Jewish Federation of Madison began its Shlichah program in 2003 to strengthen our community’s connection to Israel and the Israeli people. Shlichim serve as Israel program specialists and share their time between Federation and the UW-Hillel.
Shlichim provide educational programming for the entire Madison area Jewish community, and also serve as advocates for Israel within both the Jewish and broader community. They typically teach at Gan HaYeled, Chug Ivrit and Midrasha, and provide programming during the summer at Camp Shalom.
Three of Madison's shlichim have earned well-deserved recognition for their work here. Our first Shlichah, Shirin Ezekiel, received the JDC’s Ralph Goldman Fellowship, often referred to as the most prestigious post-graduate fellowship in Jewish communal work. Diklah Cohen (2005-2007) and Nilli Glick (2008-2010) were named JAFI’s outstanding Shaliach for their work in Madison.
For the first time in Madison’s history of participating in the Jewish Agency’s Young Shlichim (Israel Emissary) program, Madison will be welcoming a young couple, rather than an individual, to our community.
Both Maya and Dan have BAs in psychology and business management from Ben Gurion University. Maya has been teaching the Israeli equivalent of SAT preparatory courses to post high-school students. During the school year, she teaches debate and public speaking skills to elementary, middle and high school students. Dan is a Guide Manager for the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) in Beer Sheva. Founded in 1954, SPNI is Israel’s oldest and largest environmental organization. Together they volunteer for Beit Hagalgalim (House of Wheels in Hebrew), an NGO that works intensively with 350 children, teens and young adults with severe physical disabilities to provide them with the essential life and social skills needed to integrate into Israeli society.
Maya is serving as the Jewish Federation of Madison’s first full-time Community Shlichah working in the Jewish community in a variety of roles through the Hilde L. Mosse Gan HaYeled Preschool, Midrasha Hebrew High School, Jewish Federation’s Community Relations Committee, congregations’ religious schools, Madison Jewish Community Day School and more. She will also become a resource to the general community for Israel programming and information. Dan is the full-time Israel fellow at the University of Wisconsin Hillel.
The Jewish Agency, an overseas beneficiary of the Jewish Federation of Madison, recruits and trains dynamic young and talented shlichim (emissaries) from Israel for educational placement in Jewish communities, and college campuses around the world as Areivim. This term comes from the Hebrew saying, "Kol Yisrael areivim zeh bezeh" - all Jews are mutually responsible - and these highly motivated young educators from Israel are imbued with a sense of responsibility towards Jewish communities in the Diaspora. These shlichim are committed to strengthening Jewish identity and creating a connection between Diaspora Jewry and the State of Israel.
Maya can be reached at israel@jewishmadison.org or (608) 669-8042.
Or friend her on Facebook (Maya Shlicha Madison).
ISRAEL TAKE OUT!
Maya's Adventures in Madison
Read Maya's columns in Madison Jewish News
November 2011
January 2012
February 2012
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