MERCAZ Newsletter -Fall 2003
Shlicha Bids Conservative Movement "Shalom"

Dear Friends:

It's hard to believe that my three years of shlichut in North America are up. It seems like only yesterday I arrived here and began to make my way through such (then) unfamiliar acronyms as USCJ, JTS, WL, SSHS, RA and more. I left Israel in October 2000, soon after the current war in began, and am returning to what I hope is a new chapter in Israel's struggle for peace.

During this time of year, we are all called upon to conduct private and public heshbon nefesh (inner reflection) and 'take stock' on our achievements, successes and failures since the past Yamim Nora'im (High Holidays). I'll take this opportunity to share with you, dear members and friends of MERCAZ USA, some of the thoughts I'm having lately.

I feel that the tireless efforts of advocates for Israel within the Conservative Movement, namely members of MERCAZ USA, have been successful in bringing Israel to the forefront of discussion in the hundreds of Kehillot all over the nation. I've witnessed these efforts myself while visiting dozens of your congregations in the US and Canada and collaborating with your professional and lay leadership. I have seen various programs initiated lately to visit Israel; I have heard about speakers from Israel being invited to address synagogues; I know that religious schools are increasing their emphasis on Israel programming, all this and more. I'm particularly proud to see that almost every Conservative synagogue in North America is now reciting the Prayer for the State of Israel in its services, many using the specially decorated card that I had designed and printed during my shlichut.

A special privilege I consider to have had was working with the many different organizations, ages and segments of the Conservative Movement. I was welcomed with open arms upon my arrival by Women's League for Conservative Judaism at its biennial convention and have been impressed by its level of dedication and devotion to Israeli women's issues and causes. The Rabbinical Assembly, United Synagogue and other arms of the Conservative Movement have also made me feel at home and appreciated.

In addition to meeting and making connections with the Movement's leadership, by participating in the various national meetings and conferences, I have also gotten to know the grassroots members of your synagogues and organizations, who have shared with me their personal stories about how they contributed to the defense and development of Israel. For example, I remember the gentleman who, with great pride, told me how he had sent his own personal handgun to Israel in 1948, knowing that it would help the soldiers defend his homeland better. Particularly meaningful was my meeting a woman from Los Angeles who, during the Yom Kippur War in 1973, flew to Israel to help hitchhiking soldiers get home quickly and safely by driving them to their destinations. When I asked what had prompted her to do such a thing, she said, "I have to help, and this is the only way I know how". I also recall the young girl who donated large sums from her Bat Mitzvah gifts to needy Israeli teens as part of her Tzedaka project from the religious school. Not only were her parents and grandparents, rabbis and teachers extremely proud of her, but she too was very proud of her direct contribution to an entity larger than herself to whom she felt connected: her people, her tradition.

Working with college age students was particularly challenging, as this is an age when they begin to open up and are exposed to ideas and theories different from those with which they grew up. Many students testify that upon entering college they felt sure of themselves and their dedication to Israel, Zionism and the Jewish People. However when encountering groups on campus that were critical of Israel, if not downright anti-Zionist, they felt their identity being shaken up and confused. Helping them maintain their equilibrium while nurturing their pro-Israel sentiment was a difficult but highly rewarding activity, as these students are the future leadership of our Movement.

While focusing on my successes and satisfactions over the three years I served as Shlicha to the Conservative Movement, I feel I should share with you one area in which I feel I did not make satisfactory gains. This is the area of Aliyah. While I did not invent the adage "Aliyah is the highest manifestation of Zionism," I truly believe it is true, although it seems that this notion has in large measure passed over Conservative Judaism on this continent. Nevertheless, I am encouraged that in light of the recent Yom Iyun dedicated to the place of Zionism in Conservative Judaism that was attended by many of the Movement's leaders, a more positive orientation to Aliyah may be forthcoming. In fact, the recently published statistics about the small upsurge in American immigration to Israel in 2003, particularly among Conservative Jews, is an indication that a change may already have begun.

On a personal note, I'd like to take this opportunity to publicly thank a few people with whom I have worked closely over these past three years:

to Cindy Megiddo, Editor of the AMTON, the Aliyah Committee's newsletter, and a dear friend;

to Evelyn Auerbach and Elana Gershon-Finkelstein, the two Chairs of the Aliyah Committee with whom I worked, who were a very important source of support to me;

to Evelyn Seelig and Rabbi Vernon Kurtz, the immediate past and current presidents of MERCAZ USA, who, despite their very busy schedules, always made the time and found the necessary patience to lead and push the Zionist agenda within the Movement (and beyond it!), and, aharon aharon haviv,

to the members of the MERCAZ USA office, Ahuva Oko, Shelly Grossman and Rabbi Robert Golub, the Executive Director. The job of being a shlicha to an entire movement, as opposed to being employed by one single organization, is a daunting experience, with not knowing how to open doors or even which doors to open on any given project and at any given time. Rabbi Golub generously gave from his time to mentor me, from guiding me through the "who's who" and the "what's what" of the Conservative Movement to helping define and refine the various ideas I wanted to accomplish. To him and to all that I have had the opportunity of getting to know during my shlichut: Todah Rabbah!

It has been a special privilege serving as the Shlicha to the Conservative Movement, and I extend a personal invitation to you all to come and see my husband Uri, our American-born daughter Eden and me "This Year in Jerusalem"!

Bechavod,

Karni Goldshmid-Lahav