I am on a van returning to New York after accompanying our amazing AMIT student ambassadors on a three-day, gala-thon to Philadelphia, Chicago and Boston.
I figured it would be hard to get to talk to many lay leaders and supporters in the short amount of time, especially when I was competing with some really good food. And given the students’ schedules, the miles to cover, and the sightseeing and shopping they needed to do, I didn’t know how “on” the kids would be at each of our stops.
The trip confirmed all of my best hopes about our supporters and students.
In Philadelphia, we met a brand new NewGen board of directors, who are committed to our mission of educating Israel’s children even as they work to educate their own kids in local day schools. Our honoree, Linda Garfield, a decades-long AMIT lay leader, had a crew show up from ARTsisters, a group of professional artists in the Philadelphia area who empower each other and the community through art. The night finished with a spontaneous standing kumzitz (popular Hebrew songs) led by Amiad on piano.
In Chicago, we honored a young woman, Kate Kramer, who returned to her hometown, and quickly became an AMIT leader. She told a wonderful story about the Ntziv, a famous rabbi in Europe, who (spoiler alert) recognized his true calling as a teacher and rabbi after being told he only would amount to a shoemaker. Kate has done charity work since college when she collected used clothing and food for homeless shelters. The room was riveted as Liraz talked about her participation in a joint AMIT Tzvat Bal Ilan medical school initiative. Noya spoke about her art and about feminism and the anti-bullying message that’s so important to her. Boaz’s fabulous music ended the evening on a high note.
In Boston, we got lucky because Rabbi Avinoam Durani, who introduced the program, had been a teacher in AMIT Tzvat and talked first-hand about AMIT’s core Jewish values, especially our work in creating unity among all sectors of the Israeli population. Roni A. described an amazing app for autistic children she is developing in a social entrepreneurship joint venture between AMIT and an Israeli NGO, Hilma. Eden Kohane, a 12th grader, gave a moving and deep tribute to her mother, Heidi Bass Kohane, z”l. She noted AMIT’s dedication to all Jews as one of her mother’s key principles, and a driving force of her support of AMIT. The evening ended with Amiad and Roni G. playing the iconic Beatle’s song, “Imagine” on guitar and ukulele.
Some conclusions: AMIT supporters are amazing. I discovered from talking to them that most lay leaders do a lot of good work in their own communities, but still find the time and money for AMIT because they believe that educating kids with Jewish values, innovation, and concern for every individual is the best way to keep Israel strong. And, once again, our students showed us all that they live these values.
The positive feedback was echoed from our leadership on the West Coast and the South, in Los Angeles and Florida, where I hope to soon visit.
This Sunday is our NY Annual Dinner and the official end of our gala-thon. When it is all over and the students return to Israel, I will miss them and all the hubbub and joy they brought here. And, as you sit down to your Thanksgiving meal, I hope that you, like me, cannot count the endless blessing that have been bestowed upon you. My warmest wishes for a happy Thanksgiving!
