Dear Friends,
Shalom! We are Shira and Einav, your Philadelphia ShinShinim (Israeli teen emissaries) here at the Kaiserman JCC and beyond. For those who may not know, ShinShinim (short for Shnat Sheirut, or “Year of Service”) are Israeli teens who volunteer in Jewish communities around the world before starting their military service. We’re the first ShinShinim to join the Philadelphia community, and we’re thrilled to share our Israeli culture, traditions, and stories with you!
The last few months have been an incredible adventure as we’ve settled into our roles, working with students at the Kaiserman JCC, Adath Israel, Har Zion Temple, and Perelman Jewish Day School. Here’s a glimpse into what we’ve been up to:
Exploring Israel with the “Passport Project”:
We’ve been taking students on a virtual journey through Israel! Starting with personalized Israeli passports, they’ve explored places like Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and the Dead Sea. They made travel books, played Israeli beach games (matkot), and even conducted a salty Dead Sea experiment to learn why you float there!
Commemorating October 7:
We joined the global “Illuminate October” initiative, creating lanterns in memory of the victims and hostages. We shared stories and songs during a moving ceremony in Center City and brought these lessons back to the classroom. Students created vibrant kalaniot flowers with messages of hope for Israel, which adorned sukkahs, hallways, and synagogues.
Learning About Israeli Elections:
During election week, we introduced students to Israeli voting processes and compared them with U.S. elections. Each class even voted for their favorite Israeli music genre, creating unique playlists that had everyone singing and dancing!
Sharing Israeli Culture:
From learning Israeli slang like “Eizeh Basah!” (What a bummer!) to the heartfelt song Matanot Ktanot (Little Presents), we’ve shared meaningful traditions, language, and values. Students created treasure boxes for the “gifts” in their lives and explored the importance of peace and anti-violence on Itzhak Rabin Memorial Day by creating posters about these values.
We’re so grateful for the opportunity to connect with this community and bring a piece of Israel into your lives. To follow along with our adventures, check out our Instagram: @phillyshinshin!
Thank you for letting us share our journey with you. We can’t wait to see what the rest of the year holds!
Shabbat Shalom,
Shira and Einav
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