Initiative between world Jewry and Israel

RABBI CRAIG KACEV

This decision, made at the beginning of June, follows a strategic planning process led by The Jewish Agency and the Israeli government, which involved thousands of participants from Israel and across the Jewish world.

In terms of the decision, during the initial stage of the initiative’s implementation, one third of the total budget will come from the Israeli government and two thirds by world Jewry.

In 2016, an expansion of the initiative will be brought to the Israeli government for approval and it is expected that the investment could grow to around one billion shekels by 2022.

It should be noted that the government’s investment in the initiative will be above and beyond existing funding for programmes pertaining to world Jewry.

As a participant of the initiative together with my colleague, Geoff Cohen, I can vouch that this decision holds within it the possibility to catapult world Jewry into a very different relationship with Israel.

Working together with educational leadership from around the world as well as the likes of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Minister Naftali Bennet and chairman of the Jewish Agency, Natan Sharansky and many staff from all of their offices, it became clear from the start that the Israeli government was serious about the initiative and willing to invest in Jewry around the world.

The initiative aims to help ensure the continuity of the Jewish people by strengthening young Jews’ Jewish identity and enhancing connections between world Jewry and Israel.

As Sharansky said: “Israel needs a strong Jewish world and the Jewish world needs a strong Israel.”

The Government of Israel-World Jewry Joint Initiative, is viewed as a top priority by the Israeli government and The Jewish Agency, due to the ongoing erosion of Jewish identity among young Jews and the growing disconnect between them and Israel.

The government decision is significant in that it reflects the collective responsibility between the State of Israel and world Jewry for the continuity of the Jewish people.

What struck me most was the clear paradigm shift that this process and decision has brought to the Jewish world. Whereas the past saw Israel as a receiver and the Diaspora as givers, this decision is a conscious effort by the government to take the central role over time to be the biggest contributor to Jewish identity in the Diaspora.

Whereas past efforts in education focused on Zionist education, this initiative recognises the role of Jewish identity. While so many of the previous initiatives focused on North America, this one will contribute to all countries as long as viable and impactful programmes are designed and communities and participants are willing to fund their portion in partnership with the Israeli government.

The funds will be aimed at initiatives that impact on young Jews between the ages of 12 and 30 or those educators who work with this group.

The working document identifies three areas of focus, namely teenagers, university students and young adults.

The possibilities are endless, yet it is expected that the monies will be invested in scaling up already existing successful initiatives to a degree that makes a broader impact, while at the same time contributing to as many new initiatives as possible that could make a difference.

The consultative process has already been extensive and yet the next phase will see emissaries of the Jewish Agency and the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs meeting local communities around the world so as to leverage the funds in the best manner for each community.

The initiative will involve joint programmes between Israel and Jewish communities around the world that will have a significant, measurable impact on young Jews in Israel and throughout the Jewish world in such areas as formal and informal education, Jewish and Israel experiences, campus life, tikkun olam (social justice), and opportunities for life in Israel.

The goal is to offer a range of programmes that will enable Jews from all denominations, communities and walks of life, to find their place. The programmes will include high-quality training for staff and professionals and an advanced online platform to multiply their impact.

The initiative is based on the will to inspire and empower Jews, individually and collectively, to be committed Jews, connected to Israel and contributing citizens of the world.

As the process moves forward, I have no doubt that school learners, youth movements, shuls and organisations working with young Jews in South Africa, will benefit from this initiative.

Yishar Koach to the government of Israel and The Jewish Agency and we look forward to becoming active partners in a way that only the South African community can be and has been.