The Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit's Partnership 2000 program has had a productive year so far. A variety of groups, including agency professionals, college students, young leaders and physicians, have participated in educational exchange programs with the Detroit Federation's Jewish Agency sister region in Israel, the Central Galilee.

Also, in order to help orchestrate the high level of activity in the program, staff member Tanya Mazor-Posner has been named director of the Detroit Federation's Partnership 2000 program.

People-to-people exchanges this year have included:

Commission on Jewish Eldercare Services (COJES) Mission

In February, 15 Detroit Federation agency professionals working in the field of eldercare services in February surveyed senior services in the Central Galilee region, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. They met with their Israeli counterparts to exchange ideas and create eldercare programs and services that will benefit both communities.

U of M Students

A total of 64 students from the University of Michigan Business School (the largest overseas MBA program in the U.S.) spent two weeks in March helping entrepreneurs write business plans in the high-tech industry in the incubators in the region. As part of their work, they toured Jerusalem and the Central Galilee.

Young Leadership Kiev Program

Young leaders from Michigan and the Central Galilee region and communal professionals from Kiev are engaging in a yearlong volunteer development program. Reciprocal visits were arranged to survey the communities in Michigan, participate in the UJC Young Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. and visit the Central Galilee and Kiev. The program culminates with the lighting of the first candle of Hanukah with members of the Jewish community of Kiev.

Hospice Program

A group of Israeli hospice professionals visited Michigan in May to discuss end-of-life issues and spirituality with their Detroit area counterparts. The group of seven staff members from the Milton and Lois Shiffman Home Hospice in the Valleys, located in the Central Galilee, toured the Hospice of Michigan, Detroit Medical Center and the Eugene and Marcia Applebaum Jewish Community Campus.

  Sivan 5760 - June 2000