Hundreds of 18-year-olds from Israel and diaspora Jewish communities volunteered in olive harvesting in Luzit, near Beit Shemesh, this week. The gathering was part of The Connection Initiative (Meizam HaHibur), a project that connects Israeli pre-military students with young Jews who are participating in Masa Israel programs.
The initiative pairs 21 groups of Masa participants with pre-military academies across Israel in volunteering, Shabbats, and open dialogue in hopes of strengthening ties between young Jews from the diaspora and Israel.
During the event, the teens connected through music, hobbies and their everyday lives - showing that they had more in common than what they had initially expected.
Many of the Israeli Jews say that it was their first time meeting diaspora Jews their own age.
"We've done many activities with the Israeli Oz Shlomo Pre-Military Academy - joint training, shared classes, and hikes," Yankel Toledano, 19, a diaspora Jew from Paris, France, said. "I didn't expect to connect so deeply with Israelis, but I realized that our goals and values are the same. People come from different places, but in the end, we unite for a common purpose."
"Meeting them made me think. For me, it’s obvious that I live here and am about to join the army, but they came here intentionally, leaving everything behind to be here. I’m really looking forward to getting to know them better and forming long-term connections," said Ori Scheinfeld, an 18-year-old Israel in HaMechina HaYerushalmit with a smile. "This isn’t how I imagined Diaspora Jewry. You always think of distant, older people. I didn’t expect them to be so much like us. They’re cool."
Naama Babi, 18, also an Israeli in HaMechina HaYerushalmit, agreed with Ori's statement, saying, "We've already met them before, visited their apartments, and started to get to know them. This connection is valuable for both sides. They get to meet Israelis their age, and we form truly special bonds. Some of us have already invited them for Shabbat dinners, and next week we're having Shabbat all together."
Garin Tzabar Argentinian member Michal said: "I love Israel — I had been here before the war, but the war pushed me to come back for a longer period and deepen my understanding of the country."
"I’ve always felt connected to Israel, I visited many times, but after October 7th, it was clear to me that I had to come for an extended period, even though people around me tried to convince me not to. I know this is the future of the Jewish people," Yankel said.
"Diaspora Week is another great opportunity to remind ourselves that we are, in fact, one people," Masa CEO, Meir Holtz, said in a statement, "At Masa, we operate with this understanding all year round, but especially in such a challenging time for the Jewish people, this reminder is essential. Initiatives like the Mizam HaHibur foster meaningful relationships whose true impact will only become evident in the future, when the people participating today grow into the leaders of the Jewish world. We are proud to facilitate these connections now and deeply moved by the solidarity shown by the incredible young people of our nation all over the world."