jews d

in
the

LINKed
to Israel

StandWithUs
curriculum connects
middle school
students with Israel.

SHARI S. COHEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

S

LEARN MORE BEFORE APRIL 25 DEADLINE

Jewish school representatives can learn more
about LINK at IsraelLInk.org and register online
at IsraelLink.org/EttaJonas. The registration
deadline for the next school year is April 25.
Mina Rush will visit Detroit during the week of
April 23 for LINK teacher training in conjunction
with Vida Velasco, SWU Michigan director. Rush
can be reached at minar@standwithus.com.

30

April 19 • 2018

jn

middle schoolers with Israel in a contem-
tandWithUs (SWU) is an interna-
porary way that is meaningful to them.
tional nonprofit organization that
LINK comprises six lessons that total
supports Israel through worldwide
about 12 to 15 hours. Topics include
educational programs and efforts to
Jewish continuity in the land of Israel;
combat anti-Semitism. Through exten-
Israel’s size and location in the Middle
sive leadership training programs for
East; population diversity in Israel;
high school and college students, Los
Israel’s tradition of international human-
Angeles-based StandWithUs builds
itarian aid; innovation and technology;
strong connections between young peo-
and developing a personal connection
ple in the diaspora and Israel.
with Israel.
But staff members were con-
LINK is an online, discussion-
cerned about research data that
based curriculum that includes a
indicated many younger students
game, Kesher, to engage students.
lacked a personal link with Israel.
The lessons are done collabora-
“Two surveys motivated me to
tively as a class.
do something different,” explains
“The curriculum is incredibly
Mina Rush, director of middle
flexible, using a flipped model
school education and program-
(an alternative to the traditional
ming for StandWithUs. “In the
Mina Rush
classroom lecture format) with
Pew Study on American Jewry,
part completed at home, that can
as the cohort got younger, the
be spread out over several years,”
‘disconnect’ with Israel became
Rush explains. “Each student should walk
larger, with 75 percent describing their
away with a personal Israel connection
connection with Israel as ‘somewhat’ to
so that they can say ‘Israel matters to me
‘not at all.’”
because ____.’”
She adds that a second survey of “sup-
A year-long pilot program in 20 Jewish
plementary schools” — Jewish schools
day and supplementary schools across
that provide classes after secular school
the U.S. was completed last July. Follow-
or on Sundays — indicated a similar
up studies showed increases of 45 to 78
problem. “For every 100 kids after their
bar or bat mitzvah, only 12 were left who percent in knowledge and understand-
were engaged in Jewish institutional life,” ing in five categories: Israel’s history,
geography and demographics, diversity,
Rush says.
humanitarian efforts and technology.
For those attending most Jewish edu-
LINK recently received a major
cational programs, less and less time was
four-year grant from the Jonas Family
devoted to Israel, she adds.
to expand into Jewish schools in the
Rush began talking to Jewish educa-
Midwest. Rush has contacted 16 supple-
tors from all denominations and types of
mentary and five day schools in the
schools, asking, “What do you want your
Detroit area, encouraging them to
students to walk away with?”
apply by April 25 in order to receive the
She was convinced that Israel educa-
LINK curriculum, teacher’s guide and
tion should be based on the core values
other classroom materials at no charge
and experiences of today’s students with
through the Jonas Family grant.
less focus on the Holocaust, which is not
Her goal is to sign up at least 10 local
as personally relevant for them.
schools to receive LINK. Beit Sefer
Rush, along with teachers and internet
B’Yachad in Grand Rapids is the first
experts, developed “LINK— Discovering
Michigan school to register for the pro-
Your Israel Connection” — an interactive,
gram. •
internet-based curriculum that engages