Imagine a soldier standing guard. It’s dark and silent. There is no town, no synagogue, nothing within a 40 kilometer radius.  A rocket streaks overhead reminding him, again, why he is here.  Purim is coming and Ronen is remembering the Purim parties he had with his friends back home.  He’s thinking about his ima’s oznei haman (hamentashen) and wishing he could bite into one now.  Ronen’s fellow soldier, Alexsey, is thinking about his parents, but they are far away in Smolensk.  His whole unit feels a bit sad to be away from friends and family today, but then a truck draws up.  The unit commander has brought special treats for all from America!

For more than two decades The American Zionist Movement (AZM) has sought to touch these front line soldiers with its Purim Connection – an opportunity for American Jews to demonstrate their solidarity with Israelis who serve on the frontline in defense of Israel and with the youngest and most at-risk Israelis.

This year the Purim Connection is also making a special effort to reach “Lone Soldiers.”  There are 2,500 soldiers serving in the IDF who have no family in Israel.  Some are new immigrants from North America; others are from the former Soviet Union, Ethiopia and other countries.  They are particularly vulnerable and it is especially meaningful when they receive a holiday package.  In addition, children with special needs in the south will also receive gifts from you.

Wouldn’t you like to do something special this Purim?  Even a small donation will help a young child or a lonely soldier feel cared for and remembered.

Not only will these gifts improve the spirits of the receivers – they also support the Israeli economy, as all products used are made in Israel. In addition, in Israel, the mishloach manot packages will be delivered by young Jews: members of Zionist youth movements and students on year programs. This is one more tangible way in which we are building the connections between our young people and our homeland.

Please make your contribution online – go to www.azm.org/purim2012. Or send a check in the mail to: American Zionist Movement Purim Connection, 633 Third Avenue – 21^st floor, New York, NY, 10017-8157.

Your mishloach manot gift will tell an Israeli soldier or child that you care. It’s a gesture that will long be remembered. But the deadline is coming up quickly.  We ask that donations be received no later than February 27, 2012. Please don’t delay!

We thank you; and Ronen, the children of Kiryat Gat and Kiryat Malachi, and all of Israel thanks you as well.

Chag sameach and Zion greetings.

Special note: AZM is very appreciative for the assistance provided by the volunteers from Magshemei Herut and by Yashar L’Chayal in Israel, and for the support provided by AZM member organizations, particularly AMIT and Mercaz USA.

An excellent opportunity to integrate Tikkum Olam, Jewish Values, Israel education all while incorporating recent events of the modern Israeli society!

Bring the Israeli Social Protest to your community, synagogue or school!

Over the summer Israelis took to the streets to protest on various social matters ranging from housing & healthcare to education & animal rights. The World Zionist Organization Department for Diaspora Activity has created an amazing visual art exhibit that gives insight into the movement through imagery and provocative questions and discussion topics. The kit provides information on the goals of the movement and how social justice fit in, highlights Jewish values, what role Zionism played, and how people in the United States can relate to Summer 2011’s Tent City Tel Aviv activities.

The kit includes 10 posters, a leader’s guide on how to use the kit,  Jewish & Zionist texts, and articles connecting the US. Plus, some t-shirts for leaders and participants!  Here’s a brief overview of the posters and content:

Daily Routine & Culture- Experience the true Israeli counter-culture, alternative school, community kitchens, and intellectual gatherings! The “tent cities” were festive, there was no money to purchase food, everything was donated, people shared spaces, scheduled organized meetings and protests and used each other as resources to get their message heard.

Zionism – “No, Zionism would not have arisen–and will not stand–in a world that denies Justice, Law, and Freedom to all who are created in the Divine Image, and it won’t repudiate these human values, for in these [Zionism] will have to judge itself.”   Those are the words of Berl Katznelson, one of the most prominent leaders of the Zionist movement. Explore how the protesters sought to revive and re-connect with the Zionist dream.

Jewish Identity- On Yom Kippur it is custom to read from the Book of Isaiah, the passage- “share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them,  and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood!”- Discover how the protesters came to understand the bond between Judaism and their call for social justice.

Social Justice- The overall theme of the protest, what is social justice and what Israelis want from it. Justice for animals, people, the environment and everything in-between.

Democracy & The Protest- Celebrating Israeli democracy all spectrums were heard. There was no political agenda in the protest, people wanted to forget the “Left & Right” and focus on the immediate needs for the Israeli people

Housing- Educate your groups about the living situations for Israelis in the cities. With soaring prices and not enough cheap places to live, Israelis made their concerns heard by creating “Tent Cities” in Tel Aviv and other areas to show their need for affordable homes is imperative to the future of Israel.

Health- Israel has one of the best public healthcare systems in the world, still, households are finding an increase in healthcare bills as costs rise and people are unable to afford treatment. Demanding for reform in this sector was a huge component to the protests.

Education- Education has always been a part of the Jewish life and now in the Jewish State , nearly 250.000 hours of classroom time has been cut over the last decade as budgets have dwindled, teachers are being paid less no matter their experience and classrooms are starting to fill up past capacity.

The Diversity of Protesters- The protest was composed of variety of social, political and ethnic groups. The ages spanned across young and old, college students to working class, but their were some perspectives missing. The kit explores those who were present but also begs the question- who was missing?

Collage – A collection of pictures taken from the protest that put the whole protest into one view

See with your own eyes what the Israeli Social Protest was all about…order today or schedule for one of our educators to come to you.

Contact Shoshanna Howard for more details and prices:

Nir Braudo, representative of the WZO Department for Diaspora Activities, addresses the group.

These terms, and many others, were discussed in great detail during a day-long seminar on Zionism organized by the World Zionist Organization/American Zionist Movement. Over sixty leaders in the pro-Israel community gathered to discuss Zionism, participate in discussions and Zionist text study, and to hear from speakers about the various challenges facing the Zionists in America. The group that gathered was diverse with regards characteristics ranging from age to religious affiliation to political beliefs. With all of these differences, the one unifying factor that joined all of these individuals together was the overarching theme of the day: Zionism and Israel.

Zionism as an ideology has different meanings for many people, and can manifest itself in a variety of ways. The lack of one single form of Zionism is nothing new, and stretches back to the development of the movement when various thinkers and visionaries each took the idea of Jewish nationalism and the creation of a Jewish State and developed the various streams of Zionist thought and ideology. This diversity of thought and opinion that marked the beginning of the Zionist movement was mirrored in this gathering of professionals.

Organized by the staff of the American Zionist Movement and the World Zionist Organization, this day of learning and networking included speakers, Zionist text study, programming ideas, and multiple opportunities for the participants to speak with one another. These informal portions of the day allowed for networking and the developing of relationships between members of the Zionist community in the United States who might not normally interact with one another. For many present, it was the first time that they were able to hear such diverse perspectives on what it means to be a Zionist, and many expressed enthusiasm about having the opportunity to have so many different voices present in the discussion.

Headlining the event, in addition to the educational and interactive programming, were presentations given by Professor Gil Troy of McGill University, and Ambassador Ido Aharoni, the Consul General of Israel to New York. Having the opportunity to hear from both of these experts was an invaluable experience, and it provided participants with a better sense of reality in terms of the various challenges facing Israel advocates, as well as the numerous opportunities that there are to promote Israel and Zionism in an effective manner.

The concept of Zionism, how it factors in to ones own identity, what the connection is between an individual and Israel, and how all of this relates to being Jewish and American, is something that many struggle with. Declaring oneself as a Zionist often invites questions, criticism, or even condemnation. Still, over forty individuals of varying circumstances chose to do just that, while acknowledging that Zionism isn’t something that can be clearly defined. Rather, it must be explored and challenged by those who call themselves Zionists. Zionism today is a movement that spans religions, nationalities, age, and political affiliation. This was apparent at the seminar, and is something that the member organizations of the AZM/WZO exemplify by their broad reach. By unifying such groups under the banner of Zionism, we are able to truly demonstrate the diversity of the movement, and the wide span of individuals who support Israel.

Click on the image below to see a larger version.  You can also download copies by following the link below.

Download a PDF of Dayenu (This is a big file; please allow time for the download.)

Donate to AZM

In addition to being fun to watch as entertainment, Israeli films can be powerful lenses through which to examine Israeli society. Whether you are looking to teach about Israel or learn more about it yourself, this guide will enable you to delve deeply into the important themes underlying Israeli society at your synagogue, community center, class, film group, Israel club or just with a group of friends. In addition to providing the relevant cinematographic and historical background crucial for a full appreciation of these movies, this guide enables active, critical thinking through thought-provoking activities and questions for discussion.

Click here to purchase: Israel at the Movies – Guide to 8 Israeli Films

The Syrian Bride

The Syrian Bride tells the story of Mona, a Druze woman, and Tallel, a television comedian from Damascus Syria.  Though they are engaged to wed,  they have never met because they come from enemy states. Mona is in a bind because she knows if they wed she moves to Syria, she will never be able to see her family again, because they live in Israel.  The films grants us a rare opportunity to reflect on issues such as the Israel-Arab conflict and tradition versus modernity from a woman’s perspective.

Download a showbill for The Syrian Bride with film synopsis, background information, trivia questions and more.

Aviva’s Summer (The Summer of Aviya)

Aviya’s Summer is an autobiographical film about Israeli actress Gila Almagor.  Set in the newly-founded, post-Holocaust State of Israel, the film recounts the story of 10 year-oldAviya and her tortured mother, Henya, played by Almagor. Once  a beautiful freedom fighter, Henya suffers from psychological damage of surviving the Holocaust and losing her husband in the war.  Aviya’s Summer is a portrayal of the challenges of Holocaust survivors and their families in the new State of Israel, as well as an intimate look into the lives of two generations of women trying to make it work as best as they can.

Download a showbill for Aviya’s Summer incuding background info. trivia questions and food for thought.

Remember: films should not be shown in public unless you have attained screening rights!