NOVEMBER 21 • 2024 | 11

their free time for something else.
Most of them probably don’t even
have family in Israel, but they came
to feel the connection and support.”

WORK SITES
The Shinshinim’s weekly work
sites include regular day schools
and religious schools. Day school
work sites include Hillel Day
School, Farber Hebrew Day School
and Frankel Jewish Academy.
Religious school work sites
include Yachad Religious School,
Temple Beth-El, Adat Shalom
Synagogue, Congregation Beth
Ahm, Congregation Shaarey Zedek,
Temple Israel and Temple Shir
Shalom. Their students range from
pre-Kindergarten to 12th grade.
Ori notes how warm and
welcoming Hillel has been for her,
especially with there being so many
Israeli teachers.

“On Oct. 7, which was obviously
a hard day, especially not being at
home with my family, everybody
was so caring and made sure we
were all feeling OK,” she says.
“They told me if I need a break, to
take my time. Everybody just wants
us to do the best we can.”
Ofir is the first Shinshinim at
Farber Hebrew Day School and
Young Israel of Southfield, which
has been exciting for him.
“I’m seeing I can make a big
impact,” he says. “Something
that’s really impressed me is how
ingrained Israel and Israeli culture
is in the schools. Whether it’s
during the lessons, there being
Israeli flags or the students reciting
‘Hatikvah,’ the kids are taking it
seriously.”
The Shinshinim program has also
expanded to BBYO this year. Each
of the Shinshinim are in different

BBYO chapters working with
teenagers.
A stand-out moment for
Nisan was during an Oct. 7
commemoration event at FJA.
It struck him seeing how much
the high school students (many
just a year younger than he is)
took it seriously and gave the
commemoration the respect it
deserves.
“I was shocked by how engrossed
they were with the subject matter,
the activities we did and to see how
it affected them,” Nisan says. “Many
came out of it telling us they now
understand why people fight, why
people want to go to the army, and
that they want to go to the army
now.”

U.S. ELECTION
The Shinshinim were here for the
2024 U.S. presidential election.

Experiencing that process was
fascinating for them.
“We were lucky that somebody
from Federation came and talked to
us about the election — about how
it works and all the little bits and
bobs of it,” Ori says. “I was grateful
to learn a bit more about it and
seeing it in action was amazing.”
Ofir adds, “It was interesting to
follow it on the news, to hear and
see the different opinions about
everything. It’s really different than
in Israel. Here, it’s on a much bigger
scale.”
Nisan, who was born in America
and is now 18 years old, was able to
vote for the very first time.
“It was pretty cool,” he says. “I
voted on Election Day, and I went
in the middle of the day and there
was no line.”
Nisan said it was “pretty
stressful” up until Election Day

continued on page 12

LEFT: The Shinshinim arrive at the airport. RIGHT: Shahar and Ori at the cider mill.
FACING PAGE: The Shinshinim stood on the bimah and recited a Prayer for Israel.