Page 1 - The Jewish Voice - July '22

VOL. 12 NO. 7 www.seabreezepublications.com JULY 2022

Local Leader Accompanies New Olim from Ethiopia to Israel

Melissa Arden, VP of community strategy and planning The Jewish Agency for Israel, Jewish Federations of of global Jewry, having seen the extraordinary humanitarian
at Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, recently North America, and Jewish Federation of Palm Beach efforts to care for the community there,” shared Arden. “I am
joined nearly 70 Jewish leaders from around the world County are supporting a series of airlifts over the next six humbled to have had the life-changing opportunity to witness
on a three-day mission trip to Ethiopia to learn about the months to bring a total of 3,000 olim by plane to Israel the magnitude our community’s impact in action.”
struggles of the country’s Jewish community and dreams to to reunite with family, many of whom previously arrived During the mission, the leaders met with community
be reconnected with family. The special mission concluded in Israel during Operation Moses in 1984 and Operation members awaiting aliyah in cities Gondar and Addis Ababa,
as participants, including Arden, accompanied an airlift Solomon in 1991. and visited sites of historical significance for Ethiopian
of 180 Ethiopian olim (immigrants) to Israel as part of “I returned home from this transformative experience with
Operation Zur Israel (Rock of Israel). immense pride for our community, and the collective power Local Leader Accompanies on page 2

Melissa Arden on the plane with
Ethiopian girls emigrating to
Israel Women singing at services (Maxim Dinshtein Photography) A street in Gondar, Ethiopia
JFS Partners with MAZON to

End Hunger Among People of All Faiths

Ferd & Gladys Alpert Jewish Family households – Boynton Beach and north – currently has two
Service has announced a new partnership kosher food pantries, offering non-perishable kosher food,
with MAZON: A Jewish Response to household necessities, and personal hygiene products, in
Hunger, a national organization fighting addition to assisting with holiday meal deliveries for Rosh
to end hunger among people of all faiths Hashanah, Thanksgiving, and Passover.
and backgrounds in the United States and “Alpert JFS is committed to ending food insecurity and
Israel. Through the partnership, Alpert JFS’ hunger in our Jewish community in a respectful and dignified
Satell Ending Food Insecurity Emerging way,” said Marc Hopin, CEO of Alpert JFS. “For years, we
Leadership Initiative members will have have provided kosher food to vulnerable Jewish individuals
the opportunity to learn from the experts at and families in our area who face food insecurity, embodying
MAZON. the value of tikkun olam by supporting the most basic of
The partnership kicked off in May with human needs. Now with the support of MAZON, our efforts
a session featuring conversations on hunger in the U.S., segment of the food insecure population known as ALICE will go much further.”
recognizing food insecurity, forging relationships, facilitating (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed). To “Our outreach and education work centers around capacity
programs in the local community, and more. MAZON’s accomplish this ambitious goal, Alpert JFS engages with building, to hone and direct the powerful voice of our
leadership team – including Naama Haviv, Vice President emerging Jewish leaders in order to educate, empower, and Jewish communities to support the anti-hunger movement,
of Community Engagement; Liz Braun-Lilenfeld, Deputy activate. These emerging Jewish leaders are responsible building the necessary political will to make change,” added
Director of Outreach; and Paul Sherman, Outreach Manager for doing community outreach to locate Jewish ALICE Haviv. “This partnership with Alpert JFS is such a perfect
– guided the interactive discussion with Satell participants. households. They are also responsible for securing donations encapsulation of that. We are energized by their Ending Food
Alpert JFS desires to end food insecurity in Jewish of food to the Alpert JFS Kosher Food Pantry from the Insecurity Emerging Leadership Initiative. Our colleagues
households within its catchment area among a particular community. are nurturing a cohort of leaders ready to engage deeply on
According to the United hunger in their communities.”
Way of Palm Beach County’s Haviv continues, “Together, we see this as a model
2020 ALICE Report for Palm that could be replicated nationally, creating potential for
Beach County, 46 percent exponential impact. Coupled with MAZON’s grants program,
of Palm Beach County which seeks to empower and grow state-based capacity
households struggle to make building efforts within the anti-hunger movement and has
ends meet, and 12 percent new beneficiaries in Florida, this shidduch between MAZON
of households are living and the Alpert JFS also allows us to bolster the advocacy goals
below the Federal poverty of our grantee partners while continuing to grow MAZON’s
level. Alpert JFS, which network in the deep, flourishing Jewish community across
serves Palm Beach County Florida.”