Meet Yael, Our New Slicha!
September 17, 2025 | Israel & Global
The Associated, in partnership with the Jewish Agency for Israel, and all of Jewish Baltimore, is excited to welcome Yael, our newest Senior Community Shlicha/Emissary, to Baltimore! Yael will be with us for the next few years, and we are so excited to learn more about her. Read below for our interview with Yael.
Welcome to Baltimore, Yael! You have now been here for over a month. What is one thing you notice that is really different between Baltimore and Israel?
First, thank you so much! I am very excited to be here! Everything is so different than Israel! Everything is bigger than in Israel! I think the first thing that I noticed was the harbor. It doesn’t look like the ones in Hertzeliya or Ashkelon. I think this one is more beautiful.
Is there something you really miss from Israel you can’t get here?
A proper plate of hummus or Shawarma in pitta. And of course, my mom’s food.
Is there an American experience you are excited about having for the first time?
I am very excited about just seeing and visiting places I haven’t been yet. I hope to hike in American national parks and visit other beautiful places.
Baltimore is really into our sports teams. We love our Orioles and Ravens. Are you a fan of any Israeli sports teams? How do you look in orange and purple?
Actually yes! Big time! Back in Israel me and my family are Hapoel Tel Aviv fans (besides one brother who likes Maccabi Haifa) and I used to go with my big brother to Hapoel games both in soccer and basketball. So you might hear me saying often “Yalla Hapoel”, which means, “Let’s Go Hapoel”. I also brought with me some Hapoel shirts. My favorite one is the famous singer’s Arik Einstein, z”l, shirt, who was known as a Hapoel Tel Aviv superfan. I am very excited about the Orioles and the Ravens! I have already been to my first Orioles game and can’t wait to go to see the Ravens as well! And I think I’ll look good in orange and purple as much as I look good in red!
What is one thing you want American people to know about Israel?
Wow this is a great question. Only one? The people. The people are warm hearted and love to help. There are so many incredible people! And together we are stronger than anything we come across.
What is something you want Jewish Baltimore to know about you?
That I am here to get to know Jewish Baltimore and to feel a part of it, so feel free to reach out to have a cup of coffee, or a heart-to-heart conversation. I am here to experience new things and want to get to know as many people as I can. I am here with an open heart, no matter if you are religious, secular or whatever. I have friends from all of the range of population in Israel, and I want it to be the same here.
Yael is part of the Israel and Global team, under the Community Planning and Allocations department at The Associated. Feel free to reach out to her supervisor Jason Horowitz to welcome Yael!