Connecting from the Heart

Strengthening Jewish Bonds Amidst Challenging Times

As I write this column, I’m in Austin, TX for the Partnership2Gether Western Galilee—Council of Communities (COC) 2024 meeting. 17 US Federations plus Budapest support our Partnership in Western Galilee. Close to 50 Partnership (P2G) representatives from 15 US communities, Budapest, and Israel are in Austin for this Leadership & Management meeting. All the while, the missile attacks in the North, and the war in the South continue.

The meeting tagline—Connecting from the Heart—deeply resonated with all conference participants. The tagline spoke volumes about the spirit of Jewish peoplehood on display in Austin. I was honored to be counted among this distinguished group of professional and lay leaders tasked with building meaningful relationships through creative programs and activities with our Jewish family in Israel, Budapest, and 17 communities in the U.S.

Our Federation champions Partnership and its global Jewish peoplehood mission through curated Jewish experiences. In the coming year, I believe collectively and individually, we can and must do more in this Partnership space. I realize being in a relationship with Israel is complicated given its current state of affairs. It’s fair to say, that the Jewish diaspora has a complex relationship with Israel and the region—the birthplace of the Jewish people, where our national, religious, and spiritual identity was formed—and this connection has given rise to a powerful yet intangible idea of Jewish Peoplehood that binds Jews together no matter where we live or how we practice.

2025 P2G Summit

For those in the community wanting to connect or reconnect personally with our beautiful Partnership region in Western Galilee, take note of this extraordinary opportunity. To celebrate Partnership’s 25th anniversary, a heavily subsidized mission to Israel is planned for February 25-28, 2025.

The outbreak of the Gaza War made it necessary to reschedule the planned quarter-century birthday party last November. The Israel Summit in February will celebrate over 25 years of Partnership2Gether Western Galilee and much more. We’ll meet the heroes of resilience and hear stories from business owners, defense experts, and evacuated Israelis. We’ll volunteer with members of our consortium, work side-by-side with residents, and learn about new initiatives in Western Galilee. If you’re interested in learning more about the Summit, please call me at 574-233-1164.

Being in Austin also gave me pause to contemplate our Jewish future in South Bend. Austin has witnessed a transformative change in their Jewish community. In the 1980s the Jewish population was around 4,000. Today, the population is approximately 40,000—a 900% increase.

How did Jewish Austin accelerate their growth? What were the drivers that brought people to the region? What was it that mattered most to this flourishing community?

Now that I’m back home in South Bend, I cannot stop thinking about these questions and the Austin experience. The Austin story could be an instructive and inspiring FED Talk that speaks directly to our vision, passion, and values toward building a sustainable Jewish future.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, our future is only limited by our imagination. We can be whoever we want to be. This is why I’m optimistic about the current conversations we’re having in our community. I can’t help but think this is our best opportunity to inspire Jewish journeys that lead to more engagement of community members of every age and stage.

Annual Campaign

Each of our Jewish community organizations depends on our financial contributions, volunteer efforts, and collaborative initiatives. The ability to support our communal institutions is inextricably linked to the overall well-being of the community. So, with this in mind, let’s talk about the annual campaign which is our primary vehicle to raise funds in support of the Federation’s mission. Our 2023–24 fundraising efforts are winding down and preparations are being made in earnest for the 2024-25 campaign, under the theme of:

On behalf of the Jewish Federation of St. Joseph Valley and the hard-working campaign committee, I extend my heartfelt gratitude for your generous contributions. Your support plays a vital role for the Federation to be the central resource to embrace, connect, and support Jews locally and globally through our values of Kehillah (our community), Chesed (kindness & compassion), and Tikkun Olam (tzedakah, social justice, education).

If you have not made your pledge there is still time, but we must receive your pledge before August 31 as our new fiscal year starts on September 1. All 2023-24 pledge payments are due before December 31.

I look forward to updating you on how your gift makes a difference in our community. If you have any questions or would like more information about our work, please do not hesitate to reach out. Thank you for your generosity. Together, we are building a stronger, more vibrant community.

A Bit of Trivia

Now for a trivia question: What initiative over the last 71 years has continued to strengthen our community? Of course, I’m speaking about Camp Ideal. We are exceedingly proud of our Jewish heritage and the 71-year-old legacy of Camp Ideal, as well as our brand extension of Gan Ideal, our new Pre-K pilot summer day camp program.

We are part of a Jewish camp movement in American life with a tradition grounded in strengthening Jewish identity, pluralism, and caring for the needs of every individual. Bringing Jewish values and culture to life through authentic experiences via camp programming is our number one goal. At Camp Ideal and Gan Ideal, Jewish values are human values, and all are welcome here as we embrace our culture and spread kindness to one another.

So, here’s a big todah rabah—a huge thank you—to all the campers and families participating in this year’s summer camp program. And special thanks to Abbee LaPlace, Director of Camp Ideal, and Mina Cowen, Director of Gan Ideal, and their hard-working counselors. We cannot wait to see everyone again next season and during our special winter camp session this December.

Moshe Kruger
Executive Director
Jewish Federation of St. Joseph Valley