JUF’s ‘Partnership2Gether’ celebrates 30 years

Street signs located in the neighborhood where the roundabout honoring the Chicago Kiryat Gat-Lachish-Shair relationship will be. Signs are in English and some Hebrew.

Jewish communities the world over have always kept Israel close to their hearts as an object of devotion, a source of unity. The widespread love for Israel, and admiration for the miracle of its rebirth in its historic homeland, have been a staple of Diaspora pride, even as some are critical of some of Israel’s individual leaders or policies. 

Thirty years ago, in 1995, the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) decided to leverage that passion into more localized, personal connections. Thus began the Partnership project, first called “Partnership 2000” and now “Parternship2Gether” (P2G).  

JAFI divvied up the map of Israel into dozens of “Partnership regions,” then paired each region with a community in the Diaspora. Chicago picked a region roughly an hour’s drive south of Tel Aviv and an hour west of Jerusalem. At the heart of our region lies the city of Kiryat Gat, then a small city of 40,000 people—now almost double that number—alongside the two Regional Councils of Lachish and Shafir, agrarian areas of mostly kibbutzim and moshavim. 

In those 30 years, Chicago’s partnership with Kiryat Gat, Lachish, and Shafir has flourished, thanks to a committed steering committee composed of both lay leaders from Chicago and residents of the Partnership region itself. Under a series of Chairs, that Committee has led the Partnership in support of hundreds of projects and people-to-people connections, thanks to an annual JUF allocation of $1 million. 

The Partnership is more than a project, more than an allocation, more even than a bridge between communities. It is a very personal connection between individuals in Chicago (actually, in many cases, couples and families) and their friends in Kiryat Gat, Lachish, and Shafir.   

Over the years, the connection has not only benefited thousands of people in need in the region; it has also formed a close-knit, ever-growing club—a family of Chicagoans and locals who shared both simchas and hardships, providing a deeply meaningful personal connection between Chicago and Israelis that goes beyond politics and religiosity. 

The past two years of war prove what a true partnership this is. Throughout, Israeli committee members shared how deeply they felt the concern and love of their Chicago friends. Through phone calls, WhatsApp messages, and solidarity visits, Chicagoans comforted residents of the region, reminding them that they are not alone, and that their pain was shared by our entire Chicago community. And the residents of the partnership region watched, with a growing concern of their own, the rising antisemitic and anti-Israel activities on Chicago’s streets and campuses. 

With numerous visits and almost daily communication, our committee members kept Chicagoans informed, while our Chicago family strengthened and supported our Partnership leaders. 

In December, we held a special celebration of 30 years of Partnership2Gether in Kiryat Gat, with local political leaders as well as JAFI and JUF leaders. The Partnership’s co-chairs—Chicagoans Robin and David Nankin, and Lachish’s Iris Kiryaty-Moyal— highlighted the Partnership as “a living bridge, built by people who believed that distance does not define us and that shared values, a shared heritage, and shared responsibility can bring us closer.” 

Kiryat Gat’s mayor, Kfir Swisa, announced at the celebration the exciting news that a roundabout in the city will be named “Partnership Square” in honor of our long-standing connection with the city. This is a tremendous tribute to our community and our partnership.  

Over the years, the Partnership has invested over $30 million in support of hundreds of projects for students, people with disabilities, the elderly, youth at risk, and more. Together, we improved the lives of countless Israelis, each with a face and a name, each with challenges and hopes. This project is a direct way to connect to individual Israelis through the organizations that provide them with the support and services they need. 

In the words of the Partnership’s co-chairs, “The mission has never been more vital as we are called upon to strengthen global Jewish unity, to support Israel, and to deepen relationships that bring purpose, understanding, and hope to our communities—in Chicago, in Kiryat Gat, in Lachish, and in Shafir.” 

Thirty years later, the Partnership is growing ever stronger. Chicagoans and locals are enhancing the lives of countless Israelis. A true Partnership, a friendship— a mishpachah. 

We are indeed together for good. 

To learn more about Partnership2Gether, visit juf.org/p2g.