Jewish Agency Chairman Zeev Bielski addresses the Partnership 2000 National Conference in Israel (photo - Meir Partush)

Partnership 2000 steering committee and subcommittee chairs, along with other volunteer activists from throughout Israel, attended Thursday's Partnership 2000 National Conference in Tel Aviv.

Awards were presented for programs in the areas of

• People to People Connections - Emergency Response Group (Western Galilee - UJC Central Area Consortium)
• Education - School Twinnings (Tel Aviv - Los Angeles)
• Youth and Young Leadership - Young Emissaries Program (Afula-Gilboa - SNEC)
• Community Development - Limud Galil (Confrontation Line - Great Britain)

Andrea Arbel, Director of the Jewish Agency Israel Department's Partnerships Division, presented findings of a national survey which indicated that 55% of Israelis are willing to invest some of their time for the benefit of strengthening ties with Diaspora Jewry. The findings stem from an in-depth survey conducted by the "Elixir Institute", encompassing 1,830 respondents.