Shlichim Spotlilght - Karin Wasserman

Highlighting the Impactful Stories and Experiences of Our Former Israeli Emissaries

Hello everyone. I am starting a new monthly series in Our Community Newsletter where I interview former shlichim to our Jewish Federation.

My goal is to continue the connection of the shlichim with our community and show each one their unique individuality. And, of course, we’ll learn what they are up to these days.

Today, I had the pleasure of talking with Karin Wasserman, a shlicha here between 2017 and 2019.

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Hello Karin. Where are you right now?

I currently live in Haifa, which is the best city in Israel. And no one should argue and say that Tel Aviv is the best city. You know what, maybe after Jerusalem, actually.

Where do you work?

I work at Intel in Haifa in external relations. We are responsible for corporate social responsibility. Through Intel, I engage in social projects. For example, during Purim, we will collaborate with Intel engineers to create costumes for children in wheelchairs, turning their disadvantage into an advantage. For instance, a child who wants to dress up as Spider-Man may have their wheelchair decorated to resemble the city so it appears that Spider-Man is climbing rooftops in the city.

How are you doing these days?

My partner Ran is not home every day; he spends one week at home and one week in the reserves. By the way, not everyone in the community knows, but Ran and I got engaged, so I can share that. We got engaged during the war, something Ran had planned before the war broke out. But then the war started, and things got delayed. But now we are engaged, happy, and content.

Being engaged to an officer serving in the artillery brigade in Gaza is not easy. Yet, somehow, it has become routine from our perspective.

What are your thoughts about the Jewish people in the diaspora during the war? Can you give me some insights about things you have seen?

I am very grateful to all my friends from South Bend who reached out to me and showed care for me, even if they had different political views. They asked about my well-being and showed interest in what was happening, even if it was just sending a small message asking how I was doing. It filled me with joy, especially at the beginning of the war but also throughout. So, I am very thankful. I feel that, ultimately, when something happens in Israel, antisemitism starts to rise, and it makes you feel that no matter what kind of Jew you are and what your political views are, in the end, we are one people.

It always reminds us that we need to be more connected, and I am also grateful for the understanding of what it means to be a Jew and not take Jewish identity for granted.

I didn’t give it so much thought before I came to South Bend because being Jewish in Israel is very clear. But suddenly, being in a Jewish community abroad means choosing to be Jewish, and today, I choose it. Today, it is no longer obvious to me.

What are some specific things that you miss in South Bend?

I miss South Bend, the community, and the city, and I am very happy that I can preserve some connections with people from the community.

The caring, the willingness to know me personally, and the love I received from the community and those people are all something you cannot take for granted.

People always asked questions about Israel and were trying to understand what it means to be an Israeli and what it means to be an Israeli who lives in the U.S. They were curious to know what the differences between Israeli Jews and American Jews are.

And I miss those conversations and the deep insights with people. And, of course, for my host families, my heart is always with them.

What was your favorite place for you here as an emissary?

My favorite place as an emissary, mmm, I guess I will say the Chocolate Café in downtown South Bend, a cool place. I liked working there. I also really liked Barnes and Noble. So, I think those two.

Can you give me one or two experiences strongly ingrained in you?

I have a lot of experiences that I remember fondly. I remember the first snowfall and the first time I drove in the snow. I was very scared, so I simply called Bob to come and rescue me. And, of course, he came to save me. Another story is also about the snow. One day, there was so much snow that it covered the wheels, and I didn’t even have a shovel to clear it. I was supposed to go to Alon and Debbie Shemesh’s for dinner, so I asked Alon to pick me up specially, and he also brought me back. It was really nice of him.

Do you have someone you would like to say hello to?

It isn’t easy to choose. So, I will say to everyone. I miss the community and the love and warm feeling they gave me.

Thank you, Karin, for talking to me. I am sure the community misses you a lot, and thank you for your service to the community and your present service to Israel and the people in our homeland.

Omer Karavani
Israeli Emissary
574-233-1164 x1819
Israel@TheJewishFed.org