UJC MetroWest Israel Office

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 7171, Jerusalem 91071
Tel ++ 972-2-6202404
Fax ++ 972-2-6204040

The MetroWest Israel office is the long arm and "on the ground" eyes in Israel for United Jewish Communities of MetroWest NJ. Located in Jerusalem, it is registered as a non-profit Israeli organization headed by the UJC MetroWest lay leadership.

The office promotes connections, encounters, and partnerships between the Jewish communities in MetroWest and Israel. This is done by initiating, supervising, and coordinating projects and programs supported by MetroWest; by facilitating all visits, missions, Israel programs, and exchanges; by monitoring and ensuring accountability for MetroWest allocations to Israel; and by working on behalf of MetroWest with The Jewish Agency, Joint Distribution Committee, voluntary organizations, governmental, and municipal authorities.

Israel projects and programs are in operation in the following partnership areas:

• Partnership 2000 in Ofakim-Merchavim began in 1996 in the Northern Negev includes a wide variety of activities – mainly social, cultural, educational, leadership development, and youth-related programs. Special emphasis is put on mutual visits and exchanges under the "Living Bridge" concept. A joint Israel-MetroWest Steering Committee supervises all activities.
• Rishon LeZion – the fourth-largest city in Israel. The connection began in 1978 under "Project Renewal" in the neighborhood of Ramat Eliahu. Today, there are a wide variety of projects such as the new sports center, the soup kitchen, scholarships for Ethiopian students, direct absorption for olim from Argentina and Cherkassy, the Atzmaut project for the Ethiopian community, the sister city park, the Rishonim project, Religious Pluralism programs, and more.
• Ra'anana – MetroWest mostly helps run programs promoting Religious Pluralism and Jewish Identity of all streams in Judaism, keeping warm connections with one of the more renowned high schools in Israel – The MetroWest High School.
• In 2002 MetroWest began a few new partnerships, parallel with the Israel Emergency Campaign. Support was given to projects that are security-related in the regional council of Gush Etzion, situated on the outskirts of Jerusalem and Kibbutz Erez, situated within the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council facing the Northern part of the Gaza strip border.
• Religious Pluralism – There are approximately 20 programs all over the country that MetroWest supports, working in conjunction with all streams of Judaism and helping develop tolerance and pluralistic Jewish identity for Israelis.

Click here to learn more about all of UJC MetroWest's Overseas Partnership Communities

The MetroWest Israel Office is waiting to see you in Israel. Make sure to contact , director, or , administrative assistant, before your next visit.