "boost tourism to Israel,
w
thhecti ctho uhra js dropper
'time low over
e to ai
past few me'n
s participants
, visit restaurants
and
-n7 the Federation hosted
ang9-urneer
'eaua
Is
miss on
rae l
l
ohjn
In
PleT

PAX to

some me
a la : inan
d ;m
it:: e - -
4* ..: A31iib
,.,,, eld
Hills will chair the Detroit de a
which
will be joined by participants from New York,
New Jersey, Florida, Texas, Colorado,
Massachusetts And Arizona, Franklin's Jane
Sherman is national chair for the mission.
"All necessary security measures will be
taken into consideration in planning and exe-
cuting this mission," Mazor-Posner says. "We
will not be traveling to places in Israel that
would obviously put the group in danger."

❑

Secretary

Secretary

To register: (248) 642-4260, ext. 141.

7/20
2001

23

