Adopt a Senior Citizen: The Intergenerational Theatre
Ashkelon Municipality
The “Adopt a Senior Citizen Project” was once based on gatherings between young adults and elderly people in their homes, and the project was run with the cooperation of the Department of Social Welfare, which allocated a social worker to the project. Today, the project consists of meetings between teens and elderly people who communicate through the Intergenerational theatre. The connection that is forged between the elderly and teenagers is extraordinary and contributes greatly to both communities.
Amount Allocated: $20,000


Helping Ethiopian Academics with English
Ashkelon Municipality
The course will help the staff of the Havatzelet Community Center, (who are also studying part-time for their academic degrees), as well as other Ethiopian would-be academics, to improve their English. The curriculum will include conversation and communication skills, which will ultimately enable the Ethiopian population in Ashkelon to become engaged with the Partnership.
Amount Allocated: $8,220


B2A
Jewish Volunteer Connection
B2A was created in order to continue and strengthen the partnership between Ashkelon and Baltimore. This will be accomplished by reuniting the 2007-2008 Cohort of Diller: CSI, both American and Israeli, in Baltimore this summer. While in Baltimore, all participants of B2A will work together to complete various service projects, meet with local community leaders concerning various issues, educate the American youth at local schools and summer camps, work with the current Diller group and recent Diller alumni, interact with the Shinshinim, enforce learned leadership skills, deepen the connections made during Diller: CSI, delve fully into American culture and help to bridge the gap between cultures that can only be done through face-to-face interaction.
Amount Allocated: $12,000


Chizuk Amuno Congregation Mosaic
Chizuk Amuno Congregation
Using art as a community-building mechanism, Chizuk Amuno Congregation will work with mosaic artist and teacher Tova Shafran and students from the Art School in Ashkelon to create collaborative mosaic murals for both the Volunteer Center in Ashkelon and the Matz Biblical Garden at Chizuk Amuno Baltimore. The project would involve the planning, preparation and implementation of four interactions between the communities of Chizuk Amuno and Ashkelon. The process of creating a piece of collaborative art promotes a sense of pride and ownership among participants and connections with the hosting organizations.
Amount Allocated: $27,600


Sustainability Project for the Baltimore-Ashkelon Partnership
Kayam Farm at Pearlstone, Sustainability Department at THE ASSOCIATED
The sustainability project consists of a research project, which will culminate in a Sustainability Exploration Mission. The mission will provide a knowledge exchange between Jewish “green professionals” in both Baltimore and Ashkelon. The trip is focused on developing future sustainability Partnership projects and will included visits to environmental projects around Israel.
Amount Allocated: $20,000


Gesher Chai Beit HaSefer
Macks Center for Jewish Education
Gesher Chai Beit HaSefer will continue to strengthen the living bridge between the teachers and students from nine schools in Baltimore and nine schools in Ashkelon. The teachers work together to create projects that inspire students to learn about each other, share ideas, and grow in their Jewish identities. This year, the partnership will be fostered through a teacher mission to Ashkelon at the beginning of the school year, as well as the continued work of the Shinshinim in the Gesher Chai Schools.
Amount Allocated: $64,940


Diller Teen Fellows Program
Jewish Volunteer Connection
The Diller Baltimore Teen Fellows Program brings teen leaders together with teens from Ashkelon schools, the youth council and the AMEN program for a 12-day exchange in Baltimore. Teen leaders from Ashkelon will travel to Baltimore and volunteer throughout the community, meet community leaders, travel in the region and interact with teens and their families in Baltimore.
Amount Allocated: $57,000


Shinshinim (Young Emissaries)
Macks Center for Jewish Education
The Shinshinim program positions two high school graduates from Ashkelon in the heart of Baltimore’s Jewish community. While providing a uniquely fashioned medium for linking the two communities via continued and active presence, the Shinshinim work in the community performing one year of volunteer service.
Amount Allocated: $40,240