Did you know that the Jewish Federation partners with two communities in Southern Israel?
For over a quarter of a century, we have nurtured a strong bond with our Partnership2Gether (P2G) communities of Netivot and Sdot Negev, located in southern Israel near the Gaza border. When exploring these regions, you will feel the heart not only of Israel but also of Philadelphia: they even have a liberty bell. Due to our donors’ generosity, that camaraderie has enabled us to connect deeply with the people and institutions there, as well as learn about their unique geographical and socioeconomic realities.
About Greater Philadelphia’s Partnership Communities
Greater Philadelphia’s partnership communities are on the socio-economic and geographic periphery. As a result, their needs include:
- Connecting Jewish communities
- Regional development
- Jewish pluralism resources
- Strengthening vulnerable populations
- Educational enrichment
- Job training and employment
- Security and resilience including emergency campaigns
Learn more about Netivot and Sdot Negev.
A FULL-TIME TEAM IN ISRAEL
The Jewish Federation’s home office and its team in Israel work year round to understand, vet and facilitate assistance for the unique needs of Netivot and Sdot Negev. Through establishing robust relationships, our Israeli team channels our local community’s investment to maximize sustainable impact. These relationships play a huge role in the everyday life of our agencies as well as within our partnership regions, including enabling the region to respond and recover from crises quickly.
ABOUT PARTNERSHIP2GETHER
The Jewish Agency for Israel’s (JAFI) P2G program is a global initiative that connects 300 Jewish communities around the world in 43 partnerships. These partnerships emphasize people-to-people relationships, collective decision-making, and strengthening peripheral communities and global connections between Jewish populations.
JAFI is one of the Jewish Federation’s legacy partners, having collaborated historically on projects. JAFI receives one of the largest grants each year from the Jewish Federation.
ADOPT-A-COMMUNITY
The Jewish Federation is mobilizing the local Jewish community to support long-term efforts to rebuild its P2G region of Sdot Negev, and its 16 communities, located in the south of Israel on the border of Gaza. As a result of Oct. 7 and the ensuing war, these communities have been greatly impacted by destruction from rocket fire, mass displacement, and various other factors that have hindered quality of life and socioeconomic progress. You can learn more about how to adopt a community and contribute to this effort by contacting community@jewishphilly.org.
About Partnership2Gether
The Philadelphia-Sdot Negev relationship is part of the Jewish Agency for Israel’s P2G program, a global initiative that connects 300 Jewish communities around the world in 43 partnerships. These partnerships emphasize people-to-people relationships, collective decision making and development of collaborative programs.
Being on the socio-economic periphery, the Jewish Federation’s P2G initiative focuses on reducing food insecurity while also promoting opportunities for quality education, job training and employment that may not be available otherwise to those in both of these regions.
VISITS TO THE REGION
Each year, our P2G Region hosts hundreds of visitors from Greater Philadelphia who gain valuable insight and have extraordinary experiences. Students and young adults connect with peers, families participate in volunteer opportunities, missions and synagogue groups meet and talk with residents about living in the area. Groups hosted over the last several years include Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy, Abrams Hebrew Academy, The Chevra, Birthright, Momentum, Beth Hillel Beth El, Shir Ami, and Temple Sholom among others.
GET INVOLVED
If you plan to be in Israel, whether on a mission, group trip, or a family vacation, add a visit to Netivot and Sdot Negev to your itinerary. We’re happy to provide an experience, activity or project to help you get to know the region and see what we helped build. To learn more, email missions@jewishphilly.org.