Nearly 50 homebound seniors traveled from Philadelphia to Israel last month — virtually, of course.
Our Missions program, which takes people on educational trips to Israel, Europe, Central America and more, has been on hold since the start of the pandemic. But our Mission Co-Chairs, Susan Schwartz and Paul Fires, had an idea: why not use the video technology that’s become a part of everyday life to take isolated older adults on a virtual trip?
Together, with Missions and Travel Manager Arielle Shemesh, they organized a virtual tour for seniors, many of them Holocaust survivors, who participate in KleinLife’s programs for Russian speakers.
“The KleinLife community represents a significant portion of our elderly population who are the most at risk. They’re homebound without any physical contact or mental stimulation,” said Schwartz. “We felt this virtual mission would be a wonderful way to bring Israel into their homes, and give them something to look forward to each week.”
Our Missions department worked with KleinLife, a Jewish Federation supported community resource center in the Northeast, to identify participants.
“It is hard to think of a more deserving group than the people who enjoy KleinLife’s wonderful services and programs,” Fires added. “Add to the mix that many in the KleinLife community have limited mobility for a variety of reasons, it seems natural to bring the Israel mission experience to their doorsteps.”
Each week, between 35 and 50 seniors joined the call. Led by an experienced Russian-Israeli tour guide, the group visited different regions and landmarks during the sessions. Virtual tour bus stops included Jerusalem’s Old City and Machne Yehuda market, Tel Aviv’s Jaffa Port, the beachside resort town of Eilat, and the Dead Sea.
The tour group also met representatives from some of the Jewish Federation’s supported Israeli nonprofits that serve seniors and Holocaust survivors. For example, they visited Leket, the leading food rescue service in Israel, and Yad LaKashish, which serves impoverished older adults in Jerusalem.
At the end of the tour, the virtual sightseers visited the Jewish Federation’s partnership region in Netivot, where they spoke with a young Russian immigrant, Kosta, about his experiences making aliyah and raising a family on Israel’s Southern border, a beautiful and diverse region where rocketfire is frequent.
Overall, the virtual excursion received positive reviews.
“I have not been to Israel for a long time,” said Leon Fleysh, a Holocaust survivor from the former Soviet Union (FSU) who participated in the mission. “Last time I was there was 12 years ago. I pretty much felt like I was there through this trip, and the experience made me want to be there in person. I would really like to travel to Israel, to be in that atmosphere, and feel myself as part of the Israeli community.”
“I really love Israel and traveled there in the past,” said Mila Brayman, also a Survivor from the FSU. “I felt like I was there again and got to know a lot of new things, because I hadn’t traveled to all of the places our tour guide showed us during this virtual mission.”
The Jewish Federation’s Missions programs not only take people to Israel, but also to visit Jewish communities and places of interest around the world. Prior to the pandemic, our latest in-person offering was a Civil Rights tour of the American South featuring historic locations in Selma, Birmingham and other significant cities.
“This just reinforces to me the power of the collective, and the commitment of our community,” said Schwartz. “It’s a very rewarding feeling to know that with a little brainstorming — and our fabulous professional team — we can improve and enrich lives, one day at a time.”
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For more information about travel experiences with the Jewish Federation, please contact Missions and Travel Manager Arielle Shemesh at ashemesh@jewishphilly.org or 215.832.0629.