On January 30th, we gathered at the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus for a volunteer event led by the Center for Jewish Philanthropy’s Israel & Overseas Committee. At this event, volunteers worked to prepare Care Kits for those traveling to Israel who wish to take with them a memento symbolizing our love and support from the Phoenix desert to the Israeli desert. The idea behind these kits is that when Phoenix residents visit Israel, they gift these mementos to individuals they meet during their time in Israel.
During the event, each volunteer wrote notes with inspiring messages meant to strengthen and uplift those who receive them in Israel. Among the messages, we wrote:
- “Our hearts are with you – you are not alone!”
- “Am Yisrael Chai and connected everywhere in the world.”
- “Love from our desert to yours – stay strong!”
We attached these notes to special Prickly Pear keychains, a symbol deeply rooted in Israeli culture. The term “Tzabar” (Sabra) originated as slang but has since become an integral part of the Hebrew language, describing any Jew born in Israel. The comparison to the prickly desert plant, with its tough, spiny exterior and soft, sweet fruit, reflects the nature of the Sabra Israeli – seemingly tough on the outside but warm and loving within.
As we cut, wrote, and packed, we not only embraced the deeper meaning behind every small gesture but also got to know one another, forged new connections, and strengthened our bonds as a community. The dedication of each and every participant was heartwarming, and everyone left the gathering with a sense of fulfillment and belonging.
A huge thank you to everyone who came, contributed, and gave their time! Thanks to you, our message of love and support will reach Israel with every person carrying this special memento.
We have kits available free of charge for any Phoenix folks traveling to Israel to take with them, we invite you to contact Sapir, our community Shlicha, at stiram@phoenixcjp.org. Please also reach out to Sapir if you are interested in learning more about how you might be able to get involved in the Center for Jewish Philanthropy’s Israel and Overseas committee! If you’re interested in general volunteer opportunities as part of CJP’s Shalom Phoenix Volunteer Corps, please contact Andrea Cohen at acohen@phoenixcjp.org.
Looking forward to our next volunteer opportunity!
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