Israel & Overseas

Around the World, Keeping Jewish Life Strong

Get Stories and Information to Keep Us Connected

Current affairs, history, culture, amazing people, places and things. Discover the best of Israel, the Middle East, and our Michigan–Central Galilee partnership region with a Jewish Detroit flair.

Doing a World of Good

Federation’s Israel & Overseas department is all about celebrating, advocating and building meaningful relationships with people in Israel and around the world. We’ve helped hundreds of Detroiters and Israelis forge lasting connections through immersive experiences and programming. When Israel and Jewish communities worldwide are threatened, we come immediately to their aid. Amid rising anti-Semitism, Jews around the world know they can rely on our unwavering support. Because no matter where we live, we’re all part of one global Jewish family.

Israeli Camper Program
Shinshinim (Young Israeli Emissary) Program
Shaliach Community Emissary
Teen Mission Experience
Get There! Funding Scholarship Program
Missions to Israel
Partnership2Gether
Birthright Israel Onward

Israeli Camper Program

Over 1,600 Israeli campers, 500 host families and countless memories. Since 2002, Federation, Tamarack Camps and Michigan’s Partnership2Gether region in Israel have joined together to bring Israeli youth to summer camp in our community.

The Israeli Camper Program is a cultural exchange with the purpose of building Jewish identity in both the Israelis and Americans. Creating personal connections that foster lasting friendships based on a shared Jewish experience.

Want to know more and get involved? Contact Allison Gutman at agutman@jfmd.org or 248-205-2534.

Be a Host Family

Shinshinim (Young Israeli Emissary) Program

Shinshinim are high-school graduates who choose to defer their military service for a year of service abroad. These young Israeli ambassadors are carefully selected, recruited, trained, and sent to Jewish communities around the world to share their youthful and enthusiastic Israeli spirits.

The Shinshinim bring their energy, love of Israel and unique perspectives to our synagogues, religious schools, pre-schools and Jewish Community Center through educational lessons, presentations, arts and crafts, music and personal connections with community members of all ages. They participate in special ‘chagim’ happenings, adult programming, weekend retreats and Shabbatonim, youth group conventions, summer camps, and other events.

One of the main objectives of bringing Shinshinim to our community is to encourage Israeli engagement that ultimately builds a bridge between Michigan and Israel.

Meet this year’s Shinshinim and apply to be a host family

Shaliach Community Emissary

Each year the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) sends over 1,000 Israeli emissaries (schlichim) to live and work in communities like ours, to assist in the strengthening of local Jewish identity and our connection to Israel. They provide a living bridge to Israel by promoting Israeli experiences, facilitating Jewish social activism and speaking authentically about faith and culture.

Federation’s Israel & Overseas department is proud to work with JAFI to bring our current Shaliach, Yiftach Leket, to our community. We can’t wait for you to meet and work with him to help forge a more meaningful bond between Israel and Jewish Detroit.

Read Yiftach’s myJewishDetroit feature story

Connect with Yiftach on his Facebook page

For more information, please contact Dona Stillman at stillman@jfmd.org or 248-833-2527.

Teen Mission Experience

Awe-inspiring. Life-changing. Breathtaking. Visiting the land of Israel is unlike anywhere else in the world. Here’s how Federation helps young Jewish Detroiters experience the country for themselves

More Info

Get There! Funding Scholarship Program

The Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit’s unique Get There! program provides funding to help defray costs for trips to Israel, making it possible for more young people to experience a life-changing journey. Available for a wide variety of programs, Get There! travel grants help young Detroiters build a lasting foundation of Jewish identity.

More Info

Missions to Israel

Did you know that the Detroit Jewish community sends more people to Israel on missions than most communities in the country? Every year Federation helps over 1,000 people of all ages from Detroit experience our homeland.

Why go to Israel? Ask anyone who has been to Israel on a mission organized by the Detroit Federation. Most will tell you that their experience was eye-opening, inspiring — even life-changing.

Behind the scenes on every mission from Michigan, there’s a team of extraordinary professionals and community leaders, Israelis and Detroiters — working together to pull itineraries, logistics and memorable events seamlessly together.

Let us help you find the mission that’s right for you. Please contact Jennifer Levine, Director of Israel and Overseas Department, for more information at jlevine@jfmd.org

Partnership2Gether

Since 1994, Federation has partnered with three Israeli municipalities in a region known as the Central Galilee. Partnership2Gether turns Israel from a homeland to a home away from home, and everyone is invited to participate.

Visit the Partnership2Gether page

Birthright Israel Onward

Detroit’s Birthright Israel Onward program gives you the chance to travel to Israel to explore your professional interests, experience Israel like a local, and make new friends while living in Tel Aviv, Israel’s 24-hour cultural and economic center.

This once in a lifetime opportunity helps you grow personally and professionally as you explore contemporary Israel, gain valuable international work experience and travel with fellow Detroiters your age.

Read More and Apply