Federation Women on a Mission

Tue, 03/05/2013 - 1:22pm

The fourth annual National Women’s Philanthropy Heart to Heart mission in February was a journey throughout the Jewish homeland to connect and inspire Jewish women from across North America. The participants included a multi-generational group hailing from 18 North American communities. The women range in age from 17 to 76, and include several pairs of mothers and daughters. Nearly 40 of the women are traveling on their first Heart to Heart mission, while 11 have never been to Israel before. (see JFNA's briefing)

On the busy agenda: meet with Israeli political leaders like former MK Einat Wilf, rappel down the cliffs in the revitalized northern Carmel forests, connect with students and residents in the war-ravaged South, and volunteer to personally help vulnerable Israelis throughout the Jewish State.

So how did it go? Below is an excerpt from an article in the Baltimore Sun, accompanied by photos taken by participants.

At Ramat Hasassah Youth Village, meeting with youth and counselors.

But it was her work with The Associated, the Baltimore branch of the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), and its women's giving group that brought a recent revelation: Attman had never been to Israel.

Volunteering a Latet with IDF officers. We packed 940 food packages.

The women, who ranged in age from 17 to 79 and represented 18 communities nationwide, traveled in Israel in two buses. They met local leaders and celebrities, saw how American philanthropic dollars are spent in Israel, volunteered, found time for sight-seeing, and connected with their Jewish heritage.

"It was the best trip I've ever been on, without my husband," said Attman, who is known as Debbie, about the trip earlier this month. "It was great."

Read the full article here. See more photos, from the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ, here.