September 10, 2003
The Department for Zionist Activities is launching a new Dor Hemshech leadership initiative.

Responding to the ongoing need of Zionist federations all over the world to cultivate cadres of young adults (aged 30-45) who would be willing to expand Zionist Federation activities and community presence, the Department for Zionist Activities is launching a new Dor Hemshech leadership initiative.

Building on the successes of regional conferences in North America, Latin America, and Europe, the Department is launching six-month local training programs, culminating with a week in Israel. Groups of 20-30 participants are forming in Budapest, Marseilles-Nice, Buenos Aires, and Santiago, the venues chosen for the first stage of this pilot project. In each case, the local Zionist Federation is taking charge of the program, heading a local steering committee (to include appropriate community leaders) and helping to choose lecturers and workshop leaders under the auspices and guidelines of a professional Jerusalem-based coordinator.

The program will include the following components:

• Strengthening Jewish/Zionist identity
• Selected issues in contemporary Israel
• Israel-Diaspora relations, with emphasis on the specific country
• Leadership and management skills
• A personal Zionist hands-on project to be undertaken by each participant through the local Zionist federation.

Recruitment began early this fall. The various courses will begin in mid-December.

Upon the completion of these four pilot projects, the Department intends to use the experience gained to build a comprehensive package for Dor Hemshech leadership programs that will be offered exclusively to Zionist federations all over the world.

Interested parties are invited to contact project coordinator Naftali Levi at naftalil@jafi.org