Israel & Global
A Taste of Israel, Straight from Trader Joe’s
By Jacob Wolf, Parent Connector Bringing the vibrant flavors of Israeli cuisine into your kitchen doesn’t have to mean tracking down specialty ingredients or spending hours cooking. With a little creativity and a quick trip to Trader Joe’s, you can put together a delicious, colorful Israeli-inspired meal that feels both authentic and approachable. Whether you’re […]
Local Prep, Global Presence: How a Packing Party Prepared Me for Israel
By Dean Weiss Where It Started The first time I packed a winter care package at The Network, it felt like a modest way to help in our own community. This past January, I had the chance to volunteer in Israel, and for two weeks I listened to the stories of the people we supported […]
Holding Grief and Joy Together: Reflecting on Israel’s National Days
By Yael, Senior Community Shlicha for The Associated When I am asked what feels most Israeli to me, the answer is obvious: the transition from Memorial Day to Independence Day. The concept behind marking these emotionally charged days—beginning with Holocaust Remembrance Day and continuing exactly one week later with Israel’s Memorial Day followed immediately by […]
The Trip of a Lifetime: Jewish DeafBlind Adults Explore Israel for the First Time
By Yael Zelinger, Jewish DeafBlind Experience, Coordinator For many members of the Jewish DeafBlind community, traveling to Israel as a fully accessible Jewish group has been a long-held dream. For years, participants in Jewish DeafBlind Shabbatons talked about what it might mean to experience Israel in a way designed specifically for their needs. In November […]
Yolka: A New Year’s Tree; A Tree of Childhood Celebration
By Valery Viner, Jewish Connection Network’s Russian Speaking Parent Connector Yolka, the New Year tree As a child, born and partly brought up in the former Soviet country of Ukraine, Yolka played a significant part in my life and in every Soviet child’s life. It represented something magical because on the eve of New Year’s […]
From the Kotel to the Kitchen Table: Momentum Trip Reflection
Written by Michele Birenbaum, Momentum Israel Trip Cohort Member (second from the right in the photo) Luckily, it took me less time to decide to go on a Momentum Israel Trip with the Jewish Connection Network than it has taken me to decide how to start this reflection. When I think about my amazing trip, […]
Meet Yael, Our New Shlicha!
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 […]
Parenting, Israel and October 7: Reflections from Momentum Moms
Raising kids in 2025 is full of surprises and challenges. In today’s Jewish world, especially after October 7th, those challenges can feel even more complex — but also filled with opportunities to guide our children with love, strength, and hope. We sat down with two moms, Lauren and Claire, to hear about their experiences raising […]
10 Things I Learned Exploring Jewish Finland and Latvia
At the end of May, I had the pleasure of participating in JDC Entwine’s Insider trip to Jewish Finland and Latvia, in partnership with Repair the World. JDC (the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee or “The Joint”) is the leading Jewish humanitarian organization, working in 70 countries to lift lives and strengthen communities. Entwine, an […]
Empowering Your Jewish Future
Did you know that in 1897, Theodore Herzl established a parliament called the World Zionist Congress? This representative body still meets every five years to debate key issues and shape the future of the Jewish people. You can register today to vote in the upcoming elections and make your voice heard! Have you ever met […]