A new program that would make former Jewish Agency shlichim (emissaries) serve as unofficial ambassadors to the Jewish Diaspora upon their return on Israel was launched on Sunday.
Shlichim are Israelis who are sent by the Jewish Agency to a specific Jewish community abroad for a period of a year or two, providing assistance on a variety of subjects relating to Israel and often taking an active role in Jewish life year-round.
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The new program seeks to tap into the relations that are forged during this period through other means, mainly on the grass-root level. The new program is a collaboration between the Jewish Agency and the Ruderman Family Foundation.
"In groups on campus, some 20 returning shlichim will receive professional guidance and financial assistance to promote projects that deal with strengthening connections and deepening Israelis' understanding of Diaspora Jews in general, and the American Jewish community in particular," the organizations said in a statement on Sunday. "Others, who are no longer students, will have the opportunity to receive micro-grants to advance projects connecting their surroundings with the American Jewish community. The United States is home to the largest Jewish community outside of Israel, with around six million members."
"There is much ignorance in Israel about Jewish life overseas," Jewish Agency Chairman Isaac Herzog said. "The shlichim are a powerful tool for spreading the message about our sisters and brothers in the Diaspora. Jews around the world are a strategic asset for Israel, and the service of Jewish Agency shlichim is a central component in strengthening Israel's standing in Jewish communities around the world."
Ruderman Family Foundation Director Shira Ruderman said that "Israelis who were shlichim and then returned to Israel are a tremendous force. Together with them, we can create an army of social change, that will connect Israel to American Jews. With their help, I hope we will move the dialogue from a place of crisis to one of positivity and construction."
"Many thousands of Israelis from all over the country and from every social sector have undergone a meaningful experience as a shaliach [an emissary]," Ruderman continued. "We believe in their ability to connect Israeli society to overseas communities and to strengthen this strategic bond."
