Connecticut Jewish Ledger

MADISON — Camp Laurelwood turned into an instant absorption center for an eager group of Israelis last week as the new crop of Young Emissaries from Israel’s Afula-Gilboa region arrived in America.

They spent four days last week at Laurelwood of intensive training, bonding, meetings with Jewish Federation directors, and just to have fun.

Reut Arato of Kibbutz Beit HaShita said she is looking forward to “a year to serve the Jewish people” and noted that she is well aware that “not everyone gets this chance.”

Reut is one of 14 18-year-olds chosen from 129 applicants to serve for one year as young emissaries in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Southern Massachusetts.

The Partnership 2000 (P2K) Program links regions in Israel with overseas communities such as SNEC. Since 1999, Israelis have been coming from the Afula-Gilboa region to serve in their P2K sister region, the Southern New England Consortium.

“I am coming to give and receive, to learn and to teach,” reported Reut.
Yuval Weizman of Moshav Devora, in the United States for the first time, will be working with Reut to serve the communities of Westport, Wilton, Weston and Norwalk. “Eighteen years of living in Israel has given me enough material and knowledge to pass on. Since I was little, my parents took me to every corner, every stream, every mountain and every road - now, I want to pass it on to young American Jews.”

Binyamin Zinstein and Yael Soberano will be serving in the Greater Hartford area. Binyamin said he can “contribute more here than back at home” during his year in the States. Yael, from Afula, and also in America for the first time, reported that she is here “to do as much as I can and to learn as much as I can.” She hopes to “try new things and to reach new levels.”

Zohar Mazor, who will be working in Bridgeport - Eastern Fairfield County with fellow shaliach, Mor Goshen, said, “I love kids and being an educator. I am looking forward to having a chance to work, to teach, to affect children.”

Tali Zion and Hila Arie will work as shlichot (female emissaries) in New Haven. Tali has family members living in the States and feels it is “important to strengthen the connection between Israel and the Diaspora.”

Arie, a religiously observant young woman who studied in an ORT school and has been involved with the “Seeds of Peace” organization in Israel, said, “I believe in the goals of the program and feel I have something to give — I want to make personal contacts with the people I meet.”

As the four-day seminar at Laurelwood drew to a close, Hila and the other shlichim were most interested in finally meeting their host families. Hila’s New Haven host family for the first half of the year, the Cheskis-Gold family, were also looking forward to Hila’s arrival.

“We have one daughter in college, a daughter a half year younger than Hila, and a 13-year-old son. We are really excited to have another semi-teenager in our home,” noted Rena Cheskis-Gold.

Area Jewish Federation directors shared their own personal stories and offered advice to the new shlichim. Sydney Perry, executive director of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven, acknowledged that it is a difficult time to leave Israel but offered, “We will constantly be ready to be of help.”

Perry encouraged the shlichim to “reach us with your energy as you are transmitters.”

For more information on the Young Emissary program, contact Sharon Conway, director, 860-690-3262 or by email at conwaysrc@comcast.net

SNEC Young Emissaries 2005-2006
Bridgeport - Eastern Fairfield County:
Mor Goshen and Zohar Mazor

Westport - Wilton - Weston - Norwalk:
Yuval Weizman and Reut Arato

Greater New Haven:
Hila Arie and Tali Zion

Greater Hartford:
Yael Soberano and Binyamin Zinstein

New London - Eastern CT:
Aviel Maftsir and Ya’ara Hendel

Central Massachusetts:
Aviv Laitman and Rabbecka Abeve

Rhode Island:
Dana Zaks and Shlomi Yehiav