Coming Home After Six Years — With a New Mission
Karin Wasserman Returns to South Bend with Access Israel's Purple Vest Mission
Dear friends and beloved community of Michiana. I’m truly thrilled to return to South Bend—a place that was my home for two beautiful years during my time as a shlicha (emissary). This time I’m coming for a special event featuring a delegation from the NGO Access Israel on Thursday, November 13th.
It’s been six years since I left, but the memories and deep connection I feel toward this special community have remained close to my heart. I’m overjoyed to see familiar faces again and to reconnect with so many of you after all this time.
This time, I’m honored to return as part of a delegation from Access Israel—the leading organization in Israel promoting accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities and the elderly. Our mission is to ensure that every person—regardless of ability—can live with dignity, independence, and full participation in society.
We’re here to present a unique and impactful initiative called the Purple Vest Mission—an international emergency preparedness program that provides life-saving support to people with disabilities and the elderly during crises such as war or natural disasters. The Purple Vest Mission creates practical systems to ensure that the most vulnerable are never left behind when emergencies strike.
It’s hard to put into words how excited I am to return and share this message with such a community that has meant so much to me. South Bend gave me a warm home and unforgettable experiences, and it is a true honor to come back and present a meaningful project from Israel—one that reflects the very best of who we are.
I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to Bob Feferman, the Community Relations Director, and his successor Jordan Price, CRC Chair Barb Lerman, and the entire CRC Committee, who made this visit possible. I also thank The Simon Foundation of Temple Beth-El for co-sponsoring the event.
Thank you for once again opening your hearts and giving us the opportunity to share a different, hopeful, and inspiring side of Israel.
The past two years have been incredibly challenging for us in Israel—as many of you know and follow closely. But amidst the heartbreak, there are also powerful stories of resilience, solidarity, and grassroots initiatives that bring people together.
Access Israel’s work transcends all boundaries. Our programs include people from across Israeli society—Jews and Arabs, orthodox and secular, people of all backgrounds—united by a shared commitment to dignity, accessibility, and human connection. Because when a person has a disability, it doesn’t matter where they come from, what matters is how we care for one another.
I am so proud to represent this spirit and to bring it back to a community that helped shape me and continues to inspire me. Please join us at the Federation on Thursday, November 13th at 7:30 PM. Register at TheJewishFed.org/Access.
With deep gratitude and love,
Karin Wasserman
Resource Development Manager
Access Israel