Israel & Overseas

Purpose

The Israel & Overseas Committee (I&O) educates the Northeast Florida community about the Federation’s impact in Israel and in over 70 countries around the world. This includes the work of our overseas partner agencies, the partnership program with Hadera-Eiron (P2G) and the work of our Shlicha – Israeli emissary and community educator.

What the division does

The I&O provides dynamic speakers, celebrates Israeli holidays such as Yom Ha’atzmaut, presents at the City of Jacksonville’s World of Nations, honors our fallen for Yom Hazikaron, and funds programs in Israel and other parts of the world through grantmaking opportunities.

Travel to Israel

Join annual trips to Israel to sightsee, witness, learn and get to know our Israeli partners. Through travel to Israel and visits to and from our Partnership Region of Hadera-Eiron, Northeast Florida connects in a meaningful and lasting way.

Impact

Through the work of the I&O Committee, grants are awarded to our Israeli and overseas partners to grow and develop important economic, therapeutic and lifesaving services. The division brings to the community subject- matter experts and engaging and informative speakers from around the globe to talk about what is happening in Israel and in other parts of the Jewish diaspora.

Through a 20-year collaboration with the Hadera-Eiron region in Israel, our community has developed longstanding people-to-people relationships by welcoming in speakers and artists from the region, home hosting Israeli teens for a week and by visiting the region in person. This program is called Partnership2gether or P2G and is shared with nine other Federations in the southeast US. You can participate directly through joining the Federation on trips to Israel, visiting on your own and/or volunteering in P2G programs including teaching English one-on-one to an Israeli middle-schooler or joining in an exchange program with peers.