After months of planning, Louisville is ready to host visitors from Israel’s Western Galilee and the Partnership 2Gether Central Consortium that includes the Jewish communities in Canton, Dayton, Toledo and Youngstown, OH; Indianapolis, Northwest Indiana and South Bend, IN; Des Moines, IA; Omaha, NE; and Austin, Fort Worth and San Antonio TX; and Budapest, Hungary.
They’re all coming to Louisville for the annual 2015 Partnership2Gether Steering Committee meetings, March 15-17, during which collaborative projects for the coming year will be chosen.
“We’re very happy that Louisville is hosting this regional meeting of communities that are partnered with the Western Galilee,” said Louisville Partnership Co-Chair Jon Klein.
The Israeli delegation will be arriving several days before the meetings begin, and several of them will be speaking during Shabbat services on Friday and Saturday, March 13 and 14 at Louisville’s congregations.
Efrat Srerbo, director of the Musical Kindergarten in Akko, has been bringing her imaginative curriculum, “Music that Counts,” to communities around the world. She also moderates Hava Nagila Gan, an internet kibbutz that is a virtual community for 200 educators in Israel and the Central Consortium, where they can share educational ideas.
Srerbo will be speaking about Mashav, Israel’s activities in developing countries, from a personal perspective at Temple Shalom on Friday at Temple Shalom during the 6:15 p.m. service.
She will also lead a workshop about the “Music that Counts” program for teachers in all of Louisville’s Jewish preschool teachers on Thursday, March 12.
Dr. Ohad Ronen is a senior physician/surgeon in the Department of Otolaryngology at the Western Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya, Israel. He specializes in head and neck cancer surgery.
Dr. Ronen will speak at The Temple on Friday at 7 p.m. about his experience treating wounded Syrian refugees.
Orit Assayag, the head of Akko Municipality’s Education Department, will bring greetings to Adath Jeshurun on Friday evening and Dr. Michael Aaronson, co-chair of Partnership 2Gether from the Western Galilee, will speak to the congregation during the 9:30 a.m. service on Saturday.
Judy Yuda, the director of three Partnerships, including the Western Galilee/Central Consortium for the Jewish Agency for Israel, will speak at Keneseth Israel during the 9:30 a.m. service on Saturday.
Dr. Ronen will also be speaking with community physicians at Adath Jeshurun on Sunday morning about how the hospital in Nahariya is helping the wounded from Syria. Dr. Phil Rosenbloom is chairing this program. He is also coordinating meetings about mass casualty and disaster training for Dr. Ronen and his colleague, Dr. Arie Eisenman, with local physicians and hospital administrators.
The community is also invited to attend the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience with the Israeli delegation on Saturday, March 14, at 7:30 p.m. The cost for this event is $40 per person or $50 for those who want to take the tour.
There will be an open community dinner in the Patio Gallery at the Jewish Community Center with a cabaret style show put on by the CenterStage company on Sunday, March 15, at 7 p.m. The cost is $25 per person.
There will be a charge for these two events and space is limited at both. At the time Community went to press, not all the details were available. If you are interested in either of these events, please contact Mary Jean Timmel, 238-2722 or Sara Wagner, 238-2779.
“Our community has long history of leadership in the Partnership,” Klein said, “and we hope those who have been involved in the past will come to the public events to meet old friends and new from both Israel and our U.S. Consortium communities.”
Louisville has been an active participant and leader in the Partnership initiative since its inception in 1997. Over the years, the program has resulted in exchanges in medicine, education and the arts. In addition, many personal friendships have developed among Louisvillians, Israelis and people from other consortium communities.
The Western Galilee includes Akko, Western Galilee Hospital and the Matte Asher region. Michael Aaronson is the Partnership 2Gether Central Consortium co-chair from the Western Galilee and David Ravitch is the co-chair from the U.S.
Partnership with Israel receives support from the Jewish Community of Louisville’s Federation Campaign.
If you are interested in learning more, please contact Louisville’s Partnership Co-Chairs Jon and Laura Klein, or Jewish Community of Louisville Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Sara Klein Wagner, 238-2779 or swagner@jewishlouisville.org.
Israeli guests to Speak at Local Congregations
MARCH 13
The Temple, Services begin at 7 p.m.
Speaker: Dr. Ohad Ronen, senior physician/surgeon in the Department of Otolarynglogy at the Western Galilee Medical enter in Nahariya, Israel
Topic: Dr. Ronen’s experience treating wounded Syrian refugees
Adath Jeshurun, Services begin at 5:45 p.m.
Greetings from Orit Assayag, the head of Akko Municipality’s Education Department
Temple Shalom, Services begin at 6:15 p.m.
Speaker: Efrat Srerbo, Director of the Musical Kindergarten in Akko
Topic: Mashav – Israel’s activities in developing countries
MARCH 14
Anshei Sfard, Services begin at 9 a.m.
Speaker: David Ravitch, co-chair of Partnership 2Gether from the U.S.
Adath Jeshurun, Services begin at 9:30 a.m.
Speaker: Dr. Michael Aaronson, co-chair of Partnership 2Gether from Western Galilee
Keneseth Israel, Services begin at 9:30 a.m.
Speaker: Judy Yuda, the director of three Jewish Agency for Israel Partnerships