We just completed a phenomenal week of Snowbirds Events in Florida. With over 200 in combined attendance at three events (Boca Raton, Naples, and Sarasota/Longboat Key). It was great to reconnect with our donors who winter down south. Rabbi Danny Schiff, our Jewish Foundation Scholar, spoke masterfully at all three about the perceived threats facing our Jewish people and what he believes is an actual threat.
About a week ago, I stopped by our Jewish professionals Melton Class. Pittsburgh is one of the top communities in the world when it comes to graduates of this international immersive Jewish educational program. This specific class, co-taught by Rabbi Danny Schiff and Danielle Kranjec (the Senior Jewish Educator at the Hillel Jewish University Center), is focused on individuals who work within our Jewish community. Synagogue and agency staff members are participating. It serves several purposes. The first is that it provides these professionals with deeper Jewish content enabling them to be better Jewish connectors and “teachers” in their daily work. Secondly, the class helps each person deepen their own personal ties to and knowledge of Judaism. Finally, it provides a platform for those who work in diverse parts of our community to get acquainted with one another through Jewish study. That could lead to unforeseen and positive collaborations.
This summer, many young people in our community will travel to Israel on programs such as Birthright Israel, teen programs and Onward Israel (all three of which receive funding from our Federation). Onward Israel is worth highlighting for a moment. Onward provides college aged students with an internship in the field of their interest in Israel while also giving them Israel and Jewish educational experiences. It is highly subsidized by national donors and our Federation making it very reasonably priced (only about $600). It was developed to tap into the need of this age cohort to participate in internships to build their resumes for work or graduate school. If you know someone that might be interested in exploring the possibility of spending this summer in exciting Tel Aviv, please send them to this link: www.OnwardIsrael.com/category/pittsburgh.
From Florida to Pittsburgh and to Israel, our Federation is inspiring Jewish journeys.
Shabbat Shalom.