The “Mosaic United” initiative at Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism is partnering with RootOne to launch a series of programs in Europe designed for youth from Israel and abroad aimed at strengthening Diaspora Jewry’s connection with Israel.
The project comes as flight and security issues continue to create challenges for the traditional Israeli summer travel experience.
The new partnership will invest three million dollars specifically earmarked to support Israelis who participate in the program.
RootOne helps thousands of Jewish teens travel to Israel each summer, an experience that is being made difficult by the ongoing war.
“The war has only emphasized the need for greater connection between Israeli and Diaspora teens,” said Alana Ebin, Division Director of Mosaic United.
“Our research shows that face-to-face interactions — or mifgashim, as we call them — are one of the most impactful experiences for creating connections. They inspire empathy, unity, and a deepened sense of Jewish peoplehood.”
The organizers stress that where conditions allow, the Israel-based options are continuing while the new alternative is designed specifically for those foreign students for whom travel to Israel isn’t an option due to the ongoing crisis.
The Israeli students were all selected after a significant application process and have all undergone extensive pre-program training focused on sharing the Israeli national and cultural history and current atmosphere, along with the challenges faced by Israelis.
“With the current Israel travel constraints, we didn’t want to miss out on building bridges between these two groups,” Ebin added.
The students will be divided into groups composed of both American and Israeli youth, with each group traveling to different European destinations including Hungary, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Spain and France.
In each locale, the students will study issues related to local Jewish history, while building meaningful relationships designed to last long after completion of the program.
Avi Cohen Scali, Director General of the Ministry Diaspora Affairs and Combatting Antisemitism said the ministry views the project as a “critical” opportunity to strengthen the spirit of solidarity with Israel.
“These programs serve to empower our younger generation with tools and knowledge to become advocates for Israel and combat the increasingly rampant antisemitism spreading around the world,” Scali said.
“We all look forward to the day, hopefully very soon, where conditions allow everyone to gather here in Israel. But we cannot ignore the reality that this remains deeply challenging and often impossible in the current climate. Our responsibility is to adjust in ways so that we can continue to pursue our mandate of forging meaningful and lasting partnerships on behalf of Israel and the global Jewish community.”
