THE STEINHARDT FOUNDATION FOR JEWISH LIFE AUTUMN 2011/CHESHVAN 5772 VOLUME 14 NUMBER 1 THE JOURNAL OF THE STEINHARDT FOUNDATION FOR JEWISH LIFE ISRAEL ENGAGEMENT BEYOND HASBARAH FROM THE EDITOR AUTUMN 2011/CHESHVAN 5772 VOLUME 14 NUMBER 1 ISRAEL ENGAGEMENT Eli Valley BEYOND HASBARAH Editor or decades, Israel engagement in North America hewed to a narrow narrative line. If Erica Coleman not overtly political, the methods of engagement frequently had politics just beneath Copy Editor the surface. Engagement meant understanding Israel’s importance to the world Jewish community as well as its right to exist — both in a general sense and in relation to the Yakov Wisniewski events of the day. This often turned engagement into a reactive enterprise — how the commu- Design Director nity could shore up support for this policy or for that war, and how Israel’s actions could best be presented and explained. THE STEINHARDT The reasons for this were understandable. There was a widespread perception of Israel being FOUNDATION under siege and a general sentiment that Diaspora communities could serve as Israel’s ambassa- FOR JEWISH LIFE dors. Moreover, a fear of losing young Jews to waves of anti-Israel agitation spurred campaigns to arm them with Israel’s side of the story. But ultimately, such efforts were a misuse of both Michael H. Steinhardt Israel and of American Jews. As the conflict became more nuanced and information more wide- Chairman spread, the Hasbarah method — explaining Israel through public relations — came to be dis- Robert P. Aronson credited by a more sophisticated population of American Jews, particularly among the younger President generations. In many cases, engagement was turning people away. Rabbi David Gedzelman Birthright Israel helped to change the paradigm. No longer was Israel widely perceived as a vessel to Executive Vice President protect and explain, but as a place to inspire. Participants didn’t shy away from political issues, but generally speaking, politics did not define the program. Instead, the historical, spiritual, emotional Rabbi Irving Greenberg and cultural aspects of Israel have taken forefront in an immersive experience that has galvanized a Founding President revolution in Jewish education and fostered a new way of approaching Israel engagement. Jonathan J. Greenberg z”l Moving forward, in what other ways can Israel Engagement innovate to inspire and connect Founding Director people to Israel? How can the community foster connections to Israel among Jews across the spectrums of politics, culture and observance? How can Israel engagement succeed long after — CONTACT is produced and and indeed before — one has visited Israel? The articles in this issue of CONTACT explore new distributed by The Steinhardt Foundation ways of engaging American Jews with Israeli culture and life. In so doing, they offer new per- for Jewish Life, 6 East 39th Street, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016. spectives and dimensions for those seeking to build greater connections between Israel and America and to strengthen the Jewish experience worldwide. All issues of Contact are available for download at www.steinhardtfoundation.org/journal.html Eli Valley Individual subscriptions are free of charge and are provided as a service to the community. IN THIS ISSUE To subscribe, please send your name and mailing address to [email protected]. 3 BIRTHRIGHT EXCEL: THE NEXT STEP IN ISRAEL ENGAGEMENT Phone: (212) 279-2288 Michael H. Steinhardt Fax: (212) 279-1155 BEYOND BIRTHRIGHT: MAKING ISRAEL ENGAGEMENT LAST Email: [email protected] 4 Charles Edelsberg and Dawne Bear Novicoff Website: www.steinhardtfoundation.org ENGAGING WITH A WORK IN PROGRESS For media inquiries about The Steinhardt 5 Foundation for Jewish Life, please contact An Interview with Sharon Ashley Dan Gerstein at [email protected]. 7 ISRAELI TRADITIONS & HEBREW: Copyright © 2011 by A PATH TO JEWISH & ISRAELI IDENTITY The Steinhardt Foundation Jennie Starr for Jewish Life. PROGRESSIVE ZIONIST ENGAGEMENT WITH ISRAEL 8 Kenneth Bob The Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life is TURNING POINTS: STORIES FROM YOUNG JUDAEA dedicated to strengthening and transform ing 9 Nathan Winkler, Michael Sanieoff, Ale Klachko Ameri can Jewish Life to ensure a flourishing, sustainable community in a fully integrated MOVING BEYOND HUGGING AND WRESTLING free society. We seek to revitalize Jewish 10 Yonatan Ariel, Robbie Gringras and Esti Moskovitz-Kalman identity through educa tional and cultural initiatives that are designed to reach out to 11 DOING GOOD IN THE WORLD, IN AMERICA AND IN ISRAEL all Jews, with an emphasis on those who Ben Murane are on the margins of Jewish life, as well as to ART UP NATION advocate for and support Hebrew and Jewish 13 Yael Miriam and Edoe Cohen literacy among the general population. ISRAEL AT ITS CORE 14 Etty Dolgin Photographs in this issue appear courtesy of AFTERWORD Jennie Starr, Yaniv Nadav, and Bigstock.com. 15 Rabbi David Gedzelmann 2 CONTACT by MICHAEL H. STEINHARDT dozen years after the establishment ica, it is time to provide American Jews with Excel’s initial cohort. of the most revolutionary Jewish a broad spectrum of Jewish enrichment The program is helping to bind Excel education vehicle in recent history, experiences that position Israel as an anchor participants to Israel in a profound way. it is time to take stock of Birthright Israel of Jewish consciousness and connections. They are immersed in Israeli life, in the and identify ways to reinforce and expand With this in mind, I am supporting the Hebrew language and in the internal work- its achievements. development and implementation of Birthright ings of an Israeli enterprise at the exact One of Birthright’s most poignant lessons Excel, a new Israel internship and engagement point in their lives when they’re making is that in the eyes of world Jewry, Israel is not program for college Juniors and Seniors, serious transitional choices. When alumni only a place of strife or a source of ambiva- whose first cohort launched this year. In some return to the United States, they will be part lence, but also a wellspring of inspiration and ways, Excel is the inverse of Birthright. Birth- of the Birthright Excel Think Tank, which pride. Studies of Birthright alumni show that right is for everyone: the well-educated, not will meet regularly in New York City and immersive experiences in Israel — encoun- well-educated, committed, not committed. Washington, DC, to provide opportunities ters with its ancient civilization and with its This was crucial for a program whose objec- for discussion, professional development modern-day culture — help build and rein- tive was to strengthen Jewish Peoplehood and and mentorships between participants and force Jewish connections among those who to bind global Jewish communities more leaders in finance, the government and the had never been to Israel before. The experi- closely with Israel. Where Birthright’s reach is Jewish community. The Think Tank will ence opens participants’ eyes to new ways of all-encompassing, Excel’s is narrow: it focuses further reinforce a shared sense of purpose Jewish belonging and to a sense of Jewish on the best and the brightest of our young between international and Israeli compa- Peoplehood difficult to experience and com- adults, individuals whose academic excellence nies, and between Diaspora Jewish leaders prehend outside the state. Israel, it turns out, indicates their potential to be leaders in a wide and their Israeli counterparts. is a phenomenal resource for identity enrich- variety of fields. Hopefully, Excel will create a deep and ment among American Jews. But its potential Excel provides participants with ten-week lasting bond between participants and their has only begun to be tapped. internships at some of Israel’s most accom- host companies — as well as in the friend- Why is this important? Because most of plished companies that have earned the Jew- ships and connections built during the expe- our other efforts have failed. For genera- ish state the moniker “Start-Up Nation.” rience. My dream is that over the long term, tions of American Jews, synagogues and Whether Checkpoint, Ernst & Young or Giza this bond will help weave a meaningful sense Hebrew schools have only deepened their Venture Capital, each enterprise has put of Jewish unity that does not presently exist alienation from Judaism. Most non-Ortho- Israel at the cutting edge of global innovation between Israel and Diaspora communities. dox Jews in the Diaspora do not feel a sense in finance, technology, consulting and social After a couple of generations, when hundreds of being insiders to the tradition. When media. Eventually, we hope to expand these or even thousands of participants have expe- they find themselves in the company of internships beyond private enterprise to rienced Birthright Excel, we will have helped Orthodox Jews, it’s as if they are experienc- include law, medicine and perhaps other usher in an elite group of Americans with an ing a foreign culture. Contrast that with areas such as education and government, inside view of Israel, its most influential citi- Jewish life as it is experienced in Israel: a where there are meaningful potential over- zens and its contemporary Jewish life and full, modern sense of belonging and engage- laps and benefits for both sides. culture. If we accomplish this, we will have ment that spans the spectrums of religion, The program is exceptionally rich. Par- achieved something truly transformative. culture and ethnicity. In Israel, being Jewish ticipants are not simply interning at compa- I should emphasize that as the elite of is not related to knowledge of halacha but nies. They meet with many of Israel’s elites the Jewish community, Birthright Excel par- to a shared sense of Peoplehood. It’s auto- in the business, military and government ticipants will go on to leadership positions matic and instinctive.