Local Hillel group visits Kiryat Motzkin

This December, Central Florida Hillel's Taglit Birthright Group had the opportunity to visit Kiryat Motzkin, an Israeli city, north of Haifa that has a long-term partnership with our Greater Orlando community through the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando and the Partnership2Gether program. On their visit, the students first visited the Mashmaut center, where participants met and spoke with Holocaust survivors and were fascinated to hear their stories. Next they visited the Weizman school's kindergarten classes. They danced and sang with the children, then toured the younger classes section of the elementary school and joined them for a light lunch and to help them make their cooking activity. In both places the Birthright participants received souvenirs that were made especially for them.

Through Partnership2Gether, the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando helps the community by funding a leadership program through many initiatives including The Kiryat Motzkin Youth Unit that 150 teenagers participate in to help build tomorrow's Israeli leaders. In Kiryat Motzkin, many Holocaust survivors participate at no charge in the activities of Mashmaut Center thanks in part to funding from JFGO. Each year funding from JFGO allows low-income families to benefit from remedial teaching at the Mashal after-school facility for students with learning and other disabilities. Sifriyat Pijama is a reading enhancement program that now operates in Kiryat Motzkin. Kindergarteners enjoy receiving new books each month that teach Jewish traditions and values. The Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando's mission is to nurture a unified Jewish community that transcends generations and neighborhoods.

To learn more about its impact in Israel or to learn more about the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando's programming initiatives please visit http://www.jfgo.org.