Interpersonal relationships are at the heart of Partnership 2000. Eye contact with the partners is of outmost importance. Out of a common faith and a common vision, new relationships are formed at each encounter and exchange, some maintained over time and yielding new resources when the time is ripe.
In the past, encounters with our overseas partners required expensive plane tickets, committing time to the visit and an exhausting process of planning and coordination of meetings with the pertinent people. Today, modern technology opens new options for people to see and hear each other, using wide band phone lines, video cameras and computer screens, long distance conferencing has been made possible.
One year ago, Partnership 2000 purchased expensive equipment to augment and facilitate communication with our friends in the partner communities, and the equipment was installed in the Arad Communication Center. But until recently this type of equipment was not accessible in New Jersey and Delaware. To our delight, Stuart, one of Partnership 2000 greatest supporters in New Jersey, recently started a business that uses this type of equipment. At a meeting with Yuval Shefi, Partnership Living Bridge Subcommittee Chair, Stuart heard from Yuval of his dream to link as many people as possible in the partner communities through videoconferencing.
His vision did not go unanswered. Two weeks ago, the first encounter took place between the Arad Levot School and the "Beit Or" School in New Jersey. Under the direction of Racheli Abramson and the moderation of Eti Bar and Nina Munitz the "Levot" students sang, danced and read the School Haggadah. In New Jersey, School Principal Shulamit Sabag and the "Beit Or" students presented their school traditions. The first Kushiya (questions asked by the children during the Seder) was read here and the second over there, the dance of the slaves, the reading of excerpts, the singing of Chad Gadiya in English and an artistic rendering of Echad Mi Yodea were interlaced. As the encounter neared its conclusion and the kids felt connected in the most natural way, they asked to speak to each other so as to become better acquainted with their new friends on the other side of the screen. In a family like environment, the kids exchanged questions concerning daily routine, school, Passover, the vacation etc.
The event concluded with the singing of Hatikvah. Long after the phone connection had been terminated, kids in Arad and across the ocean remained in place with their teachers and parents sharing the experience and the excitement of this special encounter.
From the phone calls and electronic mail that ensued we understood that the event, which brought hearts closer together, was important and an exciting experience for both sides. The great potential was clear to everyone and one week later, a videoconference was held between high school students in Arad and their counterparts in ??? Plain in New Jersey. The exchange, which lasted for an hour or so, focused on issues that concern teens - music, hobbies, sports, life in Israel and the fear of terror attacks. During the exchange we received news of the terror attacks in Kfar Saba and Jerusalem, killing one young girl and wounding many others. The exchange was recorded by Stuart and broadcast later as part of the "Super Sunday" fundraising telethon.
Many more such encounters are planned in the future - broadcasting Holocaust and IDF Memorial Day ceremonies, chess championships between Arad children and children in the partner communities and more. All these will be made possible by this modern age technology.
Following the success of this endeavor, many additional communities have expressed their interest in purchasing such equipment so that the connection between the American communities and between the communities and the Arad-Tamar Region can be maintained and enhanced.
And this is of course the goal of the Partnership 2000 Living Bridge Project
Iyar 5762 - May 2002