By Rotem Linchevski & Talya Machpood: Our Young Emissaries from Israel

Our adventure is coming to an end. Can you believe that a year has gone by so fast? We definitely can’t. It involved so many things: Rosh Hashanah, dressing up as Israeli food on Purim, participating in Shabbat services, mentioning Yom HaZikaron and Yom Hashoah, celebrating 70 years for Israel here in Connecticut, and so much more! 

There are so many small and big moments that we will take with us for the rest of our lives. We’re returning home more mature, more knowledgeable and more complete. We gained a stronger Israeli and Jewish identity and it’s all because of you! By showing us your ways of living a Jewish life, you helped us find our own.

We met so many new and incredible people. It was the best year of our lives so far. The only thing we have to do is to say a huge “toda”- thank you! Toda to the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven for being our home, for supporting us and caring about Israel. 

Toda to all the institutions (synagogues, Hebrew schools, Ezra Academy, JTE, The Towers, public schools, and many more) for opening your doors to us, and opening your hearts for Israel. We hope you learned something from us, and we hope you know how much we learned from you. Toda for our amazing host families: the HorwitzChirnomas, Delmoro-Stein, Dworkin and Sussman families. You taught us that it’s not blood that makes people a family, but hearts. Thank you for sharing this adventure with us. You will be our family for life. This was such a life-changing experience to be a part of these special families. 

Toda to Amalya Brownstein, Amalyush, for being the greatest coordinator we could ever ask for. You guided us with warmth, love and professionalism and pushed us to be the best we could be and showed us how to enjoy our journey. 

And most importantly, a big toda for you! Yes, you! Thank you for being a part of the Greater New Haven Jewish community. This community became our second home - our home away from home. You welcomed us so warmly, you cared, offered to help and really wanted to get to know us and be a part of our year here.

Come say a proper goodbye to us at our farewell party on June 11. We are not saying “Shalom” as goodbye, we’re saying “Le’hitraot”- see you later! 

To stay in touch, pick up the phone, send an email or a text! 

If you are interested in hosting, contact Amalya Brownstein, amalyab@ jccnh.org