Meet the Mifgash!

by GatherDC Staff / May 17, 2017

This week marks the arrival of the Israelis from the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington’s Reverse Mifgash program. From May 15th until May 25th, 11 participants from all over Israel will immerse themselves in the Jewish-American experience by joining an array of activities from, Shabbat dinners to baseball games to our GatherDC Happy Hour tonight! For those interested in joining any of the activities, check out our list! We spoke with some participants prior to their arrival on our shores to get a better sense of who they are. Read on and you’ll have some nice icebreakers for tonights Happy Hour!

Keren Asaf

I was in the U.S. once before, for my Bat-Mitzvah.

I’m looking forward to visiting the United States, meeting new people with a different way of life, and seeing D.C.

The reason I wanted to participate in Reverse Mifgash is that I was interested to see the Jewish community outside of Israel. I want to meet people and hear about their life and learn what their perspectives are of Israel.

I hope to meet new friends and to feel more committed to my life in Israel and my Judaism. In Israel, we take our Jewish community, holidays, etc., for granted but I guess it is not like that in America.

 

Joe Graham

I have been to the US once, a year ago, visiting family in New York and Las Vegas.

I am most looking forward to meeting new people and connecting with some old friends. I am also very excited about getting to know the culture (both Jewish and general) of the D.C. area.

I hope to take back to Israel great experiences and memories, and also friendships that will last.

 

Dolev Elbaz

I have actually been to the U.S. twice. When I was between the ages of one and three, my family lived in Sacramento, California, where my father studied for his Master’s degree and my mother taught Shalom School (a Jewish day-school). Of course I don’t remember much, but technically I was there. The second time was on a family trip when I was 12 years old (2003). We traveled for about 2 months visiting the West Coast, Chicago, Canada and then the East Coast (including a few days in D.C.). I’m really looking forward to meeting my friends from Birthright and enjoying D.C, with them as an adult. I believe it will be a totally different experience than what I had as a young boy.

I’m excited about the opportunity to experience D.C. and the U.S. with local friends and learn about the Jewish community abroad. I think this is something unique to Reverse Mifgash since we get to meet a lot of people from the Jewish Federation and hear about their work in the community.

I hope to take back some great memories. Secondly, I would like to return with the feeling that Israel has a great Jewish community in the U.S. that supports it. Also, I will be happy to keep in touch with some more friends from D.C.

Adi Amsalem

This will be my first time in the States.

I’m looking forward to being exposed to the daily life of the Jewish community, seeing how Jews live abroad.

I want to enrich my knowledge about Jews as an authentic group in America, and hope to take home some strong memories.

 

Itzhak Zander

This is my first time in the U.S.

 I’m looking forward to seeing people, sites, culture – everything that is different than in Israel!

I really want to feel how Americans feel when they come to Israel with Taglit.

I hope to gain new friends. Besides that, I hope to get a new perspective about  the term ‘community’.

 

Ohad Shturm

I’ve never been to the U.S. before. This will be my first time!

 I’m looking forward to meeting with my friends from the Shorashim bus, back from July 2013. I’m also very excited about meeting with the Jewish community in D.C., going to museums and generally just traveling around somewhere I don’t know. I haven’t done something like this in a while.

I hope I get a chance to learn as much as I can about the way the Jewish people live in the U.S. and discuss all kind of topics.