Connecting Hearts and Minds Across Continents

Most of us at Mainline Reform Temple in Philadelphia had never heard of the northern Israeli town of Kiryat Tivon until we began logging onto Zoom conversations with a local Reform congregation there: Congregation Ma’alot Tivon. What began as a virtual exchange during COVID, a moment of global isolation, soon grew into something far more enduring: the beginning of a beautiful and meaningful partnership rooted in curiosity, shared values, and a desire for connection.

For the past six years, we have met via Zoom every other Thursday. Sometimes the group is a little smaller, sometimes bigger, but every session is filled with friendship, learning, and dialogue.

In recent years, the need to deepen these connections has only grown more urgent. Partnerships provide a framework for difficult but necessary conversations about Israel, Zionism, democracy, and the future of the Jewish people. Because they are rooted in relationships, these conversations can be held with honesty and respect rather than distance and defensiveness.

The members of Congregation Ma’alot Tivon and Main Line Reform Temple can both attest to how this partnership has broadened our understanding of each others’ lives and circumstances. We have told our families’ immigration stories, celebrated holidays and simchas (happy occasions), and heard about things that matter first-hand. The Israelis have told us about life in the Mamad, their work with local Palestinian women, and the realities of life in Israel after October 7th. We Americans have spoken about our experiences of growing antisemitism, worries about the anti-Israel drift in progressive politics, and observing the general growth of anti-Zionist sentiment.  

These connections have helped bridge gaps in understanding. Israeli Jews often have limited exposure to the diversity of Diaspora Jewish life, particularly non-Orthodox expressions of Judaism. Likewise, North American Jews may struggle to fully grasp the complexities of Israeli society, politics, and identity. Through these sustained relationships, stereotypes give way to nuance, empathy, and genuine care.

Partnerships between North American Reform congregations and Israeli Reform communities have become one of the most powerful expressions of contemporary Jewish peoplehood. At a time when political tensions, geographic distance, and differing lived realities can strain relationships between Israeli and Diaspora Jews, these partnerships offer something deeper: sustained, human connection grounded in mutual responsibility and a shared Jewish future.

Main Line Reform Temple has felt the impact of this connection. We feel when our friends in Israel are hurting or joyous. We have gotten to know each other on a deep level. These days, when congregational travel to Israel is much less frequent, we still have our Israeli friends.

The Jewish story is no longer centered in a single place, but shared across multiple vibrant centers of Jewish life. North American Reform Jews often seek a deeper, more personal connection to Israel beyond headlines and politics. Israeli Reform communities, for their part, benefit from the solidarity, resources, and moral partnership of Diaspora Jews who share their commitment to pluralism, democracy, and religious freedom.

Congregations engage in joint learning programs, often meeting over Zoom to study Torah, modern Israeli texts, or discuss themes such as social justice and Jewish identity. Rabbis and lay leaders collaborate on professional development and community-building strategies. Youth groups connect through exchanges and virtual programming, fostering relationships that can last a lifetime. And when congregation members are able to visit one another, names on a screen become faces, friendships, and mishpacha (family).

Two members of Main Line Reform Temple have visited Ma’alot Tivon in person and have had the chance to participate in Kabbalat Shabbat services. Meanwhile, two rabbis from Ma’alot Tivon have been able to visit Main Line Reform Temple, ensuring the dialogue between these two congregations continues to thrive and go deeper than faces on a screen.

Washington Hebrew Congregation in Washington, DC has built a meaningful relationship with Kehilat Or Hadash in Haifa, deepening ties through shared learning and ongoing dialogue. As Sam Davidoff, lay leader of the Israel Committee at Washington Hebrew Congregation, reflects: “I really feel fortunate to have this relationship with Rabbi Dafni and Or Hadash, as we've realized that we have so much in common and are able to gain a new perspective on life in Israel.” His words capture the essence of these partnerships: shared values, genuine openness to difference, and sharing the rich diversity of Reform Jewish life in North America and Israel.

Strengthening these bonds of shared experience, mutual learning, and collective responsibility is essential to the future of our movement and the Jewish people. When we build these relationships, we see each other first and foremost as “real people,” not just news headlines or opinion poll numbers.

To start building community with Israeli Jews and deepening your own understanding of life in Israel, consider registering for an individual ARZA membership.