President’s Message

By Joan Schiffer Levinson

One year ago I participated in the Jewish Federation of North America Campaign Chairs and Director’s Mission that brought campaign professionals and lay leaders from 35 communities across North America together in Athens and Israel. Our itinerary shifted daily as the rockets flew and the needs of our family in Israel became more intense with each passing day. Our plans to visit communities in the south were canceled as the crisis intensified, and my eagerly awaited first experience visiting our Federation’s partnerships in Ofakim and Kibbutz Erez were put on hold.

This July I returned to Israel, and before connecting with 100 other participants on the 2015 Campaign Chairs and Directors Mission, I made my long awaited visit to our incredible partnerships in the south. Accompanied by fellow American and Israeli lay leaders and professional staff, I could see and feel the imprint of Greater MetroWest on everything around me. At Kibbutz Erez, our guide told me that the safety and security enhancements provided by Greater MetroWest help hundreds of kibbutz families sleep more comfortably at night and feel more secure during the day.

The dollars we raise and the hard work we do all year long comes to life on missions to Israel and around the world, when we meet the people, hear the stories, and witness the impact of the projects we support. If you have never been on a Jewish Federation mission, you owe it to yourself to have an experience of a lifetime.

From my family to yours, I wish you a happy, healthy, and peaceful New Year.

Joan Schiffer Levinson,
Women’s Philanthropy President