JANUARY 2015 - IN THIS ISSUE

  

Israel Events | Film & Televison | Speak the Language | Trips to Israel 

 Current Perspectives | Doron Zehavi Profile | Letter from Amit | About Israel Center

Printable List of Israel Programs and Events

 

ISRAEL EVENTSEvents

 

Israeli Folk Dancing 7th Annual New Year's Day Party

Thursday, January 1 @ Noon-3 pm

Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, Studio A

6255 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Whitefish Bay

 

Join us for three hours of circle dancing and schmoozing. Anyone wishing to top off the afternoon with a treat can join us for a trip over to Kopp's Custard at 3 pm.

 

Free and open to the public. Spread the word and bring your friends!

Email MilwaukeeIFD@Yahoo.com for more information

  

 

Israeli Folk Dancing

Mondays @ 7:30-9:30 pm

Harry & Rose Samson Family JCC

6255 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Whitefish Bay

 

Beginner teaching and dancing is often held from 7:30 to 8:15 pm followed by intermediate to advanced level circle dancing of the newest dances from Israel. Ages 12+. No cost. Email MilwaukeeIFD@Yahoo.com for more information including whether a beginner class is being held on a given week.

 

 

"Get a Taste" - Young Leadership Event

Wednesday, January 21 @ 7-9 pm

The Box | 628 North Broadway, Milwaukee

 

Get a Taste of Israeli wines and a taste of the causes Milwaukee Jewish Federation supports. Enjoy a short conversation - and a different Israeli wine - with each agency, plus plenty of time for networking.

 

RSVP by Friday, January 19 to Lauren Berger, MJF Young Leadership Director, by email or at 414-390-5702

 

 

Shirah B'Tzibur, Community Sing

Saturday, January 24 @ 7-9 pm

RSVP for location details

 

Shirah B'Tzibur is an Israeli-style sing-along to Hebrew songs by Arik Einstein, David Broza, Naomi Shemer and more. All songs will be transliterated, so come if you love music, singing, Israeli culture or are looking for a warm escape from the winter cold. For more information, or to RSVP by January 29, email or call Zabrina at 414-390-5724.

David Broza

FILM & TELEVISIONFilm

 

Jews Around the World Film Series

The Ballad of the Weeping Spring (Israel, 2013)

Sunday, January 11 @ 4 pm

 

Harry & Rose Samson Family JCC

6255 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Whitefish Bay

 

A musician, at the bequest of a friend's dying wish, attempts to assemble a Mizrachi band to play the piece they composed years ago. A tribute to the "spaghetti western", this unusual, wonderful film is filled with the melodies of Middle Eastern/ North African music and a fascinating assortment of characters.

 

In Hebrew and with subtitles.

Suitable for ages 13 and up.

Film Length: 1 hr 45 min

Instructor: Amit Yaniv-Zehavi

Free and Open to the public.

 

Co-sponsored by the Harry & Rose Samson Family JCC and the Israel Center of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation.

 

Questions about the event? Email or call Laurie Herman at 414-967-8212.

 

 

SPEAK THE LANGUAGESpeak

 

Modern Hebrew Language Class

Wednesdays @ 7 pm

Pelz Center for Jewish Life, 2233 West Mequon Road, Mequon, WI 53092 

Questions? Email or call Rabbi Moshe Rapoport at 262-242-2235.

 

Chug Ivrit

Fridays @ 1 pm - December 12, January 9, February 13, March 13, May 8, June 12

Harry & Rose Samson Family JCC, 6255 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Whitefish Bay

An opportunity to practice speaking Hebrew.

Questions? Email or call Zabrina Tamarkin at 414-390-5724.

 

 

TRIPS TO ISRAELTrips

 

Partnership2Gether's Steering Committee Meeting in Israel

February 2-4, 2015


 

Be part of P2G's open decision making process about what projects will best connect the US partners of Milwaukee, Madison, Tulsa, and St Paul to our partner region in Israel, Sovev Kinneret, through people to people connections. This annual meeting rotates locations and this year is in Israel. The meeting is a unique opportunity to see Israel through the lens of our partnership. Questions? Email or call Elsie Crawford at 414-390-5762.

  

 

Israel: The Arts Tour

April 19-29, 2015

 

Join Jody Hirsh, JCC Director of Judaic Education & Milwaukee's Artists' Laboratory Director, for a ten day trip to Israel focused on unique arts and culinary experiences. Questions? Email or call Jody Hirsh at 414-967-8199.

 

 

Milwaukee Mission 2016

 

As we celebrate 20 Years of P2G people-to-people connections, Milwaukeeans from all over the community will celebrate together in Israel on a multi-tracked trip. Questions? Email or call Rabbi Hannah Greenstein at 414-390-5764.

 

 

CURRENT PERSPECTIVESCurrent

 

Check out this roundup of recent stories about Israel provided by the Milwaukee Jewish Federation's Jewish Community Relations Council.

 

 

Letter from Ramallah: Gaza's Explosion Waiting to Happen (Politico)

 

For a second straight day, a motorist rammed his vehicle into a crowd in France shouting Allahu Akbar, Arabic for God is greatest (JTA)
 

Israel Mulls Revoking Citizenship of Nazareth Man who Joined Islamic State (Times of Israel)

 

India may change pro-Palestinian stance at UN (Times of Israel)

 

After Years of Enmity, Jerusalem to Follow US on Cuba Detente (Times of Israel)


Anne Roiphe on Books, Bookishness, Aging, and the State of Israel (Tablet)
 

How David Grossman Grieves: Looking Back at a Tumultuous Year for Israelis (Forward) 

 

 

The Other Half of Shlichut: Meet Doron ZehaviDoron

 

Doron's consent was the "final straw" in making Amit's 10-year dream of shlichut a reality. After all, the lifestyle of a shaliach is busy and unpredictable and, in the case of a family with three kids, requires someone to make sure all is well on the home front while the shaliach is out in the community. Doron is up to that task. He is spending this first year of shlichut helping the kids with English, their schoolwork, and adjustment to life in America.

 

Doron Zehavi

There's a lot more to Doron, however, then Amit's partner in their family shlichut experience. Doron has behind him a 20-year career as a software engineer and has a deep love for music. Here he combines the two in an original song.

 

Doron also hosts a small radio program in Israel on Radio Harif, where he finds new bands to introduce to Israelis. Interested in reading Doron's thoughts on life in America? Grab a Hebrew-speaker and check out his blog and his Facebook page. Among his observations about differences between America and Israel is the plethora of medications available in America that does not exist in Israel. (For example, in Israel, people with heartburn are more likely to curb their diets. Americans are more likely to eat what we want and take medication afterwards).

 

Other interests of Doron include running and sports and he will be looking for unique volunteer opportunities once he knows the kids are settled. Like Amit, Doron has been touched by the warmth of the people in Milwaukee - if not our weather - and by how connected our community is to Israel. We are so happy Doron is here and we are grateful for his contributions to making this shlichut delegation mitzuyan (awesome!!).

 

 

 

LETTER FROM AMITAmit

 

 

Winter Thoughts

 

Amit Yaniv-Zehavi

They say it's good to experience new things. The Wisconsin winter will be a first for my family and I. Israeli winters are more like the Autumn here, yet without the beautiful foliage. Israel really has only 2 seasons: a very moderate and relatively short winter (in which everybody appreciates any rain) and a very long summer, which peaks in August with humidity and heat together making everyone wish for winter again.

 

It seems that you guys have it all figured out, between the winter coats, hats and boots, the hot chocolate and apple cider and the positive attitude: "Put on the right gear and go out." I like that!

 

Also, the ancient wisdom of placing Hanukkah (festival of lights) when the shortest days of the year are and the human spirit needs uplifting, bringing family and friends together to sing and exchange gifts, is another genius way of tackling those winter blues.

 

We are approaching the cold months ahead in the only ways our family knows: Puzzles (we have done four 1000 peace jigsaw puzzles so far), Soups (Doron's lentil soup was the best so far) and Music (an especially strong gene passed down through the Zehavi family (Doron's side)

 

And on this happy "Note," we would like to invite all the Israeli music lovers to join us for an Israeli music Sing-a-Long on Saturday, January 24 at 7 pm. To sign up, please email or call Zabrina at 414-390-5743.

 

 

 

Amit Yaniv-Zehavi

Community Shlichah

 

PS Feel free to contact me at AmitZ@MilwaukeeJewish.org

 

 

ABOUT ISRAEL CENTERAbout

 

The Israel Center, a department of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation, serves as Israel's central address in the greater Milwaukee community. Our mission is to create connections between the people of Israel and Milwaukee through cultural, professional, educational and travel experiences. These connections are developed in part through Shlichut and Partnership2Gether, two programs that are made possible through the Milwaukee Jewish Federation's partnership with the Jewish Agency for Israel. Learn more.


 

Questions? Email or call Rabbi Hannah Greenstein, VP Outreach, Israel and Overseas, at 414-390-5764.