38 | JUNE 23 • 2022
different tasks related to the
partnership region. These
items include the English
language programs, teen
leadership development
(which includes the camper
program, Birthright trips
and Teen Mission), a
program where young
adults in Michigan are
paired with young adults
in the partnership region,
helping launch a young
adult initiative in the region
similar to NEXTGen Detroit,
and more.
The ShinShinim program,
where Israeli high school
graduates from the
partnership region take a
gap year in Detroit, stay with
a host family and take part
in the community, is among
the biggest day-to-day
efforts Stillman is dedicated
to.
The P2G program has two
chairs in Michigan, Randi
Sakwa and Ron Sollish,
and two in Israel, Rachel
Shechori and Avi Aviram.
The P2G director in Israel is
Einat Adir-Sappire.
“What keeps the machine
running is the committee
here and in Israel and
the relationships we form
together because during
normal times we travel
regularly. Either their
committee comes to Detroit
or we go to Israel, at least
once every nine months,”
Stillman said.
“Those trips are important
to the work we do in creating
these strong bonds between
our committee members, and
I think those relationships
are at the heart of everything
we do.”
DEALING WITH
THE PANDEMIC
For the past two or so years
during the pandemic, it
certainly hasn’t been normal
times, and those trips weren’t
able to be taken. Regardless,
the two sides found ways to
keep the partnership moving
forward.
“Obviously, at the
beginning, our heads were
spinning and we didn’t know
which way was up for a little
bit, but of all the things
Federation is doing, I think
P2G had a somewhat easier
time pivoting,” said Jennifer
Levine, director
of Federation’s
Israel & Overseas
Department. “We
already were used
to operating [that
way]. Half of my
staff has always
been in Israel, so since
forever we’ve had to meet
online.”
P2G’s pivot saw many
programs move to virtual
without much problem,
including the teen leadership
program and a continuation
of its counselor-in-training
program. New, innovative
programming also came
about during this time,
including virtual cooking
and improv comedy events.
“I think we discovered the
silver lining, the capacity
of what we could do online
that we never knew before,”
Stillman said. “There’s
components of the online
element we’ll keep long
beyond COVID because
when you’re working across
the ocean, it just makes
sense.”
The Israeli camper
program was paused during
the height of the pandemic,
but Israeli campers are now
returning to Camp Tamarack
this summer after a two-year
COVID-induced hiatus.
Stillman and Levine look
forward to returning to
some type of normalcy on
all fronts, getting back to
traveling, getting programs
back in-person and
continuing to move forward.
“P2G is one of the
best tools we have as a
community to turn the
abstract concept of a global
Jewish family into a reality,
and that’s really what we
try to do,” Levine said.
“Federation exists to take
care of the needs of the
Jewish people and to build a
vibrant Jewish future here, in
Israel and around the world.
“And I feel P2G is the best
tool we have to focus on
building a stronger Jewish
community.”
For more about Partnership2Gether
and how to get involved, contact
Dona Stillman at stillman@jfmd.org or
(248) 943-1553.
ERETZ
FROM OUR PARTNERSHIP
REGION IN ISRAEL
Jennifer
Levine
The P2G
Steering
Committee
continued from page 37