5 things we can learn from Partnership2Gether about connecting virtually
Teen2Teen hosted 23 teenagers from Rehovot and Minneapolis for a conversation on April 6th.
Since long before COVID-19 was affecting our daily lives, Partnership2Gether (P2G) was fostering important virtual connections from Rehovot to Minneapolis. Ask any one person living in the age of coronavirus what the biggest change in their life has been recently, and we’re willing to bet that “connecting only virtually” is right at the top of their list. But if you’re one of the many participants in MJF’s P2G programs, you’re no stranger to tuning into Zoom to meet with someone halfway across the world—someone who’s come to be a friend after all the virtual hours you’ve logged together.
Partnership2Gether is a global initiative from Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) that partners cities around the world with “sister cities” to build connections between the diaspora and Israel. We’ve been partnered with Rehovot for nearly six years, building a stronger relationship between Minneapolis and Israel and fostering a stronger sense of a global Jewish community on both sides of the exchange.
Here’s a few things we at MJF have learned from all the good work that P2G does, along with some updates on how you can check out the cool virtual programming they’re continuing to inspire us with.
Connecting virtually is for people of all ages! P2G runs programs for teens to grandparents. On April 6th, Teen2Teen hosted a Zoom call for 23 teenagers—ten from Rehovot, and thirteen from Minneapolis. “We thought this would be a great opportunity for you to get together and talk about your lives,” said moderator Dudi Hershko—and talk they did. Over an hour, the teens spent time learning about how each city is handling the current coronavirus pandemic, got to know each other, and marveled at the similarities between each other despite the miles between them. A lot of them were missing their friends, adjusting to the new normal of social distancing, or trying to stay positive despite the sweeping changes that have affected both Rehovot and Minneapolis in recent weeks. And these kinds of connections aren’t exclusively for teens. G2 connects a grandparent-grandchild duo in Minneapolis to their counterparts in Rehovot. Currently, that virtual connection is a little closer to home. Minneapolis grandkids are getting in touch with their own grandparents via Zoom to interview them about their lives and create presentations about them.
Art thrives in the virtual... Re-Art is part of Partnership2Gether, a program that pairs cities around the world with sister cities in Israel to help promote exchanges between Israel and the diaspora that are cultural, educational, and social. With Re-Art, the cultural exchange is quite literal—participants in Minneapolis got to exchange original artworks with their peer cohort in our sister city, Rehovot. All of this is facilitated by Zoom calls—something that an audience in early 2020 knows about intimately. Last year, three Minneapolis and three Rehovot artists exchanged and edited each other’s art, talked about photography and Photoshop, and became friends—all in the virtual. “It was new all the way around,” said David Sherman, one of the Minneapolis artists. “You’re trying to understand people and figure out where they’re coming from, where they get their creativity. You’re meeting people and meeting them in this new way. I thought it was really good.” There’s a similar program for teens launching soon, too! Photography2Gether asks teens to exchange favorite photos and ideas on Instagram—a way to build a new online network while also practicing budding photography skills.
...and so do big ideas. P2G is all about fostering connections and minds. On Sunday, April 26th, the Café Hafooch provided a virtual mentorship-style program, with adults in America and Canada volunteering to meet with Israeli teens to help them improve their English skills and strengthen the adults’ bonds to Israel. Overall, seven of the volunteers were from Minneapolis. Café Hafooch is a six-week conversation series that helps the teenagers prepare for important English language matriculation exams, and is a perfect example of how sustainable and fulfilling these virtual connections can be. In partnership with the Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto, MJF participants chatted with the teens about Jewish identity and how they’re dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. “The hour just flew by,” said Amanda Feigin, MJF’s Israel Program Specialist—and we’re guessing that future sessions will be just as interesting and informative.
Large gatherings are no sweat. #FacingCorona2Gether was P2G’s quick response to connecting during the pandemic on April 1. Featuring a panel ranging from scientists and doctors to students, the Zoom mini-conference engaged with about 70 participants on matters of the global pandemic. And 70 was only the beginning. Hopin, another online gathering platform, can accommodate up to 100,000 guests—and with P2G hosting its 248CAN Global Summit there on May 17th, it’s safe to say they’re leading the way on innovative new ways to get more people in the virtual room.
Virtual connections often become real-life. Obviously, travel is tricky right now, but in previous years, P2G participants have the opportunity to connect with their Israeli or Minneapolitan counterparts. The Teen Exchange Program (with a new cohort still hopefully planned to begin this fall!) works to educate Minneapolis teens on Israeli history and culture and to connect them with a cohort of Israeli teens learning the same about the United States. The trip features two actual exchanges, with Israelis travelling to Minneapolis for a period, then the Minnesotans traveling to Israel to experience learning in a hands-on, real-time way. And many other of P2G’s programs feature travel as a culminating experience (in a non-pandemic world)—248CAN's Global Summit is one example, and Re-Art also allows artists to travel to each other’s countries for presentations and as a way to bring a unique program to a satisfying end.
P2G’s been inspiring us for years with their commitment to bridging the distance gap between Rehovot and Minneapolis, and their many different programs are really a beacon of hope in this time—connecting meaningfully is possible in the virtual, and innovation and creativity are alive and well in these virtual events.