Volunteer to Share Your Professional Skills in Yerucham
Miami-Dade residents 40 and older can apply now for a unique opportunity to share their professional skills and build lasting connections in Yerucham, Miami’s partnership community in Israel.
As part of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation’s Volunteer BaMidbar (Volunteer in the Desert), participants will live and work in Yerucham for two weeks beginning October 30. Volunteers will lend their time and talents to local businesses and nonprofit organizations where their particular skills are needed. In addition, they will teach conversational English to adults for two or three evenings a week. The Greater Miami Jewish Federation’s Miami-Yerucham Partnership is working with Skilled Volunteers for Israel to present this pilot program.
Yerucham, a town situated in the Negev Desert, is an up-and-coming community with a diverse population of nearly 9,400 residents, including Jews from the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Since 2007, Federation has worked with the Yerucham community to create partnerships focusing on a variety of areas, including business development, school projects and youth programs. Volunteer in the Desert participants will see these connections first-hand — as well as experience — day trips throughout the region. They will also join local host families for Shabbat, and participate in Jewish text and spirituality workshops.
"This opportunity enables people to forge a deep connection with Israel by volunteering and developing personal relationships with the Israeli people. By engaging with Israelis, teaching them, and being immersed for several weeks in everyday Israeli life, volunteers will experience Israel in an intimate and profound way," said Lisa Kudish Rosenburg, Chair of the Miami-Yerucham Partnership Committee.
The program runs from October 30-November 13, 2014. Participants receive housing accommodations, airport transfers, insurance, regional trips, workshops and home hospitality for Shabbat meals. They will pay for their own airfare, meals and incidentals. The cost is only $1,000 for two weeks. This is a special subsidized rate for Miami-Dade community members. All others pay $3,400.
Volunteer projects involve skills such as writing, marketing, photography, social media and fundraising. Professionals with other skills are encouraged to apply, as they will be matched with organizations in Yerucham that need their talents.
To learn more about the Miami-Yerucham Partnership, click here.
Download an application online. For more information, click here or email [email protected] or contact Dahlia Bendavid, Director of Federation’s Israel and Overseas Department, at 786.866.8445.
