MERCAZ Newsletter - Fall 2002
Mercaz & USCJ To Train Synagogue Israel Teams

MERCAZ USA and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism have received a grant of more than $70,000 to bring lay and professional synagogue leaders to Israel in order to train special congregational-based "Israel Education Teams". The grant, the largest single award given at the summer meeting of the Joint Program for Jewish Education, is for the first stage in a three-year program.

As the joint proposal notes, over the past decade, there has been a noticeable weakening of the connection between Israel and the Diaspora, first because of the Oslo Peace Process, later because of the fight over the rights of non-Orthodox movements in Israel and finally, because of the renewal of Palestinian violence against Israel.

While one might expect the synagogue to assume a special role in keeping strong the connection with Israel, all too often, Israel is treated as an isolated, and not integrated, element within the congregation's programs. Therefore, there is a need to bring together teams of synagogue lay and professional leaders in order to insure that Israel-oriented educational programming will be integrated fully into all aspects of synagogue life.

The Joint Education grant will allow for a weeklong study seminar in Israel, based at the Center for Conservative Judaism in Jerusalem, in late February 2003 for synagogue representatives from nearly 20 Conservative synagogues in North America. At the end of the pilot year, a description of the various synagogue activities will be compiled, with publication of a program guide on Israel planned at the conclusion of the project's third year.

"We are thrilled to have received the green light from the Joint Education Program for this project," noted Rabbi Robert Golub, MERCAZ Executive Director. "Now, MERCAZ will be able to direct replacement funding to the Fuchsberg Center to offset some of the Jerusalem center's losses due to the sharp drop in the number of USY tours to Israel." For more information, contact MERCAZ USA or the United Synagogue's Department of Education.