Feb 13/2015

One Community, BeYachad (Together)

Last Sunday, I had the honor to participate in the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Super Sunday. I was overwhelmed by the number of volunteers that took part in this event, making phone calls to help build a stronger community to the benefit of us all.

It made me think about the sense of BeYachad, the Hebrew word for Together. We are together, one community, diverse, and geographically spread out. We think differently from one another and have numerous organizations that represent this diversity and pluralistic thought. With that being said, what still unites us as a community is this BeYachad feeling. We all work together for the same greater cause, to make our community better and to ensure the continuation and strength of the Jewish Community worldwide, and of course in Israel.

In these days it’s not easy. When we see the rise of anti-Semitism in the world, especially in Europe, we appreciate better what we have here. We come together as a community to show solidarity to those in needs, whether by feeding the poor in a small town in Pennsylvania, or by going on a solidarity mission to France with the JFNA or JAFI in support of the French Jews.

For me, as an Israeli, it’s always heartwarming to see how important Israel is to this community; as reflected in how much communal work that is done in and by this community is targeted towards Israel. We partner with many organizations throughout our region to strengthen the relations with Israel: either through Israel Advocacy workshops for college students held in Ohio and Pennsylvania or by promoting Israeli culture, economic development, VIP visits and speakers from Israel and so much more.

We are part of this community, throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and we are honored to keep partnering with you BeYachad, together. My Super Sunday experience helped open my eyes to how lucky we are to have friends like you in our region.

I’m travelling to Israel this weekend and will carry with me the solidarity and friendship you demonstrate to my country. I promise upon coming back to bring more friendship and solidarity from Israel to you. I’ll do it because this is why we have a consulate here: to keep engaging with this beautiful and diverse community as equals, Israeli and American Jews.

Shabbat Shalom,

  

Yaron Sideman
Consul General Of Israel,
Mid-Atlantic Region