This summer, Israeli campers from Karmiel and Misgav, Pittsburgh's partner communities in Israel, are spending the summer at Emma Kaufmann Camp. At JCC camps across Pittsburgh, children are learning Hebrew songs, hearing stories from Israel and forming friendships with counselors from Karmiel and Misgav. Pittsburgh's Diller Teen Fellows also recently traveled throughout Israel with their peers from Karmiel and Misgav.

These aren't simply exchange programs. They are the building blocks of a living relationship between two Jewish communities separated by thousands of miles but united by one people, one history and one shared future.

For more than 30 years, Partnership2Gether has connected Pittsburgh with Karmiel, Misgav and, more recently, Warsaw, creating lifelong relationships between Jews who might otherwise never have met. What began as a partnership has become something far greater: a global Jewish family rooted in the understanding that Kol Yisrael Arevim Zeh Bazeh, all Jews are responsible for one another. For decades, Partnership2Gether has been a cornerstone of Federation's Israel and Overseas work, strengthening the bonds that unite our people across continents.

Through these exchanges, Pittsburghers gain a deeper appreciation for Israel as a vibrant, resilient society, while Israelis experience the strength of Jewish life in Pittsburgh. Karmiel and Misgav are no longer just names on a map. They are Pittsburgh's home away from home in Israel. That's why every Federation mission includes meaningful time in our partner region, where friendships are renewed, milestones are celebrated and our shared commitment to Israel grows even stronger.

These connections don't happen by accident. They are made possible by generous donors who support Federation's Community Campaign. This year, Federation is investing more than $400,000 in Partnership2Gether. That investment brings Israeli campers and counselors to Pittsburgh, sends teens to Israel through Diller Teen Fellows, welcomes shinshinim to inspire our community, supports leadership exchanges and creates meaningful encounters that strengthen Jewish identity and reinforce the enduring bond between Pittsburgh and Israel.

At a time when Israel faces unprecedented challenges and antisemitism is rising around the world, these personal relationships matter more than ever. They remind us that Israel is not an abstract idea or a distant headline. It is our homeland. And the people of Karmiel and Misgav are not strangers. They are family.

That's Community.
That's Connection to Israel.
That's Federation.