Living Bridges Endowment

A generation ago, the State of Israel was a cornerstone in the identity of most American Jews. Compelling experiences – from the U.N. vote establishing the state to the liberation of the Western Wall in 1967 to the shock of the Yom Kippur War – imprinted themselves on the American Jewish soul. Today, a younger generation feels its Jewish identity less intensely, and Israel is peripheral to many.

The sense of connection between American Jews and Israel must be consciously and continually built. The Living Bridge Endowment will afford the generation that witnessed the rise of Israel the opportunity to perpetuate its commitment to Israel through future generations.

Living Bridges are personal encounters between American Jews and Israelis, fostering connections and creating experiences that will tie the communities closely: missions to Israel, training institutes for lay leadership or professionals, youth delegations, cultural exchanges, volunteer programs, years abroad, and more. The Living Bridge Endowment will provide funding for a changing variety of experiences, allowing the MetroWest Jewish community to constantly innovate to reach different audiences in accordance with changing needs and circumstances.

Funding for such endeavors is currently limited, forcing difficult choices and constraining creativity and innovation. Often, the decision to fund Living Bridges comes at the expense of service delivery in Israel or elsewhere overseas. Your Living Bridges Endowment gift of $2,000,000 will underscore the MetroWest Jewish community's recognition that such linkages are essential to the future of our local community Israel, and our sense of global Jewish interconnection, while protecting our ability to directly impact needs overseas through annual allocations. An annual reception will be held in this country or in Israel to celebrate the importance of the program’s accomplishments. A gift of $5,000, or multiples thereof, will provide needed subsidies to send someone from the MetroWest Jewish community on a life-changing experience in Israel.

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