By Justin Jacobs The Jewish Chronicle

This is the first in a series of stories about Pittsburgh’s sister city relationship with Karmiel/Misgav in northern Israel. Associate Editor Justin Jacobs will be reporting from Israel; read his accounts in the Chronicle and on the blog “The Chronicle in Karmiel.”

Relationships take work. They require communication, patience and time to thrive, whether between friends, siblings, coworkers or cities. Yes, cities — and Pittsburgh is the perfect example.

In 1995, Pittsburgh entered a relationship with the northern Israeli town of Karmiel, along with its surrounding region Misgav, through Partnership 2000, a program created by the Jewish Agency for Israel, United Jewish Communities and Keren Hayesod/ UIA. In Pittsburgh, Partnership 2000 is steered by staff at the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, along with volunteer leaders.

Partnership 2000 first grew from another Diaspora relations program called Project Renewal, which was founded in 1978. Through the 1980s, Project Renewal grew to reinvigorate almost 100 small neighborhoods in Israel, helping economically struggling communities modernize themselves.

“Israel was a poorer country [than it is now], and there were more physical needs in renovating buildings, building schools,” said Andrea Arbel, director of the Jewish Agency’s Partnership Division.

But as Israel prospered economically in the past two decades, American funding was less crucial to support Israel physically. The need for a Diaspora presence simply shifted.

“After 25 years of Project Renewal, there was still a need to maintain the relationship between overseas communities and Israel in a real way,” said Arbel. “And so Partnership 2000 was born with a different focus and ideology.”...For The Full Article