I am always looking for the connections between the people I know and the things they are interested in and the opportunities I run across. I love introducing people and finding out they have some prior connection. I think it's part of having attended a small liberal arts college – or why I enjoyed attending a small liberal arts college; you are trained to seek out the connections between the sometimes arcane topics you are studying and real life. (For the record, I was a medieval history major, which to my parents meant "Start saving for graduate school." So I know what I'm talking about when I say arcane.)

One way we all connect is through the age-old game of Jewish geography. Finding our way towards each other by means of family relationships, camps, youth groups, JCC basketball teams, we weave a tapestry that binds us together. You can even see it happening on Facebook! So I'm going to try to make another Jewish geography connection right now, for each of you. It's the connection between MetroWest and our Partnership 2000 community of Ofakim and Merchavim. The connection is the following link: http://www.ujc.org/page.aspx?id=204063 (or go to the website for national United Jewish Communities, www.ujc.org and look for the Israel and Overseas page). The article details the many different ways residents of MetroWest and residents of Ofakim and Merchavim are reaching out to each other, strengthening and increasing the bonds between us. In addition to our terrific organized programs, I am so excited by the grassroots connections that are taking place. And if you would like to be part of this Jewish geography connection or just want to know more about it, please contact Orlie Dudaie, Executive Shlichah of the Legow Family Israel Program Center, at (973) 929-3070 or odudaie@ujcnj.org.

Looking forward to playing lots of Jewish geography with all of you.